DECODED: New Guidelines by UGC for Opening R&D Cells at all Higher Education Institutes

The World of Research is about to witness a major transformation.

Until now most of the research findings published by top ranking institutes of India, always made it to the top of headlines.

Finding a new discovery made by scientists of AIIMS, IITs or even the Ivy League Universities has become very common.

With plenty of resources, the aspirants of these institutes have gained an extra edge when it comes to conducting complex experimentations, research and developments.

But now things are changing for the better of everyone.

India’s apex regulatory body for HEIs- University Grants Commission (UGC), has come up with New Guidelines that will promote Research & Development across all Indian Institutes. ?

Before revealing all the details of this new announcement, we have two really interesting questions for you. These will instantly connect with you and then you’ll smoothly cruise down to gain the crux of this blog.?

WHAT’S YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF RESEARCHERS?

A well-qualified person sitting in science lab and doing experiments for all day long?

Or someone who’s meeting so many people, just to record their responses for a survey? ?

Or do you even imagine them to be conducting multiple tests to prove whether a particular hypothesis or methodology works or not?

Its’ quite fascinating to see how we Indians have made so many impressions about researchers. But to be honest, these research fellows are among the top talents of our nation.

Their efforts and hard work devoted to publish a research paper or a Ph.D thesis, helps push the boundaries of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Business, Economics and so much more.

And now the Second most interesting question before we jump onto decode the New Guidelines.

WHY R&D IS IMPORTANT?

Has this question popped up on your mind too?

Of course, once in a while you may have debated the contribution of researchers in our society. But it’s really beyond just publishing a paper. Maybe what you are about to read is going to change your thinking forever.

Some of these findings and results help in new scientific discoveries, formulation of special economic policies and many of the R&D efforts also help improve a technology that goes on to serve immense benefits to the private sector.

And if we get lucky, then we spot geniuses like Dr. CV Raman and Dr. Amartya Sen who devote their whole life to a subject and publish revolutionary findings that eventually go on to win the prestigious Nobel Prize.?

But performing R&D is more than just receiving Nobel Prize and other Global Accolades. ?

A New Research in medicinal sciences may help discover a revolutionary drug formula that cures a rare genetic disorder. Or, a Research on robotics may show us a new process that maximizes the efficiency of manufacturing activities. And similarly, researches performed in the arenas of management & economics may help us understand more about consumer psychology.?

In most simple words- The Scope of R&D is endless and beyond our imagination.?

FINALLY, ITS TIME!?

So now it’s the best time, when we’ll take you on a tour and show you the 9 functions that’ll make it very easy for you to understand how R&D cells at Higher Education Institutes may reap extraordinary results. ?

All of these pointers have been picked up from the Guidelines framed by UGC for establishing R&D Cell at HEIs. ?

VISION, MISSION & OBJECTIVES?

UGC seems to have flagged all the issues that were hindering the growth of research ecosystem in India. So, they have laid down the vision and mission of these guidelines, with utmost clarity and preciseness-?

Vision: Prepare a Research Ecosystem in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that will align with the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).?

Mission: To promote collaboration among HEIs, Industry and other sectors & share access to research by arranging for resources and funds.

Now, we must also do a quick scan of all the objectives these guidelines aim to achieve:?

• Form Organization Structure of RDC?

Forming an organizational structure for managing the overall operations of the proposed Research & Development Cell (RDC) and also finding thrust areas for conducting research. UGC also proposes the HEIs to invite researchers who can form their cluster groups and help accelerate R&D activities in their region or specific interest areas. ?

• Arrange Equipment?

Research personnel must be supported with new opportunities and equipment must be arranged for their research work. Moreover, all kinds of research findings must be disseminated for the benefit of our public. ?

• Guide in Research Funding?

HEIs have been asked to act as liaisons between Researchers and Research Funding Agencies. Plus, the HEI must extend all the support and guidance in preparation and submission of Project Proposals. Further they must oversee adherence to the timelines after sanctioning of grants for particular research. ?

