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Mumbai, India
Summarized Annual Quality Assurance Report 2009-10
PART – A
What is the plan of action chalked out by the IQAC in the beginning of the year towards quality enhancement and what is the outcome by the end of the year?
The following plans for 2009-2010 were chalked out for quality enhancement in the College, and were included in the IQAC Report of 2008-2009:

Plans for quality enhancement in the College, 2009-2010 (and beyond) in the light of the NAAC Re-accreditation of the College in March 2009 (at which the College was accorded an ‘A’ grade and a very high CGPA of 3.61) and after studying the recommendations and suggestions made by the Peer Team:
  1. To engage in Perspective / Strategic Planning (short term and long term) (Outcome: this was done as planned through three Strategic Planning Workshops)
  2. To enhance the ICT facilities in the College and to make possible more ICT and computer based learning. (Outcome: this was done with the setting up of the ‘Sophia – M.K.Tata Trust Communication Technology Centre and the introduction of MS-CIT course)
  3. To further foster the climate of research in the College by: • Encouraging more staff members to participate in research by making available more funding for the same • Systematising the functioning of the Research Development Cell (Outcome: this was partially achieved, with the setting up of of two new research fellowships which will be effective from 2010-2011)
  4. Alumnae: • To increase the membership in the alumnae association • To systematise the functioning of the association vis-à-vis the College (Outcome: this was partially achieved)
  5. To introduce new courses and programmes e.g.: • PG courses or programmes • value-added / career-oriented courses or programmes (Outcome: our application was forwarded to the University for permission to start the MSc in Analytical Chemistry; value added programmes: MS-CIT was started and an MOU was signed with IAFD for IATA training; got a grant for career-oriented course in bioinformatics, which will be conducted from 2010-2011 onwards)
  6. To strengthen Placement and Career Guidance Services (Outcome: could be done only very partially because of the many unexpected problems faced during the year such as the teachers’ strike all across Maharashtra etc.)
  7. To enhance consultancy by using the knowledge and talent available in the College (Outcome: this was partially done)
  8. To systematise data generation and its use in administrative and academic functioning and to look into the feasibility of introducing MIS (Outcome: this was partially done in so far as we began working on an MIS)
  9. To formalise the existing systems of academic and administrative functioning (Outcome: this was partially done)
  10. To deploy strategies to publicise the College (its vision and achievement) / brand building (Outcome: this was done through the posters with covering letters sent out to parishes and schools and the calendar on AIDS Awareness that was sent out widely)
All other good and healthy practices and programmes that we have at sophia college for women will be continued in 2009-2010 in order to impart quality, value-based education to our students.

PART – B
1. Activities reflecting the goals and objectives of the institution::
  At the beginning of the academic year, in June 2009, each department met and chose specific goal(s) to focus on and drew up activities for the same.  The departments shared with each other their plans at a staff seminar.  An end-of-the-year report of what was done/achieved during the year was submitted by the departments to the Principal.  This included activities carried out reflecting the goals of the College.

All the activities carried out by the departments under the theme of the year of ‘Education for Justice and Peace’ were in keeping with Goal 4.  All the activities of innovative teaching as well as of research work were in line with Goals 1 and 2.  The community services and outreach programmes conducted reflect Goal 5, while the activities of our Counselling Centre are in keeping with Goal 3. We have also tried to implement Goal 3 through the co-curricular activities as well as through the social service programmes.  Goals 6 and 7 were lived out in the Peace Fortnight activities as well as in various inter-religious prayer services conducted during the year.  

The details of all of the above are given under the various points listed below.
   
2. New academic programmes initiated
  UG and PG
Application for affiliation for the MSc in Analytical Chemistry was forwarded to the University.
 

Extension
The Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (SCWSD), set up in 2001, conducted the following certificate courses:

  • Certificate Course in Food & Nutrition
  • Certificate Course in Women’s Empowerment
  • Certificate Course in Social Work Focussing on Issues related to Women and Girls

    In addition, various outreach courses for school drop-outs and other marginalised women were also conducted
   
3. Innovations in curricular design and transaction
  As an affiliated institution, it is not possible for the College to design the curriculum of the regular courses. However, in our two autonomous P.G. Courses, namely, the Post-graduate Diploma in Clinical Analysis (DCA) and the Post-graduate Diploma in Quality Assurance in the Foods and Pharmaceuticals Industry (QA), we are able to vary the curriculum to meet the needs of industry.

The Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development designs the curricula of the courses it offers and these are constantly being upgraded or changed to suit the changing needs.

A number of staff members were elected / nominated to the Boards of Studies of their respective subjects or were on syllabus revision committees.

Innovative academic activities are carried out through our Excellence Programmes in Arts (EXAP) and Science (EXSP).

Though the curriculum for our regular courses is set by the University, each department uses innovative teaching-learning methods. In addition, various activities were carried out under the theme of the year, ‘Education to Justice and Peace’
 

The following are some of the creative methods of teaching and learning:

  • Use of ICT
  • Use of OHP, slides and power-point presentations
  • Screening of relevant films / documentaries/VCDs
  • Peer Teaching
  • Guest lectures / sessions
  • Class debates and discussions, quizzes, book reviews, play reading and dramatization
  • Internships / Placements and other forms of experiential learning
  • Subject related activities going beyond the syllabi
  • Creative projects and assignment work
  • Wall-newspaper / Update board
  • Mentoring programmes
  • Self-Study programmes
   
