Adverse Inputs Prompt Three Kashmir Universities to Cancel MoUs with US-Based Kashmir Care Foundation

Srinagar: Adverse inputs flagged during internal reviews led three Kashmir universities to terminate agreements with the Atlanta-based non-profit, Kashmir Care Foundation (KCF). The coordinated withdrawal placed foreign academic collaborations under closer institutional scrutiny.

University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) each issued formal orders in recent weeks, cancelling Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and related accords with immediate effect.

At SKUAST-K, a Letter of Agreement signed in April 2025 was annulled through an official memorandum from its Directorate of Research, marking complete disengagement.

University of Kashmir clarified that its review concluded continuation of the MoU was not in the institution’s larger interest, while stressing that no financial or academic liabilities had arisen. IUST similarly invoked contractual provisions to cancel its MoU, noting that no obligations had accrued between the two sides.

Faculty members associated with the collaborations have also distanced themselves. Emails accessed by this news agency reveal that academicians at IUST informed KCF their involvement was solely in compliance with university directives, and requested removal of their profiles along with cessation of communication.

Although official orders do not elaborate on specifics, sources indicate the disengagement followed adverse inputs and sensitive observations flagged during review processes.

The simultaneous withdrawal by multiple institutions highlights a broader trend: universities are increasingly cautious about foreign partnerships, particularly those involving research, technology, and data exchange.

All three universities emphasized that no funds were exchanged and no liabilities created, indicating  the collaborations were largely confined to outreach and proposed initiatives rather than substantive academic projects.

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