Best Practices – 1
1. Title of the Practice: Comprehensive industry oriented programs to enhance the skill quotient of students
2. Objectives of the practice:
The Institution supplements the curriculum with diverse tailor-made skill enhancement and capacity building programs with an objective of honing their technical skills, soft skills and employability skills to make the students industry-ready. The Course content, the methodology used, and the expected outcome are designed to bridge the gap between industry and academia. The collaborative learning, experiential learning, participative learning and interdisciplinary learning are the different pedagogy adopted. The practice of an integrated curriculum enables the students to identify the thrust areas, acquire inquisitive mind set, improves hands-on skills to develop scientific temper and enhance skill quotient.
3. The Context :
A Significant section of our students come from various subject backgrounds for a particular course and hence are not able to pursue the concepts. They lag scientific insight and technical perception. It’s highly essential for a student to have strong theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills to be successful in career. Missing any one skill may result in low performance during their academic term and hamper better career opportunities. In this context, it is imperative to enrich their learning in order to develop skilled professionals.
4. The Practice:
The Institution has established The Oxford Science Skill Enhancement Centre (TOSSEC) to cater to the diverse needs of students. Curriculum Development Board (CDB) is constituted that comprises of Academicians from University, Professionals from Industry, Alumni and senior faculty members from each department. The inputs received during Academicians/Stakeholders Meet organised during Strategy Meet is deliberated upon and different practical oriented courses are designed in thrust areas which are not part of the core curriculum. The course modules designed is placed before the CDB for vetting the syllabus. TOSSEC identifies the faculty members in each department as Program Co-ordinators to execute the CDB approved Add-on programs. The skilled professionals from the industry are invited to share their experience/expertise and throw light on key features and benefits of the program. The evaluation is done as per the scheme set by the CDB. Students have flexibility to choose from the array of programs offered. To encourage more number of students participation The Oxford Unnati Scholarship (TOUS) is provided for those students qualifying Skill Enhancement Program Entrance Test (SEPET) to pursue Skill enhancement/Capacity building programs.
5. Evidence of Success:
The major evidence of success is the striking increase in number of skill enhancement programs offered resulting in augmenting skill quotient of 1809 students. This has amplified the placement scenario by 25% especially in niche area. The institution has attracted international placements too. The approach of integrating skill enhancement initiatives in the curriculum has received wide appreciation in the university. The active learning process engaging students in hands-on activities rather than passive acquiring of knowledge has been well received.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources required: Finding the resourceful professionals and time constraint to implement the enriched curriculum were some of the challenges faced in early days of implementing the programs. However, the instituion has addressed the problem by developing a sustainable mode of implementation by executing 80 MoUs to invite professionals as resource persons, by offering the program in extended hours with attractive scholarship scheme.
Best Practices – 2
1. Title of the Practice :
Exposure to Research and Innovation Ecosystem to develop Research acumen
2. The objectives of the practice:
The institution aims to provide an ecosystem that stimulates scientific temperament, inquisitiveness, augment research acumen, provide a platform for deliberation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge which is current and up-to-date, provide interactions with researchers, entrepreneurs and exposure to entrepreneurship thereby strengthening research/innovation environment
3. The Context:
Academic curriculum designed and offered by the parent university focus more on covering fundamental concepts in theory and practice and provide very little scope for developing student’s research acumen. The academic calendar is designed and packed with activities oriented towards their curricular development and evaluation. Overall development of a student can be achieved only through an environment that provides exhaustive exposure to recent developments, necessity for innovation, sensitization to moral and ethical scientific approaches. Hence, exposure to research and innovation ecosystem seemed appropriate for their holistic development.
4. The Practice
Grooming and nurturing students to be creative, innovative, ethically sensitized and socially responsible is considered as one of the objective of the institution. Therefore, students were continuously engaged in activities that provided necessary exposure. Their interest in research and innovation was nurtured through activities like conferences, seminars, workshops and symposiums. Program on Research Methodology provided them an exposure on how to design and execute research project and publish scientific articles. Projethon provided platform to inspire good quality research and sharpen interpretation/presentation skills. Students were given an opportunity to savor the flavor of innovation through activities like hackathon and the need for skill based approach was emphasized through Skillathon. They were also introduced to entrepreneurship development programs and interactions with entrepreneurs.
5. Evidence of Success
Exposure to research and innovation ecosystem showed significant changes in the research acumen among students. Their active participation and engagement in research based activities is a testimony for the same. Students took the initiative to set up Science Club, ORCAS and Raman and Curie corner in the campus. The introduction of Projethon & TOJSR resulted in 181 oral/poster presentations, 41 research articles from in-house projects, 34 awards and recognition, 4 innovations, 2 incubations and 14 entrepreneurs. 3 volumes of TOJSR an online multidisciplinary journal with ISSN: 2581-9380 has been released and is under consideration for UGC-CARE list.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Semester system implemented currently in our higher education system has taken away most of the time available for students to involve themselves in research. Ever changing calendar of events from our parent university often leads to a uncertainty among the students to involve themselves in research. However, the instituion has managed to address the problem by extending the working hours, allotting dedicated time for project work and motivating students to pursue their research endeavour.