Criterion 8: Innovative and Healthy Practices

Summary:

The University of Moratuwa has established a Center for Information Technology Services (CITES) and it operates ICT based platforms to facilitate the multimode teaching delivery and learning. The CITES provides outstanding technology infrastructure, services, and solutions that advance teaching and learning, enable research, empower staff to provide exceptional services, enrich the student experience, and effectively manage and protect institutional data and is complying with Standard 8.1. The Library of the University of Moratuwa provides OERs such as maintains databases, Conference papers/Journal papers, E-books, etc. and software tools that students and staff can use to supplement learning and teaching thus complying with Standard 8.2. The program has complied with the Standard 8.3 and 8.4 as the University has set up several establishments to promote R&D, Innovations commercialization, Intellectual property rights, and Industry engagements. Faculty of graduate studies, Office of research, Senate research committee, Intellectual Property Advisory Committee, Enterprise, multi-disciplinary research centers, Industry-sponsored labs, and Incubators are such coordinating and fascinating centers for above. The University encourages and recognizes academic staff for their achievements in research excellence. The university awards ceremony is held annually to give away the outstanding research excellence awards to academic staff. The Senate Research Committee (SRC) coordinates this event. The SRC promotes research by giving funding for research, conference publishing (travel and registration fees), and open access journal publishing thus complying with Standard 8.5. Undergraduate programs (UG) by the Faculty of Engineering have 8 credits final years project which every student has to complete. Most of these projects are hardware-based projects and students gain the required skill through these projects and demonstrate their progress at progress reviews. Students publish their findings in the projects in national/international conferences and journals establishing the research culture with them. Thus, the programs comply with the standard 8.6. The UG program has a compulsory industrial training program in Semester 6. Director/Industrial training coordinates this program with industry establishments & Departments and monitors the program throughout the training period to guarantee the students acquire the required industrial training. Thus, the program complies with the Standard 8.7.

The Faculty of Engineering has several academic and research collaborations with foreign universities. Joint PhD programs join Master courses, joint research, collaborations with international research institutes are some of them. The Faculty of Engineering has partnered with international bodies to host international conferences and an office, Director – International relations has been set to facilitate the activities under the above MoUs. Thus, the program complies with the Standard 8.8. The Faculty has several income-generating sources. A portion of self-generated finds is utilized to support staff and students for various requirements mainly for the research purposes thus Standard 8.9 is complied with. The University has signed MoUs with foreign universities to enable student exchanges and to transfer the credits between two universities. This program has already had such credit transfer programs complying with the Standard 8.10. The University has several arrangements to promote staff & students’ engagements in extra-curricular activities and support them in such activities. Thus, the program complies with the Standard 8.11. The University recognizes the outstanding performances of students at national and international level competitions. Annual awards ceremony, Colours awards ceremony are two of such events in which students’ performances are recognized. Thus, the Faculty complies with Standard 8.12. The University has established necessary mechanisms to maintain the conformity of academic programmes in course design and development and regular monitoring and reviewing. Faculty academic committee, Curriculum development committee, DICB, FICB, Students surveys, feedback, and external examiners are in the curriculum revision process that assures the academic standard thus the program complies with Standard 8.13. There have been no fallback options implemented under the Faculty of Engineering at the moment.

Claim 8.1:

The University of Moratuwa has established Center for Information Technology Services (CITES) to provide, outstanding technology infrastructure, services and solutions that advance teaching and learning, enable research, empower staff to provide exceptional services, enrich the student experience, and effectively manage and protect institutional data. It has created LMS/MOODLE/DMS like ICT platforms in support of its mission.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.2:

The University of Moratuwa has introduced open educational resources to students and staff to use them in learning and teaching process to supplement their knowledge in the areas to relevant to field of studies. To this end, the university Library is assigned as the facilitating point. The Library maintains the latest Data bases, Journals, E-books, Thesis and Dissertations, Conference papers and some software tools.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.3:

The Strategic Management Plan of the University identifies Innovative and Creative as attributes of a Moratuwa Graduate.

