Research Policy
The college is dedicated to promoting a culture of research and scholarly inquiry among its faculty, staff, and students. This research policy outlines the principles and guidelines that govern research activities within the college.Research is the foundation of knowledge that brings new energy, builds state of the art facilities, promotes research publications, develops collaborations and becomes part of active community that shares the mission objectives of the college. The success of the college in attaining its objectives is greatly contingent upon the alignment of the faculty with all the aspects of research initiatives, being undertaken at the college. Taking these into considerations, the following Mar Athanasius College Research Policy is implemented. The present research policy aims to help the college and faculty achieve excellence and contribute to organisation and society. The policy shall serve as an overall framework within which research activities may be carried out.
Objective:
The primary objective of research at our college is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, foster innovation, and address societal challenges. The college is committed to providing an environment that supports and encourages high-quality, ethical, and impactful research.
To strengthen the institutional capacity for strategic, technical and operational planning, budgeting and monitoring of all research activities of the college
To develop rules, procedures and guidelines for granting research support, instituting awards, and supporting all other related activities
To provide a modality for proper coordination of all research activities of the college and aligning these to the vision and missions of the college and national development goals.
To prepare and regularly update the research agenda of the college outlining the preferred focus areas and priorities of research activities to be supported
To guide faculty members in the effective integration research projects with the regular curriculum implementation and curriculum enrichment activities
To identify and inform researchers about the appropriate research opportunities announced by different academic, research, industry or government organisations
To promote interdisciplinary research and establish modalities for preparing and undertaking joint research projects covering more than one knowledge domain as well as policies for involving external agencies/experts in such projects
To identify and establish linkages including MOUs for long term relationships with national and international research organisations for widening the scope of research opportunities and funding options available to the teachers and students of the college.
To identify and establish linkages including MOUs for long term relationships with industry bodies and individual companies for creating opportunities for teachers and students of the college to involve themselves in real life research projects and obtaining sponsorships
To encourage and facilitate the publication of the research work/projects in reputed academic journals
To encourage and facilitate the presentation/communication of the research work/projects as well as their findings and recommendations through academic events such as workshops/seminars/guest lectures or the media
To compile data on all the research work/projects undertaken by the teachers and students in to a database for easy monitoring and analysis of the progress being made by them from year to year
To draw up and adopt a research code, which informs all researchers about the ethical and legal norms and principles to be followed in the conduct of research
To prepare and implement a research quality assurance mechanism for ensuring that all research activities of the college conform to standard quality specifications
Aims of the Research Policy
1. To create and support a research culture among the teachers, staff and students and leverage it for enriching and enhancing the professional competence of the faculty members
2. For developing and promoting scientific temper and research aptitudes of all learners
3. For realising the vision and mission of the college
4. For contributing to national development and related activities by providing the required resources and appropriate facilities.
5. To ensure that the research activities of the college conform to all applicable rules and regulation as well as to the established standards and norms relating to safe and ethical conduct of research.
6. To encourage broad based and flexible research projects that seeks out new and challenging fields of knowledge.
Scope of the Research Policy
This policy shall apply to all the researchers of the college and for the purpose of this policy 'researchers' are defined to include
1. All staff, temporary and permanent, who are active in teaching, and research of the college
2. All students registered with the college
3. All mentors, guides, external experts and sponsors associated with any of the research activities of the college
4. All academic and administrative departments of the college;
This policy shall apply to all the research and related activities of the college and for the purpose of this policy research and related activities will inter alia include
1. Research activities including basic, strategic and applied research undertaken either for fulfilling the requirements of academic degrees or for solving problems
2. Scholarly activities intended to expand knowledge boundaries by analysis, synthesis and interpretation of ideas and information by making use of rigorous methodologies
3. Knowledge compilation and communication initiatives for keeping abreast of academic developments in any knowledge domain such as writing of textbooks, chapters of textbooks, monographs; developing/updating curriculum, etc.
4. Creative activities involving the generation of new ideas, innovations, hypotheses, images, performances or artefacts, including design in any field of knowledge which leads to the development of new knowledge, understanding or expertise.
5. Research projects of students undertaken as part of the curriculum or for enriching it.
6. Publication, presentation and communication of the research outcomes and related activities
Research Policy Implementation Mechanism
The Research Committee of the college shall be responsible for implementing this research policy of the college by working closely with the college management. The specific roles and functions of the research cell will be as follows
1. Facilitate the faculty in undertaking research and work with the college management for providing incentives on meritorious publications
2. Provide research facilities in terms of laboratory equipment, research journals and research incentives etc. required by the faculty.
3. Provide the faculty with seed money for undertaking research based on the submission of a sound research proposal duly scrutinized and recommended by the research committee, in close contact with the college management.
