UGC forms institutional development plan guidelines for HEIs

CHENNAI: University Grants Commission has released the guidelines Institutional Development Plan (IDP) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

The guideline said, some fundamental principles are that the IDP need to enable HEIs in achieving academic and research excellence and improving teaching – learning standards.

Also to enable adequate consideration by HEIs to enhance learner centric teaching, knowledge creation (innovation and research), dissemination, and application of knowledge and skills.

The UGC further said it would enable HEIs to follow a multi-disciplinary approach integrating multiple disciplines like science, technology, social sciences, environment, sustainability, economics, humanities, arts and management.

The IDB will also to embed and integrate vocation education with general education in order to achieve goal of holistic education as set out by the National Education Policy 2020 and National Credit Framework (NCrF).

With regard to the strategic goals, the UGC said providing easy and equitable access in terms of equality, affordability, transparency to the students for entry/ admission to HEIs and enabling and supporting the hiring, training, motivating and retention of qualified faculty for desired educational outcomes.

Increasing the enrolment, retention and graduation rates of the students from socially, economically, locationally marginalised and underrepresented sections; Enhancing and ensuring policies and adequate institutional support and mechanisms for the success of the marginalised sections of students.

Implementing National Credit Framework (NCrF) and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) for seamless student mobility between or within degree granting HEIs through a formal system of credit recognition, credit accumulation, credit transfer, and credit redemption to promote distributed and flexible teaching learning.

The UGC, in its guidelines, also said since the IDP shall be undertaken by the HEIs, it is imperative that the autonomy of the institutes is maintained while developing and operationalising such plan.

Accordingly, each HEI may form a 'IDP Strategy Team' responsible for creating the vision, plans and for monitoring the adherence to plans as envisaged in guidelines. This team shall also make future roadmaps based on skill requirements, market and social trends and economy.