BEST PRACTICE – I

TITLE OF THE PRACTICE: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING

Objectives: –

• Offering practical competencies for employability, extending learning beyond classrooms.
• Cultivating critical thinking skills through active problem-solving engagements.
• Providing platforms for students to engage with corporate professionals, broadening their perspectives in a VUCA world.
• Nurturing adaptability and resilience by exposing students to diverse challenges, fostering personal growth and self-awareness.
• Facilitating hands-on exposure to managerial skills such as planning, organizing, financing, team building, and group dynamics, fostering holistic development.
• Encouraging self-learning and fostering an environment of sustainable learning through observations, active listening, and hands-on experiences.

The Context: –
In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, it is imperative for educational institutions to adopt the approach of sustainable learning that prepares the student for the challenges and opportunities of the real world. Keeping Sustainable learning as a base, AIMSR embraces a holistic approach to education which is industry relevant, skill enhancement, focusing on domain knowledge, research orientation, nurturing hard and soft skills. AIMSR has various clubs that are made to focus on incorporating the principles of interdisciplinary learning, skill development, technology integration, industry partnerships, research, and student support services into its educational framework through various conclaves, seminars, events, research conferences and Learning & Development programs. Various value addition sessions with the support of Mentors leading to stimulated cross-functional environment is created for the students that help them to develop adaptability, resilience, communication skills, and a greater sense of self-awareness, preparing them for success in diverse personal and professional contexts.

The Practice: –
AIMSR works on the philosophy of creating employable professionals and so we lay emphasis on the conduct of events, conclaves and activities that enable acquisition of traits and competencies and leads to holistic development of students. Sensitization to the corporate world is provided to students through various events, conclaves and activities conducted both within and outside the campus.

Employers seek candidates who:

• Are equipped with knowledge and expertise in the field,
• Have ability to think out-of-the box and multi-task,
• Are enterprising and take initiatives,
• Possess the essential know-how to effectively communicate with different stakeholders.

At AIMSR, we inculcate all of these in the students with our commitment to holistic education which extends beyond the confines of traditional classroom learning. The institution places significant emphasis on sustainable learning through a precisely planned calendar of events and activities, carefully planned at the beginning of the academic term. The nature of events and activities conducted at AIMSR span a wide spectrum: commencing with an intensive orientation program to conclaves on specialist areas, to special guest lecture sessions by leading industry professionals on current topics, to an innovation summit and international research conference, to student-driven cultural, literary and sports events, to several different club activities addressing a wide assortment of desired traits such as passion, social sensitization and entrepreneurial fervour. Intense student involvement – as listeners, observers and, most crucially, doers across different stages – is integral to these. The institution’s Entrepreneurship cell spreadheads innovativeness aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial talent and fostering a culture of innovation.

AIMSR firmly believes that such experiential endeavours are indispensable components of the students’ academic journey as it gives a platform to the young brains to showcase their innovative ideas and ability to be resilient. Such interactions not only enhance interpersonal and communication skills of the students but also prepares them to deal with a wide assortment of people across varied cultural backgrounds.

Besides being active listeners to the intellectual deliberations, students also play a crucial role in planning, organizing and execution of events. By becoming active conduits in the process of dissemination, deliberation and learning acquisition of topical issues, students get a completely hands-on exposure to real-world matters. Effective dissemination and learning involve getting appropriate speakers and getting students to appreciate and internalize the entire process in totality. The uniqueness of such a well-rounded practice is manifested in the students becoming well-prepared, independent thinking, confident, focused, and disciplined individuals.

Evidence of Success: –

• Each academic year sees the successful execution of over 100 plus events.
• Students’ participation is aligned with the 12 designated Program Outcomes for the entire MMS curriculum, ensuring comprehensive fulfilment of learning objectives.
• A diverse pool of distinguished resource persons has been curated to enrich program content.
• Valuable feedback, in various formats including oral, written, and video recordings, is gained from participants via dedicated and social media platforms, affirming the informative, interactive, and practical nature of events and activities.
• All events, conclaves, and activities are broadcasted live on AIMSR’s YouTube channel.
• Annual conclaves, each focusing on different specializations such as Finance, Marketing, HR, Operations, and IT, are organized to enhance domain-specific knowledge.
• The institute hosts Alumni Meets where former students share their educational experiences and the professional benefits gained from their academic exposure.

Eventually, the visible impact of these activities is evident in the students being well-equipped with practical understanding of situations, technical know-how as well as social skills, which comes to the fore, crucially during the placement process and their career thereafter.

Problems encountered and Resources Required
Resources required for the effective conduct of events and activities are:

• Internal intellectual capital capacity for theme finalization
• The right infrastructure and ambience that enables and facilitates all-round learning and development.
• Intellectual resources commensurate with topical areas

Few issues faced during the conduct of such a wide assortment of events and activities are as follows:

• Getting the right speakers to come and partake in the knowledge dissemination and learning acquisition at the opportune time is often difficult.
• Generating sponsorship from industry with a view to fund certain events that demand a certain deliverable quality is often a tough task.
• Collaborations with relevant industry associations

BEST PRACTICE – 2
TITLE OF THE PRACTICE: DIGITALLY EMPOWERED INSTITUTION AND KNOWLEDGE CENTRE

Objectives of the Practice: –

1. Help Digital India by backing its goals.
2. Use ICT to improve teaching and learning.
3. To ensure all learners can easily get educational resources through ICT.
4. Add new technology to update old ICT systems for better communication.
5. Improve efficiency by digitizing administrative work, reducing paperwork, and automating routine tasks.
6. To expand the reach of institute programs to a broader audience.
7. Help the environment by using less paper, energy, and travel with digital ways, and cut down the institution’s carbon footprint.

