Quality Standard 11: Research, Publication and Consultancy Services



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Scope:

Continuous development of educational programmes and services is influenced by research. The institution supports community outreach by ensuring consultancy and extension services.


Summary of Standard Criteria

  1. The institution actively encourages and supports research by staff.
  2. Findings of research underpin the development of the programmes and the courses of the institution.
  3. There are appropriate procedures and measures to ensure ethical practices in research, including measures to guide the ethical use of AI and other emerging technologies in research.
  4. There are relevant mechanisms and procedures to monitor and evaluate research within the institution.
  5. There are appropriate mechanisms and procedures to facilitate and encourage consultancy services to the wider community.
  6. The institution is responsive to community needs and conducts relevant extension and awareness programmes.
  7. Research, consultancy, and extension services are actively promoted to build linkages with industry and community.
  8. Learning analytics: Institutions that have an LMS are encouraged to utilize learning analytics as a research tool to enhance institutional evidence-based decision-making.

Quality Assurance Evaluation

Performance Measure Keys:
  • 0: Fails to meet criterion
  • 1: Unsatisfactory
  • 2: Marginal
  • 3: Good
  • 4: Excellent
Criteria Standards Performance Indicators Evidence Performance Measure Motivation/Comment
11.1 The institution actively encourages and supports research by staff. 11.1.1 The institution has a research policy in place. Research policy document 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.2 The strategic plan sets the direction of the institution’s research, ensuring that the research undertaken is relevant and responsive to the needs of the community and geared towards the achievement of sustainable development goals Strategic Plan; Research framework; evidence of the impact of research 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.3 There is a research committee or an appropriate body which develops procedures and guidelines for undertaking research by staff. Corporate plan, research committee composition, minutes and budget allocations, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members. 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.4 The institution provides adequate information on how to apply for a research grants. Corporate plan, research committee composition and minutes of meetings, budget allocation for research. Grant utilization records 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.5 The institution has strong links to and collaborates with various international, national, governmental and non-governmental agencies in undertaking research. Research policy documents, MOU’s, minutes of executive bodies’ meetings, interaction with staff and management, records of collaboration and support. Documentation of research outcomes. 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.6 The institution provides administrative and academic support for research in the form of study leave, project preparation, sponsorship, physical facilities, preferential work load allocations etc. Corporate plan, research committee composition and minutes of meetings, rules and regulation, budget allocation, records of support given and output. Workload allocations reflecting research load. 0 1 2 3 4
11.1.7 There are regular capacity building workshops on research methodologies for staff and students. Training programmes and attendance registers; feedback from participants 0 1 2 3 4
11.2 Findings of research underpin the development of the programmes and the courses of the institution. 11.2.1 The institution undertakes market research and solicits the views of employers, industry and local communities to prioritize programme and course development. Corporate plan, policy documents, research committee minutes and findings, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members, documentation of surveys. 0 1 2 3 4
11.2.2 The research output is used to make informed choices for developing programmes and courses. Minutes of the course planning and course design committees, feedback data, minutes of the research committees, research output data and verification of the same, interaction with staff, course developers and students. 0 1 2 3 4
11.2.3 There is a policy in place that promotes the dissemination of research findings to the wider academic community through conferences, publications, and online repositories Policy on publications and participation in conferences 0 1 2 3 4
11.2.4 The institution has a policy to guide the ethical use of AI and other new technologies in research Policy guidelines on use of AI in research 0 1 2 3 4
11.2.5 Research is encouraged to prepare the institution to make informed choices about the use of new technologies. Minutes of the course planning and course design committees, feedback data, minutes of the research committees, research output data and verification of the same, interaction with staff, course developers and students. 0 1 2 3 4
11.2.6 The institution encourages systemic research and the results feed into the improvement of the system. Corporate plan, research committee minutes and findings of research dissemination seminars, records of research committee meetings. 0 1 2 3 4
