Bhubaneswar, Feb 14: The mission of University is to invigorate the society through the pursuit of higher education, learning, and research. Educating our youth, however, must go beyond the basic functions of classroom teaching and training and ensure employability. To be globally competitive, universities must also be incubators of global citizens and generators of future leadership. We should aspire to inculcate a view of the world that is broad, multifaceted and interconnected, said Governor and Chancellor Dr.S.C. Jamir. Addressing in the 36th Convocation of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Governor said, alongside education, research can have a decisive impact on a university’s contribution to society. In addition to its duty to impart knowledge, it is a university’s commitment to research that allows it to conceive solutions to local and global challenges. There is a need for the integration of teaching and research. Our endeavour should be to become research-intensive university that places a culture of research and freedom of inquiry at its very heart. India is much better placed today in agricultural development than it was before Odisha which remains basically an agrarian society is better placed as well with many pro-active measures, Governor observed. Increasing the productivity of resources available to agricultural is critical. Enhanced efficiency can be achieved only through research focused on sustainable agricultural productivity. Agriculture can provide the food we eat, the feed for our livestock and companion animals, fiber for our clothes and homes, flowers for the environment and the fuel we need if only we develop the needed information, knowledge and technology by giving thrust to investments in agricultural research and education. At the same time the significant issues like global warming and climate change should not be ignored, Governor added. Governor and Chancellor urged upon the University to expedite its ongoing mission of digital OUAT and to preserve the past tradition of the University and help the university earn many more laurels.