The Context:
Aligned with NEP 2020’s vision of Digital India and E-Governance, AIMSR has proactively recognized the transformative potential of ICT in education. We understand its significance in driving administrative efficiency. We are fostering innovative teaching methodologies. AIMSR embarked on a comprehensive digitalization journey. This involved substantial investments in technology infrastructure and resources to strengthen digital learning platforms and online course delivery. Faculty members have eagerly embraced dynamic teaching approaches. They leverage tools like case studies and simulation-based learning. This enriches student engagement and enhances comprehension. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the urgency of digital transformation. It prompted the complete shift of administrative and accounting processes to digital platforms. This accelerated our digital evolution. This strategic shift not only ensured continuity in teaching and learning during challenging times but also positioned AIMSR at the forefront of educational innovation. We are poised to adapt and thrive in the digital age.

The Practice:
Over the past five years our institution has diligently invested in enhancing our ICT infrastructure to align with Digital India mission. The objectives outlined in NEP 2020 have guided our efforts. Recognizing the pivotal role of ICT in shaping education, we have modernized our digital capabilities in our academic spaces including classrooms, conference rooms and seminar halls. We have ensured comprehensive ICT integration. These areas are equipped with projectors and screens. This setup facilitates dynamic and engaging learning experiences. Smart Boards have also been installed to foster interactive learning environments. They encourage active participation from faculty and students.

To streamline administrative functions, we implemented the TCS iON Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. This end-to-end platform manages student and employee lifecycle. Administrative workflows and campus operations are also included and digitized. Administrative offices with scanners, printers, internet facilities and requisite software further enhance operational efficacy.

Recognizing the importance of technology in education, we have provided faculty and staff with laptops, desktops, and smartphones. Our Computer Lab is equipped with 238 terminals that supports research and assists project work and online activities. We transitioned from MS Office 2019 to MS Office 365. We adopted Microsoft Teams for seamless communication.

Internet connectivity was bolstered with 100 Mbps Primary Leased Line (JIO) and 50 Mbps Backup Leased Line (MTNL) complemented by Wi-Fi accessibility campus wide. Our library is fully automated whereby expanding digital learning resources we provide access to e-resources such as EBSCO J-Gate CMIE and Ticker Plant. Procurement and library operations include book accession and issue/return are significantly expedited and simplified. The TCS iON collaborative learning platform enriches the learning experience.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we swiftly transitioned to remote operations. We replaced biometric attendance systems with Face Detection System. We offered specialized ICT training for staff. We also provided training for students.

Furthermore, our commitment to sustainability extends to digital initiatives. By minimizing paper usage, we contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

Our institution’s commitment to digital transformation enhances educational experiences. It also boosts academic and administrative efficiency. By leveraging ICT advancements, we empower the academic community. ICT tools facilitate prompt decision-making that allow for agile responses and addressing emerging needs. It also tackles challenges and helps to thrive in digital age.

Evidence of Success:

1. Comprehensive ICT training programs have ensured 100% proficiency among teaching and non-teaching staff.
2. Faculty uses mTop for attendance management that is a feature of integrated Enterprise Resource Planning system.
3. Well-defined ERP policy has been formulated that is communicated to all stakeholders.
4. The college library is fully automated. It employs open-source library management system (OPAC). It also leverages resources like EPSCO, J Gate, Pearson, E-shod Sindhu and NDL services.
5. Administration, accounts, and library functions are automated with requisite infrastructure and software.
6. Digital signatures expedite financial transactions. They also streamline tendering processes ensuring efficiency and ease of operation.
7. Official communication and notices are disseminated through email and other online channels.
8. State-of-the-art language labs offer interactive learning experiences. These aids help students develop language skills and also build cultural awareness.
9. AIMSR maintains an active presence on social media platforms. These include YouTube Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These channels are leveraged for effective communication. They also help in event promotion.
10. Amidst the transition to online education during the Covid-19 pandemic, Microsoft Teams has been uniformly adopted. It serves as primary platform for daily classes and related activities.

Problems encountered and Resources: –

1. Given the rapid pace of technological advancement regular infrastructure upgrades are essential to keep pace with evolving technologies.
2. Limited network connectivity and low bandwidth from service providers leads to significant obstacle in leveraging ICT facilities effectively.
3. Initially, some educators experienced challenges. In transitioning to online teaching-learning platforms, they cannot fully replicate the dynamic interactions of face-to-face sessions.
4. Teachers are actively exploring strategies. They aim to bridge the gap between offline and online teaching methods thereby striving to enhance the effectiveness of digital learning experiences.
5. Non-teaching staff encountered challenges in adapting to ICT-based workflows. There were difficulties and time constraints during the transition. The Institute faces the challenge of meeting the growing demands of digitalization.