Universities are the laboratories of educational and intellectual innovations. University education aims at producing intellectuals and experts who will be able to direct and guide the destinies and revive our culture and heritage. It aims at individual's emancipation while showing respect to the values of goodness, efficiency and excellence tempered with vigorous pursuit of truth and strengthening the capacities of human beings. I visualize University of Kashmir as a great school of human kinetics, a dwelling place of ideas and expect high standard of conduct and integrity from all its members.

Distance Education is an important organ of University of Kashmir. It is providing quality education to thousands of students with the objective of democratizing teaching-learning process. I have seen this Department grow from a sapling to a shady Chinar. If the potential of information and communication technology is properly explored, Distance Education will be the most viable mode of education in the state. Today we can provide electronic counseling to our students by utilizing information and communication technology tools. Various Universities at the international level are using satellites and other technology to meet the needs of students for post graduate and other technical course without their having to leave their jobs and attend a campus. I am glad to learn that the Directorate is equipped with necessary infrastructure to execute its programmes effectively. I appreciate the Directorate for initiating a process to launch some job oriented innovative courses. I am confident that the faculty at the Directorate will continue to work with dedication in carving out a high place at national and international map.

I am happy to learn that the Directorate has started the admission for various programmes. The students will surely find the programmes to be of great relevance in achieving the mastery over the basic skills of teaching and learning. I am confident that the students of this Directorate will display seriousness and intellectual rigor in pursuing their studies. The University will make all possible efforts to create a stimulating student support services for its beneficiaries.

I extend warm welcome to the new students and wish them all the success.

Prof. (Dr.) Riyaz Punjabi