UGC passes guidelines for Institutional Development Plan for HEIs

In its meeting on Tuesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the draft guidelines for the Institutional Development Plan designed for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Internationally, there is a growing emphasis on quality and standards, driven by the substantial expansion of higher education and its financial implications for both public and private sectors.

As per the UGC, higher education institutions in India are required to elevate their commitment to quality significantly and establish a framework to achieve, showcase, and ensure sustainable quality. The evolving challenges and global demands, coupled with the internationalisation of higher education, necessitate a robust and unified response.

The National Education Policy 2020 emphasises that Quality Higher Education should nurture well-rounded, thoughtful, and creative individuals. It encourages students to pursue specialised areas of interest deeply while also fostering character development, ethical values, intellectual curiosity, scientific temperament, creativity, a spirit of service, and 21st-century capabilities across diverse disciplines encompassing sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, languages, as well as professional, technical, and vocational subjects.

Therefore, in line with the NEP 2020 objectives, the UGC has formulated guidelines for individual HEIs to create their Institutional Development Plans. These plans aim to align with the institution’s vision, mission, context, life cycle stage, location, character, and aspirations, fostering an integrated approach.

Particular attention has been given to enhancing both physical and digital infrastructure. The guidelines advocate for physical infrastructure that supports academic and research activities across various schools and departments within universities.