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A 10-point programme to create world-class engg colleges

Prof Rambabu Kodali, Director, NIT Jamshedpur lists out 10 parameters that would help transform engineering colleges and details the best practices that an aspiring institute must follow to become a world class

Good governance

• Clear communication and transparent process
• Decentralised academic departments
• Shared and centralised administrative/service units
• Supportive work culture and values
• Strong leadership

Quality of faculty

• Recruit/hire the best people (faculty and staff)
• Recruit visiting/adjunct faculty from industry R&D labs and institutes
• Tenure process for promotion (annual reviews, third year reviews and mentoring)

Faculty development

• Faculty support/development
• Strong faculty participation/involvement
• Clear communication and transparent policies of faculty satisfaction

Disciplinary/Interdisciplinary teaching and research

• Equal importance to teaching and research
• Flexibility of the academic programmes and curriculum
• Development of excellent learning and research resources
• Supportive culture/team work
• Strong leadership

Human resource management

• Employment, classification/compensation
• Development of staff, human resources
• Employee welfare benefits and compensation

Information technologies and allied services

Allocation of 5 per cent of institute budget for expenditure on central IT facilities (hardware, software, Telecom and LAN) for academic and supporting
services

Research park (Institute and industry linkages)

• Invitation to industry and R&D labs
• To support facilities/services to industry and R&D labs
• To support innovative projects and start-ups
• Industry-sponsored chairs
• Faculty and student exchange programmes

Students' welfare

• Wellness centre/Counselling centre
• Finishing school/career development centre
• Minority student affairs
• Campus recreation/Students' activity centre
• Health centre/Hostel and dining services
• Student feedback system

Community welfare/outreach

• Faculty, staff and students collaborate with external people to address the needs of society
• Critical societal issues are embedded in the research and educational missions of the institute

Green campus

• Carbon-neutral vision for the campus
• Model of sustainability

As told to Shiphony Pavithran Suri