St. Xavier’s College Conducts FDP on ‘Quality in Higher Education’

Team Goemkarponn
MAPUSA: St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, organized a three-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) from April 15 to 17, 2025, focusing on the theme of ‘Quality in Higher Education’. The event, conducted by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), aimed to enhance research, strengthen the Institutional Development Plan (IDP), and promote the adoption of case study pedagogy, with particular emphasis on NAAC Accreditation and NIRF Rankings.
The FDP commenced with a ceremonial lighting of the lamp followed by a welcome address from Fr. Antonio Salema. Principal Ms. Ursula Barreto outlined the three main objectives of the program, namely strengthening research initiatives, improving college rankings, and incorporating innovative teaching methodologies.
Dr. Murari Tapasvi led the first session on ‘Writing a Research Proposal’, where he introduced a 4-point methodology for selecting research topics: Replication, Brainstorming, Problem Orientation, and Gap Filling. This was followed by a hands-on workshop on writing research proposals. An online session was conducted by Dr. Prabhu D., Head of the University of Madras, who shared insights on ‘Best Practices in Research and Startup Incubation’, focusing on collaborative research, patents, and consultancy projects.
On day two, Dr. Sabeen Govind, Associate Professor at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kerala, conducted a session on teaching, learning, and evaluation from an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) perspective. He emphasized the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy and SMART principles for designing measurable course outcomes and the importance of rubrics and reflection sheets. Dr. Govind also elaborated on the UGC framework for the Institutional Development Plan (IDP), highlighting key areas such as governance, financial management, academic research, and digital enablers.
The final day featured an online session by Dr. Angela Susan Mathew, Associate Dean (Academics) at Rajagiri Business School, on ‘Case Study as a Tool for Innovative Teaching’. Dr. Mathew stressed the importance of innovative pedagogy in classrooms to improve academic outcomes and promote equitable learning. The session was followed by a workshop on minor research project proposals, where over ten teams presented their ideas. The valedictory session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Ubaldina Noronha, IQAC Coordinator.
The FDP was attended by approximately 120 faculty members, who left the event inspired and motivated to implement the learnings in their academic practices.