4. Inter-disciplinary programmes started
 
  • The English and BMM departments jointly held an interactive talk with the celebrated Indian-English novelist Githa Hariharan on ‘Modern Indian Writing in English’ on September 23, 2009.
  • On November 10, 2009 the departments of English and Mass Media, jointly with SCWSD, organised a lecture by Eve Ensler author of ‘Vagina Monologues’
  • A trip was organized to Vangani, jointly by the Physics and Life Science  Departments, for star-gazing o January 23-24, 2010.
  • August 6-7, 2009: The English Department, in collaboration with the English Department of St. Xavier’s College, organized a two-part lecture by documentary Film-maker Kurush Canteenwala.
  • The two major seminars conducted during the year were inter-disciplinary, namely
    - The national level seminar on ‘Mumbai in Literature, Art and Film’, organised jointly by the English and BMM Departments and the Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development.
    - The city level seminar cum workshop on ‘Laboratory Manager: the Challenges Ahead’ in February 21, 2010 was organised by DCA and the Microbiology Department.
5. Examination reforms implemented
  Among our on-going examination reform initiatives are the following:
 
  1. Internal Assessment Scheme: Although the University system does not require it, at Sophia we have the system of continuous testing and evaluation.  For the first and second year classes, a schedule of tests, assignments and projects for the year in every paper is drawn up and the comprehensive schedule is displayed on the student notice-board.  For the Third Year classes, generally two tests/assignments are held in the First Term and one in the Second Term.
  2. Unsupervised Examination Scheme:  This was introduced for the first time in 1969, the Gandhi Birth Centenary Year.  Since then, with modifications it has continued.  The facility of unsupervised tests and examinations is only offered to the Third Year classes.
  3. Analysis of performance at tests and examinations is also a practice at Sophia College.

    All the teachers discuss the test and examination papers with their respective classes.  Question Banks are also given to students.  Some use creative evaluation method such as quizzes, crosswords, open books tests etc. 
6. Number of candidates qualified in net/slet
  One: Roshan Dadachanji (MSc Student of Biochemistry)
   
7. Initiative towards faculty development programme
  In order to strengthen the teaching-learning process, as well as for the enhancement of teacher quality, the faculty members are encouraged to keep abreast with the latest developments in their field by the book grant scheme every year (whereby all permanent teachers are given reimbursement for any book bought for personal work up to Rs. 500/- per teacher) and also by encouraging them to attend seminars, conferences and workshops as follows.

Regular staff seminars for the entire teaching faculty are a feature at Sophia.  The details are given in response to question 8.  In addition, staff members are encouraged to attend seminars and workshops outside college and to take up research assignments.  They are also encouraged to attend Orientation and Refresher Courses.
   
8. Total number of seminars / workshops conducted:
  STAFF SEMINARS
  The focus for this year for staff seminars was on ‘Strategic Planning’; one workshop for this had been held at the end of the last academic year.  During this academic year three workshops were held and by the end of these some concrete decisions had been taken.

Besides the above:
  • On January 29, 2010, a session on ‘Money Matters’ was organised by Ms Sheila Kapoor, for the benefit of staff in order to acquaint staff members about various types of financial schemes that would help them to secure and plan their future as well as provide adequate tax shelters. 
  • On March 15, 2010, a Staff Seminar on “Gender and Climate Change” was held.
  SEMINARS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENTS.
 
  • DCA and the Microbiology Department jointly organised a workshop cum seminar on February 21, 2010, at which more than 200 participated.  The topic was ‘Laboratory Manager – The Challenges Ahead’. 
  • A national conference titled ‘Mumbai in Literature, Art and Film’, funded by the Luigi and Laura Dallapiccola Foundation, was organised by the Department of English in collaboration with the BMM Department and the Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development on the January 8-9, 2010 at the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium.
  SEMINARS CONDUCTED / PUBLIC LECTURES DELIVERED BY STAFF MEMBERS
  Many staff members, including the Principal, read papers at seminars and conferences or gave public talks etc.
  SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES ATTENDED:
  Staff members are encouraged to attend workshops, conferences and seminars outside the College in order to update themselves on the latest developments in their subjects.
   
9. Research projects
  a) NEWLY IMPLEMENTED / ON-GOING:
  Under-graduate Research
  • The students of EXAP and EXSP carry out research projects
  • Many of the TY projects in Papers VI and IX involve research work
  • The Education students are carrying out a research project on AIDS Awareness
  • The students of Statistics undertook a survey on ‘Domestic Violence – Awareness of the crime and legal redressal procedures’ among 500 women. 
  • Seven SYBA Psychology students did mini research projects
  Post-graduate Research:
Research is an integral part of the MSc programmes of the College.  MSc students are also encouraged to take part in seminars and conferences outside the College and to present posters of their research work.
  Staff Research
  • Under the UGC’s Faculty Improvement Programme during the XIth Plan the following proceeded on leave:
  • Ms Anagha Tendulkar (Department of Sociology); topic of her thesis: ‘Community Care for Elderly in Mumbai’
  • Ms Giani Erevelles Mapara (Department of Microbiology); topic of her thesis:  ‘Development of a Rapid Method for Detection of Listeria Monocytogenes in Food Samples’.
  • The proposal of Ms Sangeeta Dubey (Department of Economics) for UGC’s Faculty Improvement Programme during the XIth Plan was forwarded to the UGC. The topic of her thesis: ‘An Enquiry into the Viability of BT Cotton’.

The following Minor Research Projects were sanctionedbythe University of Mumbai:

  • Dr. Aninha Lobo (Dept. of Psychology): ‘Organizational Learning in Accredited Colleges : Crucial for Change’
  • Dr. Prabha Shetty (Dept. of Chemistry): ‘Evaluation of Alstonia Scholaris R.Br. leaf extracts for modulation of Angiogenesis’
  • Dr. Medha Rajadhyaksha (Dept. of Life Science): ‘Characterization of cells from explants cultures of regenerating caudