Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)
Overview
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bangalore proposes that every accredited institution should establish an Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) as a post-accreditation quality sustenance measure, in pursuance of its action plan in terms of performance evaluation, assessment and accreditation and quality up-gradation of institutions of higher education. The IQAC is a part of the institution’s system and works towards the realisation of the goals of quality enhancement and sustenance, since quality enhancement is a continuous process. The key task of the IQAC is to evolve a system for conscious, consistent and catalytic improvement in the overall performance of institutions. IQAC will channelize all efforts and measures of the institution towards promoting its holistic academic excellence, during the post-accreditation period.
The first step towards internalization and institutionalization of quality enhancement initiatives is the work of the IQAC. In all the constituents of the institution, its success depends upon the sense of belongingness and participation that it can implant. The IQAC will be a facilitative and participative voluntary system of the institution and it also has the potential to become a vehicle for steering in quality enhancement in terms of working out planned interventionist strategies thereby removing deficiencies and enhancing quality.
VISION
MISSION
Members
Administrative Members
Dr.Michael Raj
Head & Associate Professor / MECH
Dr.F.R.Shiny Malar
Professor & Head / CSE
Mr.N.Michael Franklin
Assistant Professor & Head / ECE
Dr.A.Gayathri
Assistant Professor & Head / EEE
Mrs.A.L.Merlin Sheela
Assistant Professor / S&H
Mrs.S.Berlin Shaheema
Assistant Professor & Head / AIDS
Mr.J.T.Pratheesh
Assistant Professor & Head / MBA
Mr.S.Ravi Kumar
Assistant Professor & Head / S&HLocal Society Member
Dr.M.Marsaline Beno
Dean Academics, St.Xavier Catholic College of Engineering, Nagercoil.Alumni
Mrs.Aswini Kumari.AS
Associate Engineer, Rising Star Mobile India Pvt.Ltd, Chennai.Industrialist
Mr.A.Jebresh Isaac
Managing Director, Jebby Engineers, Channel Street, Karavillai.Mr.Siva Kumar
Managing Director, Aruna Industries, Padanthalamoodu.Students Members
Mr.Roshan Lal
CSE-IVMs.XXXXXXX
XXXXXXContact
Dr.Ezhil Vignesh
IQAC Coordinator, Associate Professor / EEE
Meeting
The functions of the IQAC are,
- Developing and applying quality benchmarks/parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution.
- Making possible the creation of a learner-centric environment favourable for quality education and also the very much needed faculty maturation to take up the required knowledge and technology for participatory teaching and learning process.
- Making arrangements for feedback responses from students and parents on quality-related institutional processes.
- Disseminating the information on various quality parameters of higher education.
- Organizing inter and intra-institutional workshops and seminars that are focussed on quality-based themes and the promotion of quality circles.
- Documenting the different programmes/activities that lead to quality improvement.
- Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution that coordinates quality-related activities.
- Developing and maintaining the institutional database through MIS for the purpose of keeping up /enhancing the quality of the institution.
- Developing Quality Culture in the institution.
- Preparing the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per NAAC guidelines and submit to NAAC.
Benefits
- Ensuring a heightened level of clarity and focus in the institutional functioning towards quality enhancement.
- Ensuring internalization of the quality culture.
- Ensuring improvement and synchronization among various activities of the institution and institutionalizing all best practices.
- Providing a strong footing for decision-making to improve institutional functioning.
- Building a systematic procedure of documentation and internal communication.
The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of SMCE plays a pivotal role in ensuring continuous improvement in the institution's academic processes, governance practices, and overall quality of education. This 5-year strategic plan (2020-2026) outlines the IQAC's vision for fostering a culture of quality within SMCE and achieving the institute's strategic goals.
1.Educational Processes
- Implement support programs like tutoring, mentoring, and academic advising to help students complete their degrees on time.
- Develop targeted outreach and scholarship programs to attract high-achieving students.
- Invest in professional development for faculty to adopt innovative and effective teaching practices.
- Work towards improving standards and processes to achieve accreditation with better grades
- Focus on key performance indicators that influence rankings, such as research output, faculty qualifications, and student success.
- Promote and support student participation in clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities to develop well-rounded graduates.
2.Physical Resources
- Prioritize the development of state-of-the-art facilities to accommodate new B.Tech programs in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Business Management Studies.
- Upgrade classrooms, labs, and libraries to create conducive learning environments.
3.Governance
- Implement and optimize Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to streamline administrative processes.
- Ensure the efficient use of financial resources and maintain infrastructure to support institutional goals.
