The document outlines the importance of academic excellence in enhancing a nation's competitiveness, particularly through the role of engineering universities and their diverse institutional tiers. It emphasizes faculty engagement, innovative programs, and strategic planning as vital components in developing a conducive academic ecosystem for research and education. The document also suggests specific initiatives and programs to nurture faculty and improve academic outcomes across various types of institutions.

1. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
THROUGH IMPROVED
ECOSYSTEM AND FACULTY
ENGAGEMENT
THANIKACHALAM VEDHATHIRI
VTHANI2025@YAHOO.IN

2. EXCELLENCE
•The Quality of Outstanding or Extremely
Good.
•Institutes offer Distinctive Programs
•Develops Brilliant Graduates
•Employs Eminent Faculty
•Offers Superior Solutions

3. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•Academic Excellence is Essential in Developing a
Nation’s Competitiveness in the Fast-Growing
Knowledge Economy.
•Engineering Universities play key roles in Creating
and Institutionalizing Knowledge and Human
Capitals, Sustaining them through Continuous
Research and Undertaking Sponsored Research
Works from Industry and Government.

4. TIER ONE INSTITUTES
ESTABLISHED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
SELECT THE OUTSTANDING FACULTY
PLAN EXCELLENT GRADUATE AND
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
OFFER SUPERIOR SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIENTS

5. TIER II INSTITUTIONS
•National Institutes
•Funded by Central Government
•Autonomous
•Universities
•Offer Bachelor, Master and Doctoral Programs
•Provide very Good Solutions to the Clients

6. TIER III INSTITUTES
•State Government Institutes
•State Aided Institutes (90% funds from the State
Government)
•Can get Research Grants

7. TIER IV INSTITUTES
• Self-Financing Institutes
• Affiliated to State Technical Universities
• Administrative and Financial Autonomy
• Some are offering Masters and Doctoral Programs
• Enjoys Academic Autonomy also
• Can get funds for Research and Development Projects
from DST, TIFAC, DRDO

8. WORLD CLASS ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITIES
• Developing a Nation’s Competitiveness in the Global
Knowledge Economy
• Create and Disseminate Knowledge
• Educate a Highly Competent Workforce for
Technological and Intellectual Leadership
• Serve not only the Needs of the Country but also
Needs of the World

9. GLOBAL
APPROACHE
S TO
EXCELLENCE
China’s “985 Project”
Germany’s “Centers of Excellence”
Korea’s “Brain Korea 21”
Russian Federation’s “National Research University”
Saudi Arabia’s “Education City Projects”

10. ATTRIBUTES FOR RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES
(ALTBACH, 2011)
Highly qualified
faculty
Talented students
Excellence in
research
Quality of teaching
with international
standards
High levels of
government and
private funding
Academic freedom
Autonomous
governing
structure
Well-equipped
facilities

11. SALMI’S
(2009)
COMPLEM
-ENTARY
FACTORS
A
Concentration
of Talents
Abundant
Resources
Favorable and
Autonomous
Governance

12. SALMI’S
PRESCRIPTI
ON FOR
TECHNICAL
UNIVERSITIE
S
Should
offer a Rich
Learning
and
Research
Environmen
t
Should
provide
Favorable and
Autonomous
Governance
Encourag
e
Strategic
Vision
and
Innovatio
n

13. INSTITUTE BASED MANAGEMENT (IBM)
(PRISCILLA.W & ALBERS MOHRMAN, 1992)
DECENTRALIZE
• Power to Make Decisions that Influence Institutional
Practices, and Directions
• Competencies that Enable Faculty to Understand and
Contribute to Institutional Performance including
Technical Knowledge to Do the Job or Provide
Services, Interpersonal Skills, Managing Knowledge
and Expertise

14. INSTITUTE BASED MANAGEMENT…
(PERISCILLA & ALBERS, 1993)
• Information about the Performance of the Institution
including Revenues, Expenditure, Department
Performance, and Strategic Information on the Broader
Policy and Economic Environment, and
• Rewards that are Based on the Performance of the
Institution and the Contributions of the Faculty

15. FACULTY ENGAGEMENT FOR
DEVELOPMENT
(PAUL D U & MATTHEW , GARY RHOACHES, RACHEL C P AND STEVENS)
• High Levels of Engagement at the Institute
• Faculty Members use Active and Collaborative
Learning
• Engage Students in Experiences
• Emphasize Higher Order Activities in the Class Room
• Interact with the Students Academically
• Value Enriching Educational Experiences
• Conduct Faculty Workshops, Teaching Circles

16. TRAIN THE NOVICE
• Depute the Novice to the Planned Faculty Development
Programs of AICTE, Academic Staff Colleges, ISTE,
NITTTRs, In-house workshops
• Suggest them to undergo MOOCs of Coursera. edX,
and World Bank Institute.