• Entrepreneurship Development?

With startup culture booming around the whole nation, HEIs should also play an active part in promoting entrepreneurship & innovation. Here, HEIs have also been asked to nourish co-ordination among other cells/centers dealing with Incubation, Innovation, Industry-University Inter Linkage and Entrepreneurship Development. ?

• Research Information System?

UGC has proposed to make the best use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for preparing a robust Research Information System. This RIS will have institutional repositories and status of ongoing/completed research projects/program, resources and expertise, etc. A vast database of this RIS will further help in providing Industrial Consultancy and other uses. ?

• Capacity Building?

In order to train the bright young minds, the HEIs have been asked to engage the services of superannuated faculties/scientists. All these experienced people will be helpful in preparing the Research Capacity Building of the young minds. And to further spread the benefit of this objective, HEIs must promote mobility of researchers among them and the RDCs. ?

• Organize Workshops?

HEIs can serve as Nodal Centers for organizing workshops, training programs and also help in ideation and conceptualization of research topics/themes. Moreover, HEIs will also have to take the onus of ensuring that ethical practices are followed in all research activities and further oversee that wherever required, these research activities must gain clearance from the bioethical committee.?

By now, these objectives have served you a fair idea of all those thoughts that went behind laying the foundation of New Guidelines. But now comes the most interesting part of these guidelines- Functions of RDC at Higher Education Institutions. Come let’s check them out.

FUNCTIONS OF HEIs?

1. Governance?

In simple words, governance refers to rules, norms and policies.

For an efficient functioning of RDCs, the HEIs will have to form a Research Advisory Council (RAC). ?

This RAC will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor/Principal or his/her nominee and they will act as the apex body of that RDC.?

Under this chair will be the Director of RDC. This director will be nominated by the Vice Chancellor (VC) from among the most distinguished researchers of the University. Moreover, the director will also head various committees, in order to drive the governance of that RDC.

Along with forming the governance committee, the HEIs will have to foster:?

+ The Human Elements (Faculty, Staff, Scholars and students)?

+ LOGISTICS (Land, Buildings and facilities)?

+ KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES (Research Equipment, Project Utilities and Consumables)?

+ FUND FLOW (Grants and Funds), through Governance and Financial Management.?

2. Administration?

Administration of the RDC will be the responsibility of various committees formed under the RAC. These committees will facilitate in:?

• Planning
• Formulation of Rules & Regulations
• Implementation & Monitoring of Research Activities at the HEI

Formulating Policy Frameworks for utilization of resources and facilities at the HEIs.

The Committees will have to mentor and monitor the activities of the RDC, for devising:?

+ Research Models

+ Technology

+ Appraisal

+ Foresight & review functions, and

+ Mediating sectoral R&D progress and IPR protection?

But here’s the best part- The RDCs are also advised to keep a close contact with the Ministry Innovation Cell (MIC), in order to help researchers, gain benefits of various innovative plans.?

3. Research Ecosystem & Collaborations?

With establishment of RDCs, the UGC aims to promote collaboration between Universities, Government, Research Institutes and Industries.?

To ensure Consistent Quality Research Outcomes, the guidelines also advise the HEIs to undertake the following responsibilities:?

• Develop Connections?

New Institutions and not so well-established ones must try to develop connection with RDCs of well-known/established HEIs for gaining guidance on research activities. ?

• Collaborative Research?

RDCs will have to act as a facilitator for networking and conceptualizing collaborative research with other National & International Institutions working in:?

+ Inter-Disciplinary

+ Trans-Disciplinary

+ Multidisciplinary Research Areas?

• Forge Strategic Partnerships?

The administrative structure of HEIs must forge strategic partnerships with other institutions, NGOs, industry players, Associations, Research Organizations and Govt. Bodies. ?

• Promote Resource Sharing?

HEIs must make efforts to strengthen resource sharing of Content and Infrastructure, both within the university and among the universities, industries, funding agencies, Corporates and government.?

