Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed-tobe University on Wednesday, December 27, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), an organisation engaged in improving the quality of life among the tribal and rural poor, for jointly working in several areas for community development.
As per the MoU, SOA will, inter alia, collaborate with CYSD to conduct joint workshops, conferences and training programmes on gender studies and community connects to enhance the exposure and outreach of students and research scholars, carry out agro-forestry and collective farming including watershed development and localise sustainable development goals.
Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, and Jagadananda, Co-founder of CYSD, signed the MoU.
SOA and CYSD will also jointly work on integrated farming systems and conduct pilot experiments in selected backward regions of Odisha, engage the youth in development and contribute towards community-based disaster preparedness.
The two institutions will carry out joint research activities and facilitate interactive learning and quality of education through community-based participatory research. Besides, efforts will be made by CYSD to host student interns to deepen their academic insight.
Speaking on the occasion, Jagadananda said CYSD and SOA will work to ensure leadership development among the rural people and help revamp grassroot institutions. CYSD will also help stabilize the work being done by SOA at the community level in the villages.
SOA’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Sitikantha Mishra, Dean of the faculty of agricultural sciences, Prof Santosh Kumar Rout, Director of ITER, Prof Manas Kumar Mallick, SOA’s Chief Administrative Officer Pramod Kumar Panda, Chief Operating Officer of CYSD Haris Chandra Singh and Programme Director Basanta Nayak were present.
