7.6 Alwin Tofler quoted, "The educated of the future is not one who knows to write or read, but one who is willing to learn and relearn". The faculty should keep themselves abreast of the latest. By doing so, they should be able to transfer updated knowledge to the student community. The growth implementation strategy must be geared to the characteristics of adult learning and should be left to the subject - faculty and non-faculty support staff- involved. Also, educational researches indicate that adults “learn best” when they are allowed to determine their own learning needs and to select their own learning activities. Thus they must be encouraged to voluntarily participate in development programmes. Clearly they will participate in sizeable numbers if they perceive such activities as being beneficial to their career growth.
7.7 Furthermore they are bound to have a sense of commitment for the programme if they are involved in its establishment and operation in a meaningful way. The staff involvement strategy can be two pronged in nature, one on an individual level and other on a global level. At the individual level, each staff member draws up his own professional development plan. This, it may be suggested could be done at the time of developing annual work plan linked to performance appraisal report, in consultation with the Head of Department specifying development needs and a list of activities that need to be pursued to fulfil them. On a global level, the involvement of the staff may be channelized through staff development committees, one each for faculty and non-faculty staff, composed of an assortment of staff members Campus. Members of the Advisory Committees would need to be individuals who are opinion leaders (i.e individuals who have the confidence and respect of their colleagues) if an effective support base is to be established for staff development amongst the staff.
7.8 It is suggested that for the successful implementation of such a development programme, a competent authority spearheads it. The Staff Development Coordinator, as he may come to be known as, shall be professionally qualified in the cadre of a Professor with the required qualities as deemed fit for the role. The qualities shall include, besides many other, Leadership skills, knowledge skills in the process of change, communication skills etc. This programme should be managed by the School of Fashion Technology and Management.
7.9 The various developmental needs having being identified at individual and global levels, will now have to be drawn up, by the Staff Development Coordinator in conjunction with the staff developmental committee, as an institutional plan of action. This plan of action, to ensure a time bound implementation effecting in the desired growth pattern, should be broken down into activities. For some needs the staff may be required to be sent outside to attend workshops/courses. For some other resource person may be hired to develop and present a tailor–made programme as well as to provide the implementation and follow-up assistance needed by the staff to introduce the innovation or change. Alternately, an in-house expert could be used, if available, especially when large groups have to be covered.
7.10 An important factor that needs to be kept in mind is that mere exposure is not enough. It may be noted here that the staff be provided an opportunity to practice what has been garnered through the learning under supervised simulation. Feedback will be provided during simulated applications to ensure corrective measures are taken till the point of expertise. From here on, the staffs is prepared, it is ensured, to face real life situations. It may be suggested that for maximum effectiveness of the training, it is essential that the staff go through the entire cycle in the process of change.
7.11 The executive management has a crucial and significant role to play in staff development. It needs to be borne in mind that not everyone will participate regardless of what may be done to motivate them to do so. A hit rate of 25- 30% is appreciable and the outcome in terms of improvement in work efficiency and attitudes will be noticeable. Besides support of the top management the success of the HRD programme is dependent on several other factors. Critical amongst which are the following:
(i) Provision of adequate financial resources;
(ii) Provision of time, i.e., considering participation in approved HRD activities as a part of the normal work load thus allowing their usage within normal working hours;
(iii) Provision of facilities;
(iv) Publicity for the programme through a newsletter/circular; and
(v) Establishment of a system of incentives and rewards linked to growth opportunities as a means of motivating staff to participate in HRD activities.
CHAPTER - VIII
INDUSTRY – INSTITUTEINTERACTION
Raison D’ Etre for Industry-Institute Interaction (I3
):
8.1 A symbiotic relationship co-existence has often led to excellence and wealth creation. While industry is involved in "wealth creation", the academia is involved in "Creators of wealth". The NIFT Campus at Panchkula as a constituent unit of an apex level institute of NIFT will be committed to the development of human talent and the Creators of wealth. The vision for an industry-institute partnership must, therefore, be to work together for improvement in each other‟s performance thereby contributing to a healthy and sustainable economy and society. Such mutual influence can only be achieved through mutual understanding which in turn, can only develop through close contact and collaboration.
8.2 Given their independent objectives, the industry and the institute though travel along then same directly, hardly meet. As has been, the dynamic industry of fashion and allied components categorizes small scale and operates on short / medium term in India and the academia working towards immediate supply of manpower in the short term and change agents in the long term, have sets of objective that do not necessarily match. While this has been recognized by both the Industry and Academia, a middle-point is seemingly elusive. The need of the hour is for faculty to take business and industry into their professional system, learn about it and relate their teaching to it in an appropriate and balanced way. Industry, in turn, needs to open itself up to be helped to think long term on vital qualities of life issues. Clearly this then is the raison d‟ētre for nurturing I3
.
8.3 The Panchkula Campus will establish a Centre for Industry and Artisans. This Centre will have Design Studio, Handicraft & Handloom Museum and Gallery working closely on various areas of collaboration.