WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN COLLEGE College Road, Chennai 600 006 South India An Autonomous Institution Affiliated to the University of Madras ANNUAL REPORT INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE CELL 2010 – 2011 1 CONTENTS Plan of Action for 2010-11 and outcome achieved - 1 Activities Reflecting the goals and objectives - 2 New Academic Programmes - 13 Innovation in Curricular Design & Transaction - 13 Inter Disciplinary Programmes - 23 Examination Reforms - 25 Candidates qualified in NET/SLET - 27 Faculty Development Programmes - 27 Conferences, Seminars / Workshops Conducted - 27 Research Projects - 31 Patents generated - 33 New Collaborative Research Programmes - 33 Research grants received from various agencies - 33 Details of Research Scholars - 34 Research Publications - 35 Honors & Awards - 36 Internal resources generated - 37 Details of departments getting financial Assistance - 37 Community Services - 37 Newly Recruited Staff - 40 Teaching & non-teaching staff ratio - 41 Improvements in Library Services - 41 Books & Journals Subscribed - 41 Student Feedback - 41 Unit cost of Education - 42 Computerization of Administration - 42 Increase in Infrastructural Facilities - 42 Technology Upgradation - 44 Computer & Internet Access - 45 Financial Aid to Students - 45 Alumnae Association - 46 Parent Teacher Association - 46 Health Services - 46 Sports Activities - 47 Incentives to outstanding sportspersons . - 49 Student Achievements - 49 Counselling Unit - 66 Placement Services - 67 Development Programmes for Non-Teaching Staff - 70 Best Practices - 70 Linkages - 71 Other information - 73 Plan of Action for 2009 - 10 - 76 Annexure - I & II - i – xxxv 2 Name of the Institution : WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN COLLEGE Name of the Head of the Institution : Dr (Mrs) Ridling Margaret Waller Ph.No. Office: 044-28275926 Mobile: 9840683182 e-mail: [email protected] Name of the IQAC Co-ordinator : Dr Mrs ILG Bhavani Ph.No. Office: 044-28276798 Mobile: 9444725172 e-mail: [email protected] Part A The plan of action chalked out by the IQAC in the beginning of the year towards quality enhancement and the outcome achieved by the end of the year. Several departments had planned to organize workshops / seminars and conferences on topics of interest to promote student and faculty development and implemented the following: 1. The Department of Mathematics conducted an Appreciation course in Mathematics in collaboration with The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) and Federation of Science Clubs of Tamilnadu (FSCI) of Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research (IGCAR), for Undergraduate students in Mathematics, from 20th – 24th September 2010 at IMSc, Taramani, Chennai. 160 students from 32 different colleges attended the course. The Department offers a Certificate course in Quantitative Aptitude. 2. Service learning projects were incorporated in the curriculum of all the departments. 3. Learner designed courses were introduced as part of the curriculum in the Departments of Physics, Plant Biology and Biotechnology and Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology. 4. Skill Based course ‚Suttrulaviyal‛ was introduced by the department of Languages (Tamil) and offered to the UG students of shift II. 5. The departments of Home Science, Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Psychology, Chemistry Computer Science and Technology, commerce, visual communication and corporate economics offers projects for undergraduate students. 6. Staff and students were engaged in several Research projects – Service Learning, Local Knowledge, Inter-religious Tolerance & peace building and environmental issues. 3 7. Guest Lectures were arranged by the departments to update students on current and relevant information not available in the text books. 8. The students and staff of the Home science department celebrated the National Nutrition Week through street plays, exhibitions , folk dances, puppet shows and quiz programmes. 9. The Department of Corporate Economics organized a workshop on Environmental science and waste management. 10. The PG & Research dept of Biotechnology conducted Kala kriya – an Arts and Crafts extravaganza sponsored by TNSCST. 11. The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of the college organized a five-day workshop on Tradicraft for the final year undergraduate students. Various forums of art such as Kalamkari, Worli, Lipon work, Fabric Painting, Metal Embossing, Paper Craft & Jewellery Designing were taught. 12. The College organised free IAS coaching to students aspiring to join the Civil Services. 13. Several initiatives of the college focus on environmental sustainability providing a clean and healthy environment to the college community. All the actions of the institution are aimed at the holistic development of students. The contentment of the students is evident from their feedback - ‚A year with lively events, Innovative learning process, Informative assembly programmes and Enjoyable course work‛. Part B 1. Activities reflecting the goals and objectives of the institution To fulfill the mission of the college to provide a complete , meaningful and relevant education to women so that they are intellectually well trained, morally upright , socially aware and spiritually inspired , the institution functions to motivate and support the departments in all their academic, extracurricular, research and extension activities ensuring quality enhancement. The courses offered by the college encourages basic and applied research besides discussing the ethical and legal implications of biological, environmental and biotechnological issues wherever applicable. Department of Languages (Shift I) The Department has designed the curriculum keeping in mind the goal to empower women and prepare them for a meaningful career. Students are exposed to themes which help them reflect on core values while studying language, literature and civilization. The skill based courses offered in all the three sections (Tamil, Hindi & French) aim at providing competence in language – oral & written and equip students to understand issues of national and international interest. 4 Department of History The institution has a clearly defined mission that is appropriate to higher education as well as its own specific educational role. The mission statement serves as the foundation for institutional operations, programs, and activities. Statements of the goals and program objectives specify how the institution will fulfill its mission. A clearly defined mission statement, appropriate to biblical higher education, developed and periodically reviewed by broad representation from all sectors of the institution A mission statement that guides faculty, staff in making decisions related to planning, resource allocation, program development, and educational outcomes. In accordance with the Mission Statement of the College, the Department offers a course on Gender Studies. Women and Gender Studies examines the importance of gender and feminisms in relation to issues such as race, class, sexuality, labor, colonialism, multiculturalism, and globalization. Students study how bodies, families, communities, and nations are gendered in specific cultural and historical locations; and investigate connections to their own lives, roles, and contributions. The expertise of the department lies in interdisciplinary, multicultural, and transnational studies of inequality. Students are taught to draw from a range of theoretical and methodological approaches in their study of women and gender. The department provides analysis and debate of exciting work by feminists who confront and transform various institutions and arenas, including academia, politics, law, sexuality, advocacy, pedagogy, non-profit groups, global non-governmental organizations, communities, labor struggles, and cultural productions. The goals of the department include the development of conceptual, analytic, and critical thinking skills in relation to gender and feminism in a transnational framework; the ability to integrate academic studies in women and gender studies into personal and professional goals ; the development of skills to formulate and implement theoretically-informed political, cultural, and community action; the ability to analyze gender from an interdisciplinary perspective, using a range of methodological tools; an historical understanding of gender in relation to structural inequality, social movements, and labor struggles; and the ability to critically examine representation and cultural production through a feminist lens. The department also offers a paper on Human Rights to sensitize the students to the various issues relating to Human Rights. Over the last decade, support for international human rights and democratization has grown steadily as an area of international development co-operation, and since the mid-1980s, there has been a shift in policy orientation from principle commitment to actual support for human rights 5 programs and projects. Comparatively large resources have been used on supporting human rights and democracy interventions (projects and programs) by governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental institutions and organisations. At the international level, the interest among human rights organisations at local and national levels is matched by international organisations to learn more about the effects of joint (or ‚partnership‛) activities, requiring the construction of analytical models and tool for impact assessment. Department of English (Shift I) The institutional goals are translated into suitable academic