4. Encourage and promote a research culture (opportunities for attending conferences etc.).
5. Encourage the faculty to undertake research by collaborating with other research organisations/ industry.
6. Create suitable procedures for giving due recognition for guiding research.
7. Facilitate the establishment of specific research units/ centres by funding agencies / university.
8. Organise workshops/ training programmes/ sensitisation programmes are conducted by the institution to promote a research culture on campus.
9. Invite industry to use the research facilities of the college and sponsor research projects.
10 Approach National and international organisations such as UGC, ICSSR, DST, DBT, UNESCO, UNICEF to fund major and minor research projects undertaken by the faculty / students
11. Make efforts to improve the availability of research infrastructure requirements to facilitate research.
12. Develop and implement an official Code of Ethics to check malpractices and plagiarism in research.
13. Facilitate Interdepartmental / interdisciplinary research projects.
14. Create incentives for the faculty who receive state, national and international recognition for research contributions as well as research awards and recognition from reputed professional bodies and agencies.
15. Encourage and promote the publication of research articles by the faculty in reputed/ refereed journals.
16. Create and maintain a database of research work and research projects undertaken by the faculty and students as well as collect data by metrics such as Citation Index, Impact Factor, h-index, SNIP, SJR, etc.
17. Publicise the research expertise and consultancy capabilities available in the college.
18. Facilitate the provision consultancy services to industries / Government / Non- Government organizations / community/ public.
Ethical Conduct:
All research activities must be conducted with the utmost integrity and in compliance with ethical standards. Researchers must adhere to ethical guidelines, particularly when involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data.
Academic Freedom:
The college upholds the principles of academic freedom, allowing researchers the freedom to pursue their research interests without undue interference.
Research Funding:
The college encourages faculty and researchers to seek external research funding from governmental agencies, industry partners, and other relevant sources. The college administration will support researchers in identifying and applying for research grants.
Research Collaboration:
The college promotes interdisciplinary research and collaboration both within the college and with external institutions. Collaborative research initiatives are encouraged to enhance the impact and quality of research outcomes.
Intellectual Property:
Researchers are encouraged to disclose and protect intellectual property resulting from their research activities. The college supports the responsible and ethical transfer of knowledge to benefit society.
Research Support Services:
The college will provide the necessary infrastructure, resources, and support services to facilitate research activities, including laboratories, libraries, and computing facilities.
Research Dissemination:
Researchers are encouraged to disseminate their findings through publications, presentations, and other appropriate means. Open access and knowledge-sharing initiatives are supported to maximize the impact of research outcomes.
Research Review and Oversight:
The college will establish a Research Ethics Committee to review and oversee research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data. Regular reviews of research activities will be conducted to ensure compliance with ethical and regulatory standards.
Research Training and Development:
The College will provide training opportunities for researchers to enhance their research skills and stay abreast of new developments in their fields. Mentorship programs will be encouraged to support the development of junior researchers.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
The college will establish mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the impact and quality of research activities. Feedback from the research community will be sought to continuously improve research support services.
Policy Review:
This research policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness. By adhering to this research policy, the college aims to create an environment that fosters innovation, excellence, and a positive societal impact through research.
Research and Academic Consultancy Policy
The college is dedicated to fostering a vibrant research culture and promoting academic consultancy activities that contribute to knowledge advancement, societal development, and industry collaboration. The policy outlines the principles and guidelines governing research and consultancy programs of the college.
The policy aims to promote quality research that contributes to academic excellence and social impact and to facilitate consultancy services that engage the college with organizations and industries.
Research Ethics: All research activities conducted in the college must adhere to the highest ethical standards. Researchers are required to obtain appropriate approvals for research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data.
Academic Consultancy Services: The college encourages faculty members to engage in academic consultancy services with external organizations, industries, and governmental bodies. Consultancy services should align with the expertise and mission of the college.
Intellectual Property Rights: The college recognizes and respects the intellectual property rights of faculty and researchers. Clear guidelines on ownership and commercialization of intellectual property arising from research and consultancy activities are established. Incentives for IPR application
Industry Collaboration: The college encourages collaboration with industries for research and consultancy projects. Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) may be established to formalize collaborations and define the terms of engagement.
Funding and Grants: Faculty members are encouraged to seek external funding and grants to support their research and consultancy projects. The college will provide support in identifying potential funding sources and assist in grant applications. The college provides seed money.
Reporting and Documentation: Researchers and consultants are required to submit regular progress reports on their projects to the college. Clear documentation of project activities, outcomes, and financial transactions must be maintained. Incentives for paper publications
Capacity Building: The college provides training and resources to faculty members to enhance their research and consultancy skills. Workshops, seminars, mentorship programs and FDP will be organized to support capacity building.
Ethical Consultancy Practices: Academic consultancy services must align with the college's values and ethical principles. Consultants are expected to provide unbiased, evidence-based advice to clients.
By adhering to this policy, the college aims to create a conducive environment for impactful research, meaningful academic consultancy, and sustainable collaborations with external entities.