The University of Burdwan

The National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986, in its Programme of Action, proposed to enhance the motivation skills and knowledge of the teachers in the institutions of higher education through systematic orientation in specific subjects, techniques and methodologies, and thereby inculcate in them the right kind of values that would, in turn, encourage them to take initiatives for innovative and creative work. In order to achieve these objectives, an initiative was taken by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the year 1986 under which 66 Academic Staff Colleges (ASCs) were established in different universities over a period of time. As a part of this initiative, Academic Staff College was also established in The University of Burdwan (BU) in 1989. ASC, BU, used to organise various specially designed programmes, such as orientation programme, refresher course etc. to enhance motivation skills and knowledge of the in-service teachers through systematic orientation in specific subjects, techniques and methodologies. Later on, in order to come to terms with the changing higher education scenario due to the fast expansion in number of new institutions of higher education and substantial increase in the number of faculty positions and to achieve a quality assured system for capacity building, continuous knowledge enhancement, new strategies of governance for promotion of innovations and creativity, UGC proposed a set of guidelines, implemented from 1st February, 2015, to transform the ASC into University Grants Commission-Human Resource Development Centre (UGC-HRDC). Following these guidelines, the ASC of BU was also transformed into UGC-HRDC, BU, in the year 2015. Since then, it has been conducting Induction/Orientation Programmes for newly appointed college/university teachers and organizing Refresher Courses, Summer School, Winter School, Short term Courses for the college/university teachers, Workshops/Meets for Academic Administrators and Interaction Programmes for Research Scholars. UGC-HRDC, BU, is specially committed to address and use the challenges and the opportunities brought by the use of ICT and open content (OER and MOOC) for teaching and research in higher education institutions.

India is in the process of taking big strides in the field of higher education to boost its growth. Particular emphasis is being given on adopting new education techniques, such as E-learning and M-learning. It is needless to say that teachers play a key role in the education system. So, some provisions need to be made to motivate them towards teaching and research, to give them consistent exposure to the emerging trends and advanced knowledge in various disciplines and across disciplines, and, of course, to make them familiar with the new policies and strategies relating to the governance of educational institutes. Along with the members of the faculty, the administrative staff and officers also need to be exposed to new strategies and policies for governance of educational institutions. Keeping these objectives in view, the University Grants Commission-Human Resource Development Centre (UGC-HRDC), The University of Burdwan (BU), is conducting various specially designed programmes approved by the UGC for the teachers, officers, principals, research scholars and academic staff of various institutions of higher education in India.
On behalf of The University of Burdwan, I express my sincere gratitude to those whose tireless efforts have made the UGC-HRDC, BU, achieve its goal.

Best wishes,

Professor (Dr.) Nimai Chandra Saha
Vice Chancellor, The University of Burdwan

The University Grants Commission-Human Resource Development Centre (UGC-HRDC), formerly known as the Academic Staff College, of The University of Burdwan, began its journey in the year 1989. This centre is the first of its kind in the North-East India. Since its inception, it has been an ideal seat for the in-service teachers for upgrading their quality of teaching. It provides a platform wherein the in-service teachers across the country get the opportunity to update their respective disciplinary knowledge through various programmes that this centre organizes time to time following the guidelines of the University Grants Commission. At the same time, this centre also provides a platform to the teachers, officers, academic staff and principals of the Higher Education Institutes to enhance their competence to combat various challenges in their professional domains. The entire family of the UGC-HRDC, BU, always tries to extend all sorts of support to everybody concerned to make each programme successful. The centre is well equipped with ICT classrooms, computer laboratory, library and guest house facilities. Its effort has always been to provide the participants with an amicable academic environment where free exchange of thoughts and ideas is possible. Moreover, the natural beauty of Golapbag Campus always refreshes the minds of the participants who come to attend the courses offered by the centre.
I must extend my sincere gratitude to all the stakeholders of the centre for their sincere efforts towards its betterment.