17. SEQUENTIAL SUMMER SCHOOLS LEADING
TO MASTER DEGREES IN ENGINEERING
•Reintroduce Sequential Summer Schools
leading to Masters Degrees in Engineering
Education in IITs, NITs, NITTTRs and State
Technical Universities
•All the Four NITTTRs can Plan MOOCs
•All the Extension Centers of NITTTRs can offer
National Faculty Development Programs

18. PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH
MENTORS
Develop Mentors through NITTTRs
Develop
Develop Mentoring Programs
Develop
Organize Pilot Study
Organize
Improve Mentoring Process
Improve
Get the feedback from the
Mentees
Get
Standardize the Mentoring Process
Standardize

19. GENERATE CASE STUDIES
Collect information
from the Ongoing
National Projects
Organize Cases on
the Success Stories
and Failures
Prepare Draft
Cases
Administer to the
Faculty
Get the Feedbacks
Revise and
Improve

20. PART-TIME INTERNAL RESEARCH WORKS
Register the Candidates as Part-Time Internal or
External Researchers for PhD Program under the
Approved Guides in the Autonomous Colleges,
NITs, State Technical Universities, and NITTTRs
Register
Provide more Number of Fellowships for PhD Programs AICTE
Provide
Engage Emeritus/Adjunct/Visiting Faculty Members to Supplement and
Complement
Engage

21. WEBINARS/PODCASTS/VIDEO
CONFERENCES
Plan
Webinars/Podcasts/Video
Conferences as National
Initiatives for Faculty
Development
1
Supplement the Research
Works on Research
Methodology
2
Develop CDS for their use
3

22. PLAN FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS
Plan Flexible
Duration Masters
and Doctoral
Programs
1
Plan
Interdisciplinary
Research Programs
(MS)
2
Recognize the
Programs for
Recruitment and
Promotion
3

23. QUALITY CIRCLES
• 30 Participants in HRD from overseas countries under SCAAP,
ITEC, TCS schemes of Government of India
• 11 M. Tech (HRD) participants
• 3 PhD Research Scholars
• 20 Short-Term Faculty Participants
• Quality Circles were constituted; Maximum 8 per Circle;
duration of the exercise : 45 minutes; Case Studies were
Distributed

24. SUGGESTIONS OF THE QUALITY CIRCLES
Strategic Planning
Establishing an
Industry-Institute-
Government
Partnership
Establishing a Local
Forum
Developing MOUs
with the Companies
Networking with
International
Universities
Planning Quiz
Competitions

25. SUGGESTION
S FROM THE
QUALITY
CIRCLES…
Establishing a Counselling
Center
Establishing
Planning Open House
Planning
Planning a Product
Development Center
Planning
Planning Local Centers of
Professional Associations
Planning
Planning Consortium of the
Engineering Colleges
Planning
Planning Interdisciplinary
Engineering Education and
Research Programs
Planning

26. SUGGESTION
S FROM
QUALITY
CIRCLES…
Planning Dual Programs
Planning
Planning Service Centers for
SMES
Planning
Planning the Production
Centers
Planning
Planning Entrepreneurship
Development Programs
Planning
Planning Instructional
Materials Development and
Production Centers
Planning
Planning and Developing
MMLPs
Planning
and
Developing

27. ACADEMIC ECOSYSTEM
• Academic Council
• Curriculum Development Center
• Instructional Materials Development Center
• Research and Development Center
• In-House Faculty Development Center
• Students Service Center
• Grievance and Redressal Unit
• Industry-Institute-Government Partnership-Center

28. INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES
• Review the achievements once in a quarter
• Conduct Academic Audit
• Plan Appreciative Inquiries
• Resolve the Bottlenecks and Obstructions
• Publish the Annual Reports
• Reward the achievers and the Units/ Departments/Centers.

29. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
• It is due to properly preparing a Strategic Plan coupled
with the well designed Academic Ecosystem. The
function of the Units/Centers could be facilitated
through engaging the faculty.
• Success of Strategic Planning can be ensured through
commitment for Academic Ecosystem and Engaging
the Faculty

30. THANK YOU
•Your Questions Please.