1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Mother Teresa Women’s University was established in 1984 by a special Tamil Nadu Act 15 at Kodaikanal, which is one of its kind solely devoted to the cause of promoting women's education at higher level. It is situated in a sylvan surrounding with the following objectives inscribed in the University Act: 1. To monitor women's education at all levels in the State 2. To offer consultancy services for the development of women's education in the State 3. To develop research facilities in the studies, relating to women in general and in particular, studies relating to rural or destitute women The Mother Teresa Women’s University is the first Women's University in the State and has been envisaged by its mentor Dr.M.G.Ramachandran, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to evolve into a University with international standards. Along with the Noble Laureate and beatified Saint Mother Teresa, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for the inception of this Women's University, naming it after the Saint Mother Teresa. The University is witnessing an entire new face lift with having its own Administrative Block, Humanities Block, Science Block, Management Block, Auditorium, Library, Smart class rooms, Students Hostels, and Hostel for foreign students etc. The University after two decades of functioning in temporary building was allotted permanent land at Attuvampati, in 2004, which is about 51 acres. It was at this juncture, that the University using allotted funds commenced permanent building structure to house the administrative and academic buildings besides renovating the old existing buildings. Despite these locational disabilities, the University has not slackened its pace in marching towards its set goals outlined in its vision and mission. The students of the University form the core concern and all its activities are directed towards their welfare and excellence in education. This is evidenced from the following table which provides the unit cost of education. 2 MOTHER TERESA WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY Expenditure for the year 2013-14 Rupees Non-Plan Plan Total Salaries 7,39,35,879 - 7,39,35,879 Pension 5,49,446 - 5,49,446 Retirement 66,20,635 - 66,20,635 Benefits Total 8,11,05,960 - 8,11,05,960 Recurring 2,97,25,946 - 2,97,25,946 Charges Grand Total 11,08,31,906 - 11,08,31,906 No. of Students on Roll = 782 including the salary component = Rs. 1,41,728 (11,08,31,906/782) excluding the salary component = Rs. 38, 012 (2,97,25,946/782) Litany of Achievements The University was accredited with B++ by the NAAC with the Institutional score of 83.00 in the year 2007. The Department of Education has been identified as Centre for Excellence by the Tamil Nadu Government. It has also got the approval from RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India, New Delhi) to start. B.Ed., Special Education programme (specialization in Mental Retardation), the first PG Department of a State University to start special education programme. The Honorable Chief Minister in her 15 point programme for the uplift of women in the State announced the setting up of a Tamil Nadu Common Wealth Mother Teresa International Centre for which Rs 5 Crores has been sanctioned to manage its activities. The Tamil Nadu Common Wealth Mother Teresa International Centre was established and MOU was finalized with the following institutions in connection with the Tamil Nadu Common Wealth Mother Teresa International Centre o University of Madras - International Staff Exchange o Sakthi Kalai Kuzhu - Folklore and Dance o World Community Service, - Yoga Courses Aliyar, Pollachi o Sakshi Education Consulting and o Training Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore o Hust University, Wuhan, China o Oklahama State University, USA 3 Schemes like Curriculum Development Cell (1 Crore). Renowned Professors (10 Lakhs) Foreign Language laboratories (15 Lakhs). Entrepreneurship cum Skill Development Centre (20 Lakhs), Smart class rooms with Video Conferencing facilities (20 Lakhs), Incubation and Technology Transfer (29.88 Lakhs), Centre for Vivekananda Higher Studies and Research (25 Lakhs) have been sanctioned by the Tamil Nadu Government for higher education. The students’ enrollment has considerably increased, and Staff strength over the year has steadily risen. Mother Teresa Women’s University Research and Extension Centres at Madurai and Chennai are rejuvenated and PG and Research(M.Phil, Ph.D) courses have been started from the academic year (2013-2014). As per the direction of the Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education and the then Secretary, Higher Education Department, the renovation work has been carried out in the Ladies Hostel for the accommodation, convenience and safety of girl students. The approval for starting B.Ed. in Distance Mode was obtained from NCTE and the course was started in the Academic year 2014-2015 Physical Education Wing offers “Diploma in Yoga for Human Excellence” in collaboration with World Vision, Aliyar Gym and Net Café Centres have been opened at the University