Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Sep: A five-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “Enhancing the Quality of Education & Student Development through the Adoption of NAAC Criteria”, organised by the School of Pharmacy, Maya Devi University, in both online and offline modes concluded successfully today at the University Auditorium.
The five-day academic programme provided faculty members with expert guidance on various important aspects of quality enhancement in higher education, NAAC criteria, effective teaching-learning processes, research and innovation and holistic student development.
Addressing the valedictory session, Chief Guest Prof Dr Saurabh Kose, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, said that quality in the present higher education system is a continuous process. He said that the success of an educational institution cannot be measured merely by examination results or the awarding of degrees; rather it is reflected in how effectively an institution prepares students with knowledge, skills, practical competencies, innovative thinking and a sense of social responsibility. He said that NAAC criteria provide higher educational institutions with an opportunity to undertake self-assessment of their academic and administrative systems and move towards continuous improvement. He particularly emphasised the importance of quality teaching, practical training, research, industry academia collaboration and the use of the latest technologies in pharmacy education. Prof. Dr. Kose said that pharmacy is a discipline directly connected with human health and society. Therefore, imparting only curriculum-based knowledge to pharmacy students is not sufficient. Students must also be equipped with research capabilities, laboratory skills, problem-solving abilities, ethical values and professional competencies. Appreciating the FDP, he said that such programmes provide faculty members with an opportunity to continuously update their knowledge.
Vice President of Maya Devi University, Prof. Dr. Tripti Juyal Semwal said that education is the foundation of the social, economic and intellectual development of any nation. In the rapidly changing academic environment, imparting subject knowledge alone is not sufficient. Students must also be encouraged to develop creative thinking, leadership qualities, communication skills, technological competence, ethical values and a sense of social responsibility. She emphasised that NAAC criteria should not be viewed merely as a process of assessment or accreditation, but should be adopted as an effective mechanism for continuous institutional quality improvement. The quality of teachers directly influences the academic and personal development of students, and therefore, Faculty Development Programmes play an important role in strengthening the academic culture of a university. She congratulated the School of Pharmacy and the organising committee for successfully conducting the FDP.
Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ashish Semwal said that for higher education institutions, quality is no longer merely a goal but a continuous process. He said that NAAC criteria provide universities with a systematic framework for evaluating and continuously improving their academic, research, administrative and student-support systems. He said that Artificial Intelligence, digital learning, modern research tools and innovative teaching technologies have become important components of higher education today. In this context, Faculty Development Programmes serve as an important platform for connecting teachers with emerging technologies and quality-oriented teaching practices.
During the five-day FDP, expert sessions were organised on various important themes related to quality enhancement in higher education. Detailed discussions were held on different NAAC criteria, teaching-learning and evaluation, research and innovation, student progression and support institutional values and best practices, and quality assurance.
The experts also acquainted the participants with practical aspects of effectively implementing the NAAC quality framework at the institutional level. Faculty members actively participated in the various sessions, shared their experiences and engaged in discussions on different dimensions of quality enhancement in higher education. The programme also highlighted that the NAAC process is not limited to documentation, but is aimed at strengthening the actual academic quality of an institution, student-centric activities, research culture and the process of continuous improvement.
Certificates were presented to the participants in recognition of their active participation in the FDP during the valedictory ceremony.
At the conclusion of the programme, Prof. Dr. Vikram Singh, Principal, School of Pharmacy, proposed the vote of thanks.
The event was attended by Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Saurabh Kose; Dr. Mahesh Jaiswal, Head, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur; Dr. Shalini Sharma, Director, SDG Global University, Ghaziabad; Dr. Amit Semwal; Dr. Ujjwal Nautiyal, Professor, Swami Rama Himalayan University; Dr. Sameer Rastogi; Vice President Prof. Dr. Tripti Juyal Semwal; Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ashish Semwal; Registrar Ambika Juyal; Dean, Academics. Dr. RB Singh; Principal, B.Ed., Dr. Sita Juyal; Dr. Rekha Chauhan along with principals, deans, faculty members, officers and staff from various schools of the University.
