Media Must Work for Social Transformation: Mahbubul Hoque 

Khanapara, Ri Bhoi, January 24, 2018: With an endeavour to make the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) a people’s university, the University’s Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque said that media plays a crucial role in educational awareness and dissemination of knowledge among the people of the North East while USTM is always ready to support journalists who are interested in research and study based reporting. Sri Hoque was addressing a conference with editors and senior journalists of both print and electronic media houses from across the north-eastern states held recently at the University campus.
Mr Hoque said that journalists have the capacity to work for social transformation through different ways apart from conventional reportage. The journalists can involve themselves in conducting survey based research on implementation of various government projects in the ground. Moreover, media has a central responsibility in bringing awareness among the people regarding the various flagship initiatives undertaken by the government, he added.
USTM has recently announced several media fellowships for journalists of the region. At the same time, the University is also thinking about free education to the aspirant children of journalists. Appreciating USTM’s role in education and research initiatives, the veterans of media houses agreed that the efforts of the University for development of education among the poor section of the society by way of providing various scholarships and also free education to 35 per cent students of the total enrolment in the University is really laudable. They greeted the Chancellor of USTM for his educational entrepreneurship through relentless endeavour towards development of education among the people.
During a brainstorming session, the editors of the print and electronic media from the North East suggested different topics for both the major fellowship programme leading to PhD and the minor fellowships. The topics suggested for the major fellowship include floods and erosion, lack of livelihood options in the North East, healthcare needs for senior citizens, use of alternative media, sufferings of women in conflict zones, crises before the media industry, human resources drain from the North East, gender sensitiveness, environment and wildlife issues etc. For the short term fellowships, it was proposed that issues relating to promotion of positive news by media, customs and food habits of North East, development of tourism, entrepreneurship and skill development, community resistance to conflicts, and effects of globalisation on small communities could be considered.
After deliberations with the media fraternity in the Round Table, a resolution was taken that an Academia-Media Committee will be formed as a follow up to the discussion in order to finalise the topics and other details of the fellowships to be awarded by USTM to journalists from the North East. It was also decided that the fellowships will be formally launched by USTM in July 2018. For any further details regarding the fellowships, the interested journalists were requested by USTM to contact the public relations department of the university.