IQAC

Introduction:

Srinivasarao College of Pharmacy strongly believes that human resources are an important element needed to realize the Institute’s goals and aspirations. Hence, our institute is trying to maintain a highly skilled and efficient academic faculty to achieve excellent standards in all the disciplines offered by the Institute. Faculty Development Programme (FDP) is considered a serious activity to prepare and mold the faculty.

Objectives:

• Understand the significance of higher education in the global and Indian contexts.
• Acquire and improve the art of teaching at the university level to achieve the goals of higher education and effectively transfer knowledge.
• Accord importance to research activity in addition to academic activity.
• Understand the linkages between education and socio-economic and cultural development.
• Keep abreast with the latest developments in their specific subjects and acquire knowledge and skills in new and emerging areas.
• Understand the organization and management of the Institute and perceive the role of teachers in the total system.
• Familiarize with the philosophy and culture of the institution, especially to make every program student-centric.
• Work as a mature counselor to students and contribute to their overall development.
• Train on the basics of administrative work.
• Familiarize ICT usage in teaching and preparation of digital content to promote self-learning.

Context:

A qualified and competent teaching faculty enhances the breadth, depth, and quality of teaching, research, and consulting. The role of a teacher is not only to provide instructions to students but also to develop their overall personality. The faculty plays a pivotal role in shaping the career pursuits of students, molding them into professionals and responsible citizens.

Most fresh recruits:

• Are not familiar and thorough with all the concepts of the subjects they have to teach.
• Need to understand the students and their attitudes.
• Have an approach that is either too rigid or too liberal.
• Do not have any idea of counseling and mentoring systems.
• Lack team spirit to work with colleagues.

To avoid these issues and transform them into effective and efficient faculty, FDPs are essential.

The Practice:

1. Faculty Orientation Program:

• Creating awareness of the comprehensive role of the teacher, i.e., teacher, researcher, counselor, and administrator.
• Preparation of quality content and understanding the entire subject and its connectivity between different concepts.
• Presentation of the content using various teaching methods and ICT technology.
• Details of content delivery with stress and pause support of teaching aids.
• Methods of conducting group discussions, seminars, and making them interactive.
• Explaining the importance of the counseling system with various student issues as examples.
• Creating awareness of the importance of research for career growth.
• Correcting attitudes for smooth integration into the department.
• Creating awareness of administrative roles like conducting workshops, seminars, guest lectures, and motivating students to conduct events.

2. Faculty Development through Exposure to the Industry:

10% of the faculty at the end of each semester is deputed to the industry for 2-4 weeks to:

• Identify industrial requirements and enrich the curriculum.
• Acquire skills and transfer the same to students through laboratories.
• Negotiate with the industry for consultancy or collaborative work.
• Acquaint with industrial best practices and incorporate the same in the institution.

Impact:

This process can be implemented on a larger scale for the benefit of the Indian education system. It involves in-house experts, external agencies, and industries for real faculty development.

The Institute continuously strives to further strengthen faculty to bring balanced growth in all disciplines and achieve excellence in specialized fields. The Institute invites scholars of high academic standards to associate with it and inculcate a research and consulting culture among younger teaching faculty.

Evidence of Success:

• 90% of the faculty are in the “A” category, having more than 90% feedback from students continuously.
• The institution always maintains an academic outcome of more than 90%.
• Minimal complaints from students or student committees on the quality of teaching.