• Facilitate Exchange Programs?

To facilitate the exchange of scholars, students and faculty, the HEIs need to form collaborations, teams and combined ventures for undertaking Joint Research Activities via. Institutional Clusters and Organizations.?

4.?Research Information Management System (RIMS)?

One may ask an obvious question:

What is the benefit of performing so many researches when the research findings cannot be accessed?

That’s exactly where RIMS comes into picture.?

This RIMS will be for the benefit of faculty, students, industry and other stakeholders.?

So, in these new guidelines, the HEIs have been asked to put in place a RIMS for collecting and managing:?

• Research Oriented information
• Publications
• Databases
• Research Projects
• Fellowships
• Patents
• Innovation, etc. ?

And as per the requirements of various regulatory agencies, the researchers can submit, modify or update their research compliances too. ?

But wait. There’s something more for the benefit of researchers.?

+ Access & Upload Research Information

All the HEIs will have to make a blog or a portal for maintaining Institutional Research Information and Institutional Repository. Further, they have been advised to sign an MoU with UGC-INFLIBNET for accessing and uploading research information through Shodh Ganga, Shodh Shuddhi, Shodh Chakra, Shodh Gangotri and Shodh Sindhu.

5.?Grooming Human Resources?

Building a robust research ecosystem becomes possible only when the HEIs on board eminent researchers who can guide and mentor the young talents.?

Here, UGC has advised the RDCs to re-employ or designate superannuated faculty or hire eminent faculties as Professor emeritus/Mentors. These research scientists will help fill the void created as a result of superannuated faculty/researchers. ?

6.?Research Promotion and Guidance?

The Guidelines also suggest the HEIs to organize special research workshops and capacity building programs. As these events may exhibit a strong potential to motivate the students, scholars and faculties to participate in ideation and conceptualization of innovative research in emerging areas.

Well, organizing events is just the tip of iceberg. In order to make the research ecosystem attractive for young scholars and bright minds, the HEIs should also undertake the following:?

(i)??????????Identify Thrust Areas & Form Research Clusters?

Thrust areas for research can be identified only after assessing the availability of resources, in-house faculty research competencies and support systems. ?

Moreover, the RDCs can also establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) that can serve as an Incubation Center that helps transform innovative ideas into processes and products. ?

On the other hand, forming Regional Research Clusters will bring all researchers, scholars, students, faculty and Post-Doctoral Fellows under one big umbrella for undertaking high value research projects and avail national and international funding opportunities. ?

Such joint research initiatives where researchers share the infrastructure and expertise- go on to enable mobilization of resources and cross-fertilization of ideas and thoughts. ?

(ii)?????????Research Incentives and Recognition?

Incentives do play a very important role in amplifying research interest among faculties and scholars. And in order to have a positive impact, the HEIs must incentivize quality publications and patents of students and faculty. ?

(iii)????????Facilitate Innovation and Entrepreneurship?

These Guidelines advise on the formation of a Technology Development and Business Centered Facility.?

This facility will act as the hub for facilitating Innovation, Incubation, Entrepreneurship and Start-up ventures. ?

But this facility has got even a bigger role to play.

As it has been envisioned to be hub for:?

• Industry-Institute Interface
• Patent Services
• Collaborations/Strategic Partnerships
• Sponsored/Contract Research
• Venture Capital
• Commercialization of Research?

?And so much more.?

(iv)???????Create a Corpus?

Research Activities always need funds for arranging resources and equipment.

So, here the RDC has been asked to create a corpus fund for R&D activities.

This corpus fund can be made from the funds granted by the Government, Industry or other funding agencies. ?

The RDCs can also explore the route of raising funds from Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors and use these funds for supporting research and innovation.

7.?Integrity & Ethics?

This function is a comprehensive extension of that objective where we told you how UGC wants the RDCs to uphold ethics in research activities. Through these guidelines, the UGC has asked the RDCs to undertake the following measures:

+ Initiatives to uphold integrity?

