UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said that “It outlines the long-term vision, mission, and objectives and the strategies and actions required to achieve these goals. By adopting this IDP, HEIs can achieve effective functioning, growth, and sustainability since it provides a roadmap for success, improves resource management, and fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement,”.
He told that Institutional Development Plan (IDP) documents administered by the University Grants Commission (UGC) provided guidelines for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to work towards academic and research excellence. UGC in a recent meeting approved the guidelines for IDP for HEIs. They help to improve the teaching-learning experience further guiding HEIs toward administrative, academic, financial, and business stability.
UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said the report outlines the long-term vision, mission, and objectives, as well as the strategies and actions necessary to achieve them. IDPs support HEIs in achieving success by providing a roadmap to success, improving resource management, and promoting responsibility and continuous improvement.
Universities Grants Commission (UGC) Institutional Development Plans (IDPs) help higher education institutions (HEIs) achieve academic and research excellence, he said. HEIs have been approved to follow the IDP guidelines, which aim to improve teaching-learning and to achieve administrative, academic, financial, and business stability.
HEIs’ financial infrastructure can be strengthened by alumni gifts, government subsidies, fundraising drives, and corporate partnerships.
HEIs were advised by UGC to create sustainable revenue streams through government grants and subsidies, private and public research and development projects, tuition fees, philanthropic donations, intellectual property royalties, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The guidelines advised HEIs to expand undergraduate programs since more students equal more money, depending on the size of the institution.
Also, HEIs need to develop a structured approach to connecting existing courses to the National Credit Framework, National Education Policy, National Skills Qualification Framework, and National Higher Education Qualification Framework. The priorities are training, faculty development, and capacity building.
With the help of the UGC, students are able to develop multidisciplinary skills that are necessary for today’s economy and workforce. New certificates, micro-credentials, diplomas, and degree programs are being offered for this purpose.
The guidelines suggested various measures to improve financial infrastructure for HEIs by identifying and emphasizing different sources of funding leading towards growth in financial infrastructure that includes alumni donations, government grants, fundraising campaigns, private sector partnerships, etc.
UGC further told HEIs to build sustainable revenue streams which may include government grants and subsidies, sponsored research and development projects from private and public sectors, tuition fees from students, donations in terms of philanthropy work, royalties on individuals property, CSR, etc.
Further suggesting “In a fully developed HEI, each of these sources must contribute about a similar percentage to the total revenue, depending on the size of the HEIs. Therefore, HEIs must also focus on expanding their undergraduate programs as additional students mean more revenue,”.
The guidelines further instruct the HEIs to form a structure including strategies and planning actions to manage existing courses with National Credit Framework, National Education Policy, National Skills Qualifications Framework, National Higher Education Qualifications Framework, etc. It aims for training, staff development, and capacity development.
UGC emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary skills, new-age certificates, micro-credentials, diplomas, and degree programs that would develop modern skills in students and make them capable to work in the current economy.
