NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL Capacity building to institutionalise the quality culture in educational institutions NAAC has evolved a robust, multi-pronged strategy to put in place the required ‘capacity’ in terms of concept, processes and protocols, such as: Nationwide workshops, seminars and brainstorming sessions to sensitise stakeholders, academics, administrators, policy makers and students on the importance of quality evaluation. So far, 175 universities and 5,119 colleges have volunteered for assessment and accreditation by NAAC. NAAC has promoted the concept of Internal Quality Assurance Cells (IQACs) for sustaining and enhancing quality. All accredited institutions (which number to over 3000) have established IQACs and submit an online Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) to NAAC. At State level, NAAC has guided the establishment of State-Level Quality Assurance Cells (SLQAC) with relevant procedures and guidelines. These SLQACs serve as an interface between the NAAC and the state higher education departments for promoting the assessment and accreditation process. The NAAC publication unit has published over 150 books/monograph manuals on assessment and accreditation. The Memorandum of Understanding with accrediting agencies of other countries has helped in setting improved benchmarks and co-operation towards mutual recognition of accreditation. Two other initiatives which have contributed to strengthening the quality movement are: Collegium of Assessors: A team of highly qualified assessors from across the country, which includes Vice- Chancellors, Directors, Deans, Fellows of the Academy, Senior Academics from Universities, Principals and experts from industry, which serve as NAAC’s peer team members. This collegium through the various peer team visits helps evaluate and disseminate information related to the latest trends in higher education and quality. Accreditation Award Ceremony: A unique networking forum of accredited institutions conducted biannually. It provides a platform for mutual exchange of best practices in the institutions and also develops collaborations for further academic endeavours. With these, it is hoped that the institutions will be transformed as learning organisations, with a learning culture to bring in institutionalisation of the quality assurance processes. NAAC has facilitated capacity building at different levels – individuals, institution, and the State, to internalise quality assurance, quality sustenance and quality enhancement. www.naac.gov.in Along with the genesis of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) as an autonomous organisation under the University Grants Commission, external quality assurance (EQA) processes also took birth in India. Higher Educational Institutions started experiencing the impact of a new set of vocabulary and processes related to assessment and accreditation. NAAC is facilitating the institutions to address the challenges of internationalisation and globalisation. As India has an ever expanding and evolving higher education system, with over 650 university-level institutions and about 37,000 colleges, in addition to EQA, NAAC has realised the importance of internalising quality assurance (IQA) processes in such institutions. above: Prof. A. N. Rai, has recently been appointed Director of NAAC after having served Mizoram University as the Vice- Chancellor. He is an internationally recognised scientist in the field of Nitrogen fixation and Plant-Microbe Interactions
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