10 Days Workshop on Research Methodology in Social Sciences begins
Aligarh: “Good reading habit generates new ideas and it paves way for research and innovation. If you want to be a good researcher and teacher, the student in you must remain active”, said renowned economist, Professor M Muzammil, ex Vice Chancellor, Dr BR Ambedkar University, Agra.
He was addressing the inaugural session of the 10 days Workshop on Research Methodology in Social Sciences, as chief guest, organised by the Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
The workshop has been sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).
Prof Muzammil pointed out that The National Education Policy-2020 emphasizes on identifying research oriented mind right from the school days, so that quality research and development gets a boost in the country.
Delineating the qualities of a good teacher and researcher he said, one who dares to teach must never cease to learn. “The moment we cease to be a student we cease to be a teacher and researcher”, said Prof Muzammil.
Motivating the participants of the workshop to remain passionate in their academic endeavors he emphasized that creation of knowledge is for the welfare and development of the humanity and academia stands for humanism, tolerance and plurality, reasoning and scientific thinking; and adventure of ideas.
Prof Muzammil also praised the department of Geography for its vibrancy and having a very old scholarly tradition in the country.
Presiding over the inaugural session, AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor said, we need better infrastructure and work culture in our country to make India a global leader in research and development.
“Ivy League Universities like Harvard and Stanford; and Oxford etc. have strong collaboration with industry. Research and development divisions of big pharmaceutical companies are located near Harvard University so that collaboration is easy. We need such an ambience in India also for joint collaborations between industry and academic institutions”, pointed out Prof Mansoor.
Referring to the National Education Policy-2020, he also highlighted the need for Inter-disciplinary research. “AMU’s Department of Geography is an ideal department for multi-disciplinary research as the departments of Remote Sensing, Geology, and Economics etc have several common meeting points”, said Prof Mansoor.
He further said workshops on research methodologies help in harnessing the requisite conceptual and technical skills. “Good research demands passion and I hope this workshop will give impetus to quality research work in the faculty”, pointed out Prof Mansoor.
Prof Zaheeruddin, Pro Vice Chancellor, AMU said such workshop help researchers to keep pace with the recent advancements and learn modern research techniques, statistical tools, terminologies and concepts.
Prof Qazi Mazhar Ali, Dean, Faculty of Science, AMU congratulated Prof Nizamuddin Khan (Course Director) for organising the workshop despite all odds owing to Covid-19 pandemic. He said learning the basic concepts of a research process are very important for young researchers.
In his welcome address Prof Syed Naushad Ahmad, Chairperson, Department of Geography, AMU, congratulated the AMU Vice Chancellor, Faculty members and students for achieving new heights in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Earlier, presenting an outline of the ten-day workshop, Prof Nizamuddin Khan, Course Director, Department of Geography, AMU, said the results of scientific research very often force a change in the philosophical view of problems which extend far beyond the restricted domain of science itself.
“The course on research methodology is designed to impart knowledge for scientific research to integrate qualitative and quantitative approaches and orient the young researchers to new advance techniques for precise, rational and scientific research” he said.
Prof Khan said the workshop will have 40 sessions; and 16 resource persons from different disciplines of Social Sciences and Humanities will deliver lectures.
“30 participants including 10 from AMU have been selected on the basis of the guidelines of ICSSR, New Delhi, and they are from the disciplines of Geography, Law, Political Science, Sociology, Education, West Asian Studies, Management, Economics, and Commerce, coming from different states of the country” he informed.
Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, Course Co-Director, Department of Geography, AMU proposed the vote of thanks.
Dr Mohammad Taufique conducted the proceedings.