Now, University Grants Commission plans month-long training for higher education faculty

In a bid to streamline the higher education faculty training, the University Grants Commission has proposed a mandatory month-long residential Faculty Induction Programme (FIP) for newly-recruited teachers.

The education body feels that unlike school teachers, faculty in higher education usually join the teaching profession without any formal training in teaching, learning or assessment. Their understanding and capabilities are built informally out of their own experiences or shared with their colleagues. So, the FIP is being visualised as a means to create awareness of policies, governance and administrative structures that will improve their teaching and management skills.

"The FIP will help them understand their roles and responsibilities as faculty members, familiarise themselves with the structure, functioning, governance, rules, regulations and professional expectations. The programme will also help the faculty explore pedagogical processes — aims of higher education, curriculum, instructional planning, classroom management," said a UGC official, adding, "Recognising the importance of self-development, socio-emotional development of students and the importance of nurturing ethics and values is also another objective of the FIP."

It will be mandatory for all newly recruited faculty members to go through the FIP within one year of their joining service. The one-month programme will be done in two phases of 18 days and 12 days respectively.