- Engage students, faculty, staff, alumni, and industry partners in decision-making processes to foster a collaborative governance culture.
4.Research and Development
- Encourage faculty and students to publish research in high-impact journals and secure grants and patents
- Promote innovation and support entrepreneurial ventures among students and faculty
- Build strong partnerships with industry to enhance research relevance and application.
- Foster interdisciplinary research initiatives to address complex global challenges.
5.Placements
- Develop strong ties with industry partners to ensure all graduates secure employment.
- Focus on enhancing the employability of students through skill development programs to achieve better salary packages.
Stella Mary's College of Engineering, committed to imparting technical education, creating technocrats strives to achieve the institution's goal by:
- Focusing on the overall development of the students in strengthening their leadership skills.
- Building an environment that is conducive for effective teaching, learning and research.
- Improving the job prospects of students incorporating value-added programmes to the curriculum.
- Periodically assessing the effectiveness of the programmes offered at the institute and responding positively to the needs of the industry.
- Contributing effectively to the growth of the nation, by exposing the students to demonstrate their entrepreneurship skills.
- Adopting the best practices for quality improvement that continuously benchmarks the institution against premier institutions.
Accreditation Certificates
Best Practice
1.TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS
Objective
- To focus the Students and give proper guidance to improve the innovative ideas to students through ICT tools
The Context
- Faculties interact with the students with the help of ICT tools and it's an effective way to communicate with the students
The Practice
- Teaching through Zoom/Google/Zoho meet with PowerPoint presentations, videos, animations, etc
- Assignments and notes provided through Google classrooms
- Objective-type questions and short answers are uploaded through google class room
- Laboratories are conducted through virtually
- Communication with students through Whatsapp groups
- Online feedback
- Assignments and Exam scripts are evaluated and uploaded to individual students through Coogle classrooms
Evidence of success
- Students are highly attentive in classes
- The performance of students is improved
- Easy way to identify the absentees in class and Examinations
Problems Encountered and Resources required
- Availability of connectivity devices for financially affected students
- Poor Internet connectivity for rural area students
- The concentration of the students will be diverted by using Electronic Devices
- High power consumption to connectivity devices
2.CENTER FOR INNOVATION
Objective
- To develop innovative ideas, communication skills, technical skills, leadership qualities and entrepreneurial skill in the students
The Context
- To facilitate those through knowing the interest of the student and followed by mini project ideas and innovative ideas for discussion and implementation.
The Practice
- Displaying a list of mini projects
- Selecting the students based on the interest shown towards the projects
- Encourage real time innovative projects
- Organized workshops and seminars for better understanding
- Encourage implant training at every semester end.
- Encourage NPTEL online courses
- Placement training is given through experts
- Certificate courses are conducted through MoU with startups
Evidence and Success
- Finalist in Smart India Hackathon 2020 – Software Edition
- Finalist in Smart India Hackathon 2022 - Software Edition
- Students present papers in journals
- Online event are conducted to bring out student's hidden talents
Problems Encountered
- Real time projects are expensive
- Slow learners need to provide extra effort
Resources required
- Interaction with industries
- Need more training programme to students
Institutional Distinctiveness
- Communication training programs to improve the communication skills and the English fluency in students.
- Campus training programs that help to impart a sound knowledge of technical skills to students.
- Training on soft skills, resume preparation, personal interviews and group discussions, through our Corporate Relations department.
The Corporate Relations cell is an integral part of our institution, which ensures that the students are well trained and motivated to face campus interviews efficiently. The placement support teams make an effort to organize training related to aptitude, soft skills, technical skills and corporate expectations to groom the students well for the interview process.
National and International Placement
- It is our institute’s distinctiveness in bringing in recruiters from reputed companies from India and abroad placement.
- The performance of students is improved
- Easy way to identify the absentees in class and Examinations
Memorandum of understanding
- We had a MoU with S’Hail Metals and Rassas Battery Recycling battery for recruiting our students.
S’Hail Metals and Rassas Battery Recycling Factory are our abroad recruiters who would identify the best candidates who would be presented to them on the day of the interview process. This abroad placement has also been a source of motivation for the students who aim to get placed and the expenditure for their travel and visa is also borne by the institution. Being located in a rural area and grooming the rural students technically and skillfully to take part in international placement drives is a real challenge to the faculty involved in the research, centre for innovation and the corporate relations departments. It’s all possible through the constant motivation and support from the authorities from the top order at every level. Abroad placement is a pride for the institution and a spotlight for progress towards the goal to be achieved by every student who does justice in making the best use of the study environment provided by Stella Mary’s College of Engineering.