UGC issues guidelines for the establishment of research and development cells at HEIs

New Delhi On March 14, 2022, University Grants Commission (UGC) published guidelines on the establishment of research and development cells at Higher Education Institutes. 

According to UGC, “The establishment of RDC in HEls will pave the way for integrating the key elements: Research, innovation and Technology development for India's Atma-Nirbhar Bharat

mission and address our societal challenges of the 21stCentury.”

The Guidelines will aid in creating a conducive environment that will enhance research productivity. It will also encourage collaboration across industry, government, community-based organizations, and agencies at the local, national, and international levels. RDCs at HEIs will also provide greater access to research through the mobilization of resources and funding.

Guidelines for Establishment of Research and Development Cells at HEIs

The guidelines issued by UGC have been mentioned in detail below - 

• Governance - 

HEIs must have an effective governance structure in place which will ensure functional autonomy, transparency, accountability, and adaptability. To this end, the guideline prescribes that there should be a Research Advisory Council headed by the Vice-Chancellor/Principal or his/her nominee as the apex body of RDC. The Director should be among the distinguished researchers from the university and nominated by the VC. RDCs may form multiple committees to enhance their function.

• Administration

All activities of RDC will be monitored and mentored by various committees for devising

research models, technology, appraisal, foresight & review functions, mediating sectoral

R&D progress, and IPR protection. RDC should keep close contact with Ministry Innovation Cell to make use of various innovative plans for facilitating the researchers.

• Research Ecosystem/ Collaboration

In order to build a sustainable research ecosystem, HEIs should connect with RDCs of well Known HEIs for their research. HEIs need to establish collaborations, teams/consortia, partnerships, and combined ventures for joint research activities to enhance the exchange between students, scholars, and faculty.

• Information Management System

HEIs must create a centralised Research Information Management System (RIMS) where all research-oriented information, databases, publications, research projects, fellowships, collaborations, patents, etc can be collected and managed. RIMS can also have a platform from where information on Human Resources, physical capital and knowledge capital can be accessed. 

UGC has also mentioned that HEIs should also create a portal on Institutional Research Information and Institutional Repository and sign an MoU with UGC- INFLIBNET to access and upload the research information through Shodh Ganga, Shodh Gangotri, Shodh Sindhu, Shodh

Shuddhi, and Shodh Chakra

• Human Resources

UGC suggests that RDCs can re-employ retired faculty or research scientists with an exceptional profile or significant experience as Mentors/Professor Emeritus to create a resilient research ecosystem. 

• Research Promotion and Guidance

All research promotion activities at HEIs should follow the mandates issued by various National Missions, SDGs, Start-up India leading to a Self-Reliant India (Atma-Nirbhar

Bharat).

RDCs should encourage faculties to conceive ideas through enhanced industry-academia interactions and prepare research proposals for funding

from various agencies. They can organise events like capacity-building programs and specific research theme-based workshops and Research Internships that will motivate the students, scholars, and faculties to participate actively in the process of ideation and innovative research in emerging areas.

• Integrity and Ethics

RDC should undertake regular initiatives to ensure that researchers understand the importance of integrity and ethics and comply with ethical codes of research and publishing practices at

institutional, national, and global levels. All papers should go through a standard plagiarism check and necessary software should be available to all researchers.

• Capacity Building

RDCs should organise events such as workshops, group discussions, seminars, conferences, refresher courses, training, internships etc on a regular basis for capacity building. It would also pave the way for HEI to attract more research grants under norm-based funding, improve its accreditation ranking and enhance

its brand image.

• Research Monitoring

HEIs should create and adhere to certain quality benchmarks for research to meet global standards. RDCs should conduct a quality review (SWOC Analysis) or Internal Evaluation of research papers. They can also make suggestions about various UGC recognised journals for paper publication. 

R & D Cell of HEIs must ensure that all the Research Labs in the institution fulfil the norms

of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Safety (Bio and Chemical) measures, recognized

as QIP centre and by the National Accreditation Board of Laboratories (NABL).

Read More - 

UGC: Universities Can Offer E-Courses in Collaboration With Edtech Firms

UGC to Allow Industry Experts without PhD to Teach in Central Universities

UGC Draft Guidelines Released for Multidisciplinary Education