Goal 2 of the Strategic Management Plan of the University is stated as “Achieve excellence in research, innovation and enterprise with national and international relevance with global recognition”. Key entities that facilitate postgraduate training, research, innovation and commercialization in the University are the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Office of Research, and the Enterprise. Establishment of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Establishment of The Enterprise with the main objectives of enhancing, strengthening, and promoting innovations, entrepreneurship and University-Business Linkages at the University of Moratuwa to achieve its related corporate goals.

Establishment of the Office of Research

UNIC (Uni-Consultancy Services)

Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC)

Senate Research Committee

The University has a well-established administrative structure consisting of Higher Degree Committees at the Faculty level, the Board of Graduate Studies, the Senate Higher Degrees Committee and the Senate

The respective bodies meet once a month for academic and administrative matters of postgraduate research such as admission of candidates, progress monitoring and award of degrees.

The University has established seven Multidisciplinary Research Centers (MRCs) in 2017.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.4:

The University has established several entities to support research, innovations, commercialization of products.

Establishment of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Establishment of the Office of Research

Senate Research Committee

Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC)

The University has a well-established administrative structure consisting of Higher Degree Committees at the Faculty level, the Board of Graduate Studies, the Senate Higher Degrees Committee and the Senate.

The Enterprise Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and University-Business Linkages (UBL)

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubator including Mora Ventures Programme

Agreements of Industry sponsored laboratories

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.5:

Senate Research Committee (SRC) awards and evaluation SRC recognizes research excellence in its annual research awards scheme. Number of award winners have been increased. SRC promotes research by giving funding for research, conference publishing (travel and registration fees) and open access journal publishing.

University recognizes International awards received by the academic staff in its annual award ceremony

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.6:

Each student has to complete a 8 credits final year undergraduate group project. Guidelines on evaluation of FYPs have been prepared by the individual departments and students need to submit a research paper written in international conference/journal format and students are encouraged to submit their findings in national/international conferences/journals.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.7:

The University refers to necessary academic and professional standards in designing the Industrial training program and the University is guided by expert opinions of both industry & academia and market signals. Students are sent to the industrial training places in public and private organizations where required learning outcomes of the industrial training program are met.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.8:

The University has entered into a number of MoUs with foreign universities: Joint PhD programs with foreign universities, joint master's program with foreign universities, other collaborations with foreign universities,Collaboration with reputed foreign academics,and the establishment of Multidisciplinary research centers (MRCs)

International conferences conducted with partners, E.g. IEEE, IEEE RAS, IEEE PES

Goal 1 of the Strategic Management Plan of the University covers aspects related to collaboration and partnerships.Establishing the position of Director, International Relations

Industry sponsored laboratories (MoUs) to carry out R&D work

Die and mould facilitation and development centre was established in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Mould and Die Makers Association to assist SMEs and act as a training facility.

Other research collaboration with wider society and roduct launches in collaboration with external entities.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.9:

University has engaged in various professional activities, which generate additional income to the University. Few of such activities/courses are conducting postgraduate courses, carrying out consultancy services, holding workshops/training programs. A part of the additional income generated through the above means is utilized to benefit students and staff.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.10:

University of Moratuwa entertained credits transfer from well recognized international faculties.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.11:

University Quarterly Newsletter gives a wide publicity for various outreach activities and community services Community Services are incorporated in course curricula as Non-GPA Modules Usefulness of programs of engagement, interactions with schools and communities etc.

The university understand the importance of student engagement in co-curricular activities for career success. Therefore, status of such engagements are monitored and appropriate actions are planned accordingly University vehicles are available for Community Services and Outreach programmes University encourages staff’s involvements in social development activities Provides an appropriate mechanism for Consultancy Services.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.12:

University of Moratuwa encourages the students to take part in national and international events and recognizes their outstanding performances at the annual award ceremony and colors awards ceremony.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.13:

The University has established necessary mechanisms to maintain conformity of academic programmes in course design and development and regular monitoring and reviewing.

The University refers to necessary academic and professional standards and the University is guided expert opinion of both industry & academia and market signals.

The University regularly monitors its academic programmes for their effectiveness by all relevant stakeholders.

Evidence of Best Practices

Claim 8.14:

There have been no fallback options implemented under Faculty of Engineering at the moment.