Academic Excellence QIP Equips BBA Faculty for Next-Level Teaching, Research, and Consultancy

The School of Business and Management (BBA), CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, successfully organised a seven-day Quality Improvement Programme (QIP) on Academic Excellence from 1st to 7th August 2025. Designed for BBA faculty, the programme featured twenty-eight sessions combining expert lectures and hands-on workshops to strengthen teaching, research, consultancy, and quality assurance practices.

Day 1 opened with Dr. Nikhil Varghese, Head of the School of Business and Management (BBA), leading two sessions on Academic Responsibilities and Code of Conduct. He emphasised professional ethics, institutional expectations, and the faculty’s role in shaping student outcomes. The afternoon hands-on session helped participants apply these principles to curriculum planning and delivery methods.

On Day 2, Mr. Akhil Paul, Coordinator of the Centre for Placements and Career Guidance (CPCG), discussed placement trends and shared strategies to connect academics with employability skills. Dr. Arokia Paul Rajan R followed with an introduction to the Teaching Learning Enhancement Cell (TLEC), outlining how innovative teaching approaches can enhance learning engagement. In the afternoon, Dr. Varghese conducted a syllabus preparation workshop, ensuring alignment with learning objectives.

Day 3 featured Dr. Monica L, Head of Examinations, who provided an exam centre orientation covering policies, systems, and integrity measures. The later sessions trained faculty to map subjects in the ESPRO software, streamlining examination processes.

On Day 4, Dr. Purnendu B. Acharjee, Head of Research, Patent, and Funding, discussed research patents and funding opportunities. The faculty explored sources of grants, proposal writing techniques, and research integration. The afternoon session allowed them to begin drafting their own funding proposals.

Day 5 centred on consultancy, with Dr. Amit Seth, Head of Consultancy, explaining how faculty can engage with businesses. He shared methods for identifying clients, structuring proposals, and delivering impactful projects. Participants later worked on preparing consultancy proposals in their subject domains.

Day 6 was dedicated to quality assurance and stood out as one of the most interactive days. Ms. Jesty Mariam Philip opened with practical strategies to improve IQAC scores, emphasising the importance of systematic documentation, aligning departmental activities with accreditation requirements, and using evidence-based reporting. Mr. Naived George Eapen then delivered an in-depth session on NAAC Criteria 2: Teaching, Learning, and Evaluation. He detailed effective teaching practices, such as guest lectures, industrial visits, role plays, and real-world scenario exercises, and explained how these approaches could be tied to critical thinking development. He also guided faculty through the process of maintaining complete course files containing syllabi, assessments, ICT tools, and evaluation rubrics. Faculty were introduced to VARK-based learning assessments, the application of 21st-century skills, and the use of the Menteezy mentoring app to strengthen student engagement. The day concluded with a hands-on workshop on preparing IQAC documentation, where faculty worked collaboratively to draft compliance-ready reports and templates that could be directly implemented at the departmental level.

The programme concluded on Day 7 with Dr. Sathiya Seelan B, Associate Dean and Professor, sharing his experience in securing a corporate consultancy project with Toyota and offering tips to approach and sustain corporate partnerships. Dr. Barna Naidu closed the QIP with a session on course plan preparation and quality assurance, equipping faculty with practical tools for designing measurable and high-quality learning experiences.

The QIP left faculty equipped with new strategies, tools, and inspiration to enhance academic delivery, research engagement, consultancy work, and quality compliance, reinforcing the department’s commitment to academic excellence.