Researchers must be made aware about the ethical codes of conduct and integrity that must be mandatorily followed at all times. Moreover, the researchers must be guided on complying with the ethical codes of research and publishing practices of national and global levels. ?

+ Mandatory Plagiarism Check?

Plagiarism Check has been mandatory and a requisite software in this regard will have to made available and accessible for all researchers.

+ Sensitize the Research Community?

The RDCs will also have to bring these things in the attention of researchers:?

• Dubious Research
• Dubious Publishing practices, and
• Predatory Journals?

8.?Capacity Building?

Maybe this is the third time when the point of Capacity Building has reappeared in the guidelines. And yes, it deserves attention because of its major role in providing an essential boost to the grooming of researchers.

So, the RDCs have been asked to organize regular events such as?

+ Workshops

+ Conferences & Seminars

+ Refresher Courses

+ Group Discussions, etc.

for capacity building of researchers?

But there’s still more to the concept of Capacity Building. ?

RDCs will have a very pertinent role in grooming its students and faculty to undertake research problems of diverse disciplines. This will further help in pushing the boundaries of current knowledge base and also help in technological developments that match the emerging needs of our society. ?

Up till now all these 8 functions threw a spotlight on how research ecosystem must be put in right shape and size. ?

But now it’s time to shed some light on the most important point that will guide all the stakeholders of HEIs in ensuring that the strictest of benchmarks are followed while research is being carried out.?

So, here we go for the final point.

9.?Research Monitoring?

Any HEI or university department will have many researchers and doctoral fellows who’ll be undertaking research on varied topics and subjects. And the Institute has to make sure that it has all the resources available for smooth functioning of these R&D Activities.

But alongside arrangement of infrastructure and resources, HEIs also have an important part in monitoring and overseeing the research progress and adherence to global standards.?

That’s where these guidelines will help them amplify their efforts in Research Monitoring:?

(i)??????????Conduct Review & Evaluation?

The proposed RDC will have to:?

+ Conduct a Quality Review (SWOC Analysis) ?

+ Internal evaluation of Research Papers?

+ Suggest Scopus Indexed, Web of Science (WoS), or UGC-CARE recognized journals for appropriate publications. ?

(ii)?????????Good Laboratory Practices?

The RDCs will have to ensure that Research Labs of the HEIs must fulfill these norms:?

+ Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)

+ Safety Measures (Bio and Chemical)?

Its because these measures have been recognized by the National Accreditation Board of Laboratories as part of Quality Improvement Program (QIP) Centre. ?

So far so good. All that we have discussed in this blog has been decoded and brought up in simplest of terms, so as to help the various stakeholders of a College, Institute and University. ?

BONUS?

And in conclusion, we wish to leave you a bonus.?

“WHY DID UGC RELEASE THESE GUIDELINES?”?

We can recount so many benefits of pursuing research and innovation. But here we’ll share the exact answers to this one last question:?

• Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: These guidelines will help promote innovation and technological advancements on our country and this will further help in the attainment of the targets set under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self Reliant India).?
• As part of NEP 2020: The National Education Policy 2020 envisages the promotion of Quality Research within the HEIs. Laying the foundation of the research ecosystem has a good potential to serve industrial and societal benefits for our nation. ?

We hope you enjoyed reading this special blog dedicated to the

?Guidelines released by UGC for establishing Research & Development Cell (RDC) at India’s Higher Education Institutions. ?

Eduprogress team has devoted itself to support all the stakeholders of Higher Education Institutions of India. Our consultancy and experience have helped establish many prestigious universities and colleges of diverse scale and sizes. ?

If you also feel you need help in establishing an R&D Cell at your Institute or if you wish to gain more insights on how we can support your Institute, then please feel comfortable to write us on:?

[email protected]

Disclaimer: All the images used in this blog are for reference purpose only. Eduprogress & Research Pvt. Ltd. does not claim any kind of ownership over these images. Proper attribution has been given for the images and all of these images belong to their respective copyright owners.)