Campus The 2(f) and 12(B) status has been received for the following institutions. o Women’s University College of Education (constituent college of University) , Kodaikanal. o Sri Adi Chunchanagiri Women’s College, Cumbum o Nadar Saraswathi College of Arts and Science, Theni Student’s enrollment has been doubly increased. The DSIR Certificate has been renewed and a common instrumentation room sponsored by DST- CURIE with major instruments has been installed. Distance Education Centres have been revived and new Centres have been given approval to enroll more number of girls and women in higher education at Tamil Nadu. Department of Women’s Studies is submitting its proposal for Phase II UGC have approved and sanctioned Rs.24 Lakhs to start the Innovative Programme on “Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Ethics” The Centre for Gandhian Studies, Nehruvian Studies and Vivekanandha Studies are established. MHRD – SSA projects in 17 Districts of Tamil Nadu has been completed MHRD – RMSA Project for 2013-2015 has been sanctioned Rs.20 Lakhs and released Rs.15 Lakhs for the project. MOU signed with MHRD to serve as a Monitoring Institute for the SSA Project 2013-2015 Proposal for the amount of Rs.3.7 Crores towards B.Voc has been sent to UGC by the Department of Home Science and Commerce 4 Approximately an amount of Rs.2,36,01,008/- has been received from various funding agencies Projects have been sent to various funding agents for the total amount of Rs.14,27,98,654/- by the Departments An amount of 6,55,04,200/- has been received from UGC towards the Plan Grant The construction of the academic block for Humanities & Social Sciences and Science, Library, Seminar Hall, Ladies Hostels and the Administrative Block have been completed The construction of Tamil Nadu Common Wealth Mother Teresa Women’s International Centre, Women’s Hostel and Ladies Hostel are in progress The following new courses have been started: o UG, PG and M.Phil. courses . B.Sc. Botany . M.Sc.Botany . M.Sc.Computer Science . MBA Tourism Management . M.Phil Botany o Add on courses . Office Automation . Web Designing . Spoken English . Functional French . Computerized /Accounting using Tally Package o Diploma Courses . Creative using for media . Professional Ethics . Fuzzy Hyper Graphs . IPR . Yoga for Human Excellence o Certificate Courses . Law and Gender . Foundation Courses in Gender Studies . Human Rights Education . Communication Skills o Distance Education Courses . Tally . Animation and Graphics . Computer Hardware Machine . DTP Operator . Videography and Photography . B.Ed. 5 All activities are channeled through Teaching, Training, Research, Field Action, Documentation, Publication, and Dissemination, Seminars / Workshops, Networking for knowledge sharing and gaining. The details of International / National Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, Training programmes and Faculty Development Programmes are given below: . International Conferences / Seminars : 13 Nos. National Level Conferences/Seminars/Workshops : 55 Nos. Training Programmes : 15 Nos. Special Endowment Lectures : 43 Nos. Faculty Development Programmes : 7 Nos. The NAAC Self Study Report (SSR) has been prepared by a Steering Committee constituted for this purpose. We have done our best in answering all the questions posed, with all available information. As the University prepares for Cycle-2 from NAAC, the exercise also emerges as a self- introspection examination of which aspects of the academic and administrative sectors require more focused attention. We wish to thank the University community for their inputs, and would like to thank the NAAC Bangalore for this opportunity to self-introspect. 6 CRITERION-1: CURRICULAR ASPECTS The pivotal goal of the University is to disseminate advanced knowledge in an inter-disciplinary framework. Women's / Gender studies form an integral component of the curriculum formation. As much as the theoretical aspects are given prominence, the practical content is equally emphasized in the curriculum structuring. As the goal of Women's Studies follows the linear order of knowledge sharing, gathering and learning the horizontal mobility in teaching-learning is advocated and encouraged. The curriculum is structured in a manner that is student friendly, learner Centreed, and that is targeted to immediate employability and placement. The curriculum of the University is subject to periodic review to render it socially relevant and to match the prevailing demands by the students and stakeholders. The University has introduced the Choice Based Credit System successfully for all the courses from the academic year 2001 onwards. Broad- based curriculum is prepared by inviting renowned professors from India and abroad to equip the students to the global standards. This has enabled the students to earn credits in an approachable, flexible manner, easing the pressures of obtaining marks. The students are enriched with multiple skills and knowledge and are provided opportunities to earn the maximum credits. They can also opt for short term supplementary enrichment courses offered by various Departments.