Preamble:
Integral University, right from its inception has been steadily encouraging its staff in general and faculty in particular for their active participation in conferences, seminars, webinars, workshops and training programs. Such participation advances the professionalization and provides opportunities to keep themselves updated with various tools necessary to perform day‐to‐day job responsibilities, to be knowledgeable on latest developments, to learn new tips/ techniques and to build an informed network of colleagues, experts and eminent professionals.
The university is always keen in sharpening the skills of its faculty and provides them a fair opportunity to interact with experts, eminent professionals and influencers face to face. Such participation in conferences etc. is also necessary for learning in a new space and absorbed the energy of like-minded professionals.
Further, moving to a more rationalized way, the university has devised a policy which will be called ‘Policy for participation in Conference/Seminar/Workshop and Training’. The policy applies to multiple categories of activities, such as conferences, seminars, professional development programs, trainings by external experts and internal training for workplace development, etc.
Rationale for Policy:
To provide a Policy on eligibility and funding for attending Conference/Seminar/workshop and training programs, and also to facilitate consistency in adopting the best practices across all departments. The Benefits of attending conferences/Seminars/Workshops and Training Programs are broadly defined as follows;
1. Sharpening skills: Learning new ideas and approaches makes more effective and efficient at work.
2. Meet experts and influencers face-to-face: Conferences/training programs offer the opportunities to interact with experts, eminent professionals and influencers face to face and to position oneself as an expert in concerned field.
3. Learn in a new space: Working in the same environment for a longer time keeps away from fresh thinking and new ideas. Breaking out of the office, sitting in a new space can help uncover new approaches that will grow skills and professional approaches.
4. Network: Reputed Conferences/Seminars/Workshops and Training programs offer the opportunity to mix and mingle with the like-minded people and help in developing new relationships, professional network and strengthen existing ones.
5. Explore new ways of working: Get hands-on information that is specific to organization, directly from the experts. A well-run Conference always helps to curate new ideas and improve the professional approach. Although, lot of information are available on the web, the Conferences will cut through the clutter to deliver the best content specific to professional needs.
6. Break out of your comfort zone: Conferences and training programs force to break out of comfort zone and it is just the type of action that is necessary to break out of old ways of thinking.
7. Get greater focus: The flip side of learning new things is relearning classic techniques. Conferences and training etc. create opportunities for greater focus and reflection that could help participants to move to next level.
8. Absorb the energy of like-minded individuals: There is nothing like being in a hall of like-minded people/other people who are willing to take time away from the office to learn something new.
9. Get access to pre-conference workshops: Pre-conference workshops offer even more learning opportunities that connect attendees within an intimate learning environment. These workshops are specific to Conference themes and a great build-up to the main Conference.
10. Invest in yourself: A Day out of the office to sharpen skills, is like investing in oneself, career and University, admitting that one is worth it.
11. Grow: Conferences provide a unique convergence of networking, learning and fun into a single package.
Procedures
Faculty members will submit a request or interest to Administration on prescribed form for attending a conference/seminar/workshop or training program through their Head of Departments (HoDs)/Deans preferably at the beginning of the year so that necessary budgetary provision can be made for such expenditure. All such requests must meet general criteria and ensure that such participation is directly related to the job responsibilities/ research area of the faculty, advancing key priorities or profile of the department and also contributing to an individual’s career development.
After attending the Conference/seminar/workshop or training program, a brief report on participation will be submitted by the faculty to his/her HoD/Dean. The faculty is also asked to deliver a seminar in the department or share what he/she has learned/achieved from the Conference/seminar/workshop or training program. A copy of the brief report will invariably be submitted to the In-charge of IQAC of University.
While recommending the request for attending the conference/seminar/workshop or training program, the HoD/Dean will ensure that job responsibilities of the faculty/staff should not be affected. The request may be recommended on rotational basis to ensure that all faculty/staff must get a chance to participate in Conference/seminar/workshop or training program in each fiscal year. The Department/Faculty should track who is attending conferences/training each year and monitor how frequently individuals are attending. In a financial year, minimum 10% of total faculty posted in each department will be provided opportunities for participation with financial support. In case, more numbers of faculty are willing to participate at their own cost, it would be at the discretion of the management to consider such requests on case to case and merit basic taking into consideration other aspects viz their academic commitments, utility of such participation etc. However, Duty Leave will be sanctioned on such cases.
The faculty members are encouraged to attend local Conference/seminar/workshop or training program to save travel expenses. They are also advised to seek group rates for travel and registration expenses when local alternatives are not available, and take advantage of all available discounts provided by the Conference/training organizations/institutions. They should make sure that attending a particular Conference/training is a wise decision and within the budgetary limit. The Departments also ensure that maximum two of its faculty members should be allowed to attend the same Conference or training program. More than two attendees from one department require an exception to be approved by the Authorities.
The Departments/Faculty may consider bringing trainer(s)/experts to provide in-house training for larger groups.
The HoDs/Deans should ensure that faculty/staff posted in respective departments/faculty are complying the Policy.