BEST PRACTICE - I

INSTITUTION'S INNOVATION COUNCIL (IIC) AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CELL (EDC)

1.Title of the Practice: ‘Promotion of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education through Institution's Innovation Council (IIC)’

2.Objectives of the Practice

• The primary objectives of the IIC at Velalar College of Engineering and Technology are:
• To create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students, faculty, and staff.
• To provide a platform for nurturing innovative ideas and translating them into viable products and services.
• To promote collaboration and networking among stakeholders to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.
• To create a sustainable innovation ecosystem within the institution and the community.

3. The Context

• Velalar College of Engineering and Technology is one of the leading educational institutions with a strong focus on academic excellence and over all development of students situated in rural areas and a rapidly evolving socio-economic environment. The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various branches of Engineering and Management studies. The college has a diverse student population from different backgrounds. In this context, the college identifies the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in preparing its students for the future. To this end, the college has established an Institution's Innovation Council (IIC), in line with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. This report aims to highlight the best practices implemented by II C in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among its stakeholders.

4. The Practice

• The IIC at Velalar College of Engineering and Technology has implemented several best practices to achieve its objectives, including:

ConductingInnovationand Entrepreneurshipworkshops:

• The Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) of the college conducts various awareness programmes such as Seminars, Workshops, training programmes, experience sharing sessions, ideation and boot camps, and etc., These programmes are aimed at making the student community more enthusiastic towards entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship Development Cell aims to catalyze and promote the development of knowledge-based and innovation-driven enterprises and promote employment opportunities amongst students and to inculcate a culture of innovation driven entrepreneurship.

Organizing Hackathons and Ideation competitions:

• The IIC of the college organizes hackathon and ideation competitions to encourage the students to showcase the innovative ideas and receive feedback from mentors and renowned experts in the field. This is a good platform for the students.

Building industry-academia partnerships:

• The IIC has established partnerships with industry players like EEDISSIA, Erode, CII-Yuva chapter, Tex Valley, Chithode and AIC-RAISE incubation centre, Coimbatore and other stakeholders to promote collaboration and networking, and to facilitate knowledge on innovation and technology transfer.

Developing a sustainable innovation ecosystem:

• IIC of VCET develops a sustainable innovation ecosystem in the college that involves fostering a collaborative environment where students, faculty, and industry partners can work together to create solutions that promote sustainability. This ecosystem integrates sustainability into the curriculum, support interdisciplinary collaboration, and provide resources for entrepreneurship through incubators and accelerators.




5.Evidence of Success:

• The impact of these best practices on students, faculty, and staff has been significant, as evidenced by:
• The creation of several successful start-ups by students.
• Increased participation in innovation and entrepreneurship workshops, hackathons, andidea competitions.
• The students’team comprises Krishnaa. S, Mathan. L, Ragul. N, Purusothaman. A. M, Sabari. M, and Neketha. R. M from Second Year ECE won Rs. 1 Lakh prize money for their Project titled “Technological solution for Early decomposition of Faecal Matter” in the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2023, jointly organized by MHRD & AICTE on 21st to 23rd December 2023 at Lovely Professional University, Punjab.
• Recognition from external agencies like EDII-TN and Startup TN and organizations for the institution's contribution to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.




6.Problems Encountered:

• The IIC at College has faced several challenges in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, such as:
• Resistance to change among some stakeholders.
• Limited funding and resources for implementing the best practices.
• Lack of awareness among students about the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship.




7. Notes

• The institution's Innovation Council in VCET has emerged as one of the best practices of the college, given its reach and impact. It has yielded very encouraging results since its implementation, and alumni of VCET will remember with pride and appreciate with gratitude the community that has shaped their lives and personalities. VCET is always keen on the holistic development of its student community, and this system is one of its key tools that ensure any obstacle in the developmental path is identified and cleared without delay.

BEST PRACTICE- II

MENTOR-MENTEE

1.Title of the Practice: ‘MENTOR-MENTEE’

2.Objectives of the Practice

• To help students understand the various dimensions of opportunities and challenges they face during campus life.
• To provide student community with positive role models and motivate them to tap their potential to the fullest creating positive changes in terms of understanding and attitude.
• To develop and nurture core competencies and skills.
• To create trust and confidence in the minds of students by helping them understand that a system is in place to assist their development and address their grievances and personal issues.
• To explain how to establish and nurture a relationship with accountability and responsibility.

3. The Context

• In our diverse society, teachers are interacting with a diverse group that includes students from different levels of socio-economic status.
• Understanding diversity doesn't only relate to race and ethnicity; it includes understanding students of different religion, economic status, gender identity, rural, urban and language background.
• Mentoring system demands right understanding of issues along with their background, and ensures that each and every student receives the same kind and level of attention and counselling irrespective of their background and status.
• Students from various backgrounds and status are treated at par and given necessary counselling.
• Mentoring system aims at leveraging the abundant practical wisdom of the faculty for the good of student community.
• The mentor, besides helping to settle issues, strive to educate students how to balance various roles with right understanding, ethics, and emotional balance during challenging times.

4. The Practice

• Every year, in response to the circular issued by the principal's office requesting mentors list, all the heads of the departments prepare a list of faculty members who will act as mentors.
• Upon approval of the same, based on the number of students, a mentor is allotted for every 20 students.
• The mentor and mentee meet once in a fortnight to discuss personal issues, learning environment, career guidance etc.,
• After completion of each session, the mentor submits a report in the specified format provided.
• Any other issue that demands intervention of the Dean and the Principal is taken to their notice immediately.
• The parents stay informed about the performance of their wards throughout their stay in the campus, and parents are given all possible assistance whenever they seek help to sort out issues.
• Strict confidentiality professional boundaries are maintained throughout.
• Each mentee has different values, perspectives, experiences, and interests that may or may not align with the standard norms and practices and our mentors have learnt the strategy of guiding even non cooperative students who demand extensive counselling.
• It is important for mentors to set goals. Goal setting is an important mentoring tool that helps the mentor and the mentee to have a clear idea about the destination they are moving towards.
• Be it academic progress or acquisition of employability skills, our mentors, with the help of the wisdom they have gathered over years can give clear roadmaps to attain the destination.
• Sometimes unrealistic expectations by the mentee prove to be a very big challenge for the mentor.
• During such situations, the mentor seeks the help of his/her fellow mentors for guidance.
• These type of discussions result in sharing of experiences and that leads to the mentor becoming more efficient than before.
• Occasionally, parents are invited and mentors justify the action of their mentee if such actions are not condemnable.
• Due to generation gap, the parents are not in a position to understand or accept their wards' actions. In such situations, the mentors by citing apt examples, convince the parents and make them accept reality.
• Mentoring helps not only the mentee but also the mentors since it provides an opportunity to interact with the younger generation.
• The mentor is able to read the minds of the youngsters and that helps the mentors to stay young mentally.
• Staying young mentally is indeed one of the pre-requisites of any teacher who is supposed to understand and guide the younger generation.

5. Evidence of Success

• Timely advice of the mentors plays a crucial role in boosting the morale of rural students from Tamil medium and students with low cut off marks. Higher scores in subsequent assessments underline the value of mentorship.
• Students who need language training are identified. Necessary training is provided to improve the language competency of the students as a result of which many of our students from rural background have got placements in MNCs.
• Mentors play a crucial role in guiding and helping slow learners, students with attendance issues and personal grievances. Timely intervention has resulted in improvement in performance and regularity in attendance. Mentors also monitor whether the slow learners attend remedial classes regularly for their improvement.
• Students are motivated to take part in co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Mentors ensure that students are in the process of holistic development. Every year more and more number of students participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Growing number of certificates and prizes won each year bear testimony to the fact.

6.Problems Encountered and Resources Required

• Occasionally, it takes too long to establish trust in the mind of the mentee.
• Knowledge of the mother tongue of the mentee plays a crucial role and the issue has to be sorted out to ensure efficiency of the system.
• Mentoring demands quality time with the mentee, and it is one of the key challenges a mentor encounters amidst all other academic duties.
• Sometimes the mentee seems uninterested due to reasons unknown, and the mentor needs a lot of patience to convince the mentee.

7.Notes

Mentoring system in VCET has emerged as one of the best practices of the college, given its reach and impact. It has yielded very encouraging results since its implementation and alumni of VCET will remember with pride and appreciate with gratitude the mentors who have shaped their lives and personality. VCET is always keen on the holistic development of its student community, and mentoring system is one of its key tools that ensure any obstacle in the developmental path is identified and cleared without delay.

8. Contact Details

Name of the Principal: Dr.M.Jayaraman Name of the Institution:Velalar College of Engineering and Technology
City:Erode
Pin Code:638012
Work Phone: 0424-2244201,204,206
Fax:0424-2244205
Website www.velalarengg.ac.in
E-mail:principal@velalarengg.ac.in
Mobile:9750924402