11.3 There are appropriate procedures and measures to ensure ethical practices in research, including measures to guide the ethical use of AI and other emerging technologies in research. 11.3.1 The institution has a stated code of conduct and ethical practices in research. Code of conduct and ethical standards. Processes followed. 0 1 2 3 4
11.3.2 There is a stated procedure adopted by the research committee or an appropriate body to ensure specified ethical practices in research relating to plagiarism, copying, intellectual property rights, etc. Corporate plan, research committee minutes and findings, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members, violation of code of conduct and ethical standards and action taken. 0 1 2 3 4
11.3.3 The institution provides training and support for staff and students in AI literacy. Training reports 0 1 2 3 4
11.3.4 AI-generated content is given appropriate citation and attribution Code of conduct and ethical standards, guidelines 0 1 2 3 4
11.4 There are relevant mechanisms and procedures to monitor and evaluate research within the institution. 11.4.1 At appropriate stages, the research committee or an appropriate body monitors and evaluates the research work of the academic staff that is funded by the institution. Corporate plan, policy documents, research committee minutes of meetings, rules and regulations. Documentation of completed research. 0 1 2 3 4
11.4.2 Research activities are an integral part of the duties of academic staff. Publications and research projects are given due recognition. Corporate plan, work norms and job descriptions, performance appraisals, research committee minutes and findings, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members, records of evaluations and given rewards. 0 1 2 3 4
11.4.3 Academic staff are encouraged to disseminate the research findings that are relevant to other units of the institution. Corporate plan, research committee minutes and findings of research dissemination seminars, records of research committee meetings. 0 1 2 3 4
11.4.4 Scholarly publications of the institution are subject to peer review. Research reports; Compilation of research publications 0 1 2 3 4
11.5 There are appropriate mechanisms and procedures to facilitate and encourage consultancy services to the wider community 11.5.1 The potential expertise of the academic and other staff is identified and published through all media. Corporate plan, research committee minutes and findings, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members. 0 1 2 3 4
11.5.2 The institution has a consultancy policy to address issues like sharing the remuneration earned, through consultancy, credits sharing, time allowed etc. Corporate plan, policy documents, research committee minutes and findings, guidelines, rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of various members, finance committee records, records of consultancy projects. 0 1 2 3 4
11.6 The institution is responsive to community needs and conducts relevant extension and awareness programmes. 11.6.1 The institution has an extension unit which undertakes various community engagement activities such as HIV/AIDS awareness, gender issues, environment issues, livelihood improvement etc. Information pack, prospectus, handbook, student information materials, MIS, interaction with staff and students, corporate plan, year planner, extension activity committee minutes, records on extension activities, annual reports. 0 1 2 3 4
11.6.2 Community work undertaken by learners and staff is recognized by the institution. Information pack, prospectus, handbook, student information materials, MIS, interaction with staff and students, corporate plan, year planner, extension activity committee minutes, records on extension activities, annual reports. 0 1 2 3 4
11.7 Research, consultancy and extension services are actively promoted to build linkages with industry and community. 11.7.1 The institution has strong industry – institution – community linkages built into its activities through membership of Advisory Boards, Council and Board of Governors. Interaction with staff and students, corporate plan, year planner, student handbook, extension activity committee minutes, records on extension activities, annual reports. 0 1 2 3 4
11.7.2 The industry – institution – community network fosters close relationships between the world of work and the world of learning for the learners. Information pack, prospectus, handbook, student information materials, MIS, interaction with staff and students, corporate plan, year planner, student handbook, extension activity committee minutes, records on extension activities, annual reports. 0 1 2 3 4
11.8 Learning analytics: Institutions that have an LMS are encouraged to utilize learning analytics as a research tool to enhance institutional evidence decision-making 11.8.1 There are policies in place to facilitate learning analytics data governance and security LMS functionality, Data centre, skilled staff in LMS, evidence of research work, impact of the research, evidence of students consent to use their data is obtained 0 1 2 3 4
11.8.2 There is a system in place to collect data Policy guidelines 0 1 2 3 4
11.8.3 There are stakeholder engagements, including students on results of data analytics Meeting minutes 0 1 2 3 4
Quality Standard 10 Quality Standard 12