The NAAC seeks information on the policies, practices and outcomes of the institution, concerning research, innovations and extension. It deals with the facilities provided and efforts made by the institution to promote a ‘research culture’. The institution has the responsibility to enable faculty to undertake research projects useful to society. Serving the community through extension, which is a social responsibility and a core value to be demonstrated by institutions, is also a major aspect of this Criterion.
The focus of Research, Innovation and Extension is captured in the following Key Indicators:
KEY INDICATORS
3.1 Resource Mobilization for Research
3.2 Innovation Ecosystem
3.3 Research Publications and Awards
3.4 Extension Activities
3.5 Collaboration
3.1 Resource Mobilization for Research
The institution provides support in terms of financial, academic and human resources required and timely administrative decisions to enable faculty to submit project proposals and approach funding agencies for mobilizing resources for research. The institutional support to its faculty for submitting research projects and securing external funding through flexibility in administrative processes and infrastructure and academic support are crucial for any institution to excel in research. The faculties are empowered to take up research activities utilizing the existing facilities. The institution encourages its staff to engage in interdisciplinary and interdepartmental research activities and resource sharing.
3.2 Innovation Ecosystem
The Institution has created an ecosystem for innovation including an incubation centre and other initiatives for the creation and transfer of knowledge. The institution conducts workshops/seminars on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Industry-Academia Innovative practices. Awards for innovation won by institutions/teachers/research scholars/students, and start-ups incubated on-campus are explicitly commended by the institution.
3.3 Research Publications and Awards
Exploration and reflection are crucial for any teacher to be effective in one’s job. The quality research outcome is beneficial for the discipline, society, industry, region and nation. Sharing of knowledge especially theoretical and practical findings of research through various media enhances the quality of teaching and learning. Research acumen in an institution is an evolving feature reflecting various research outputs with clear records such as - doctoral, and post-doctoral, projects, inventions and discoveries, and the number of research publications.
3.4 Extension Activities
Learning activities have a visible element for developing sensitivities towards community issues, gender disparities, social inequity etc. and in inculcating values and commitment to society. Affiliation and interaction with groups or individuals who have an interest in the activities of the institution and the ability to influence the actions, decisions, policies, practices or goals of the organization lead to mutual benefit to both parties. The processes and strategies inherent in such activities relevantly sensitize students to social issues and contexts. Sustainable practices of the institution leading to superior performance result in successful outcomes in terms of generating knowledge useful for the learner as well as the community. Extension also is an aspect of education that emphasizes community services. These are often integrated with curricula as extended opportunities, intended to help, serve, reflect and learn. The curriculum-extension interface has an educational value, especially in rural India.
3.5 Collaboration
Through collaboration, the HEIs can maintain closer contact with the work field. It helps keep the academic activities in the HEI in a more realistic perspective and also expands the scope of learning experiences for students. Collaboration can be sought with academic institutions industry or other agencies of professional and social relevance. The range of activities could include training, student exchange, faculty exchange, research and resource sharing, among others. For making collaborative endeavours impactful it is necessary there is a formal agreement or understanding between the institution and other HEIs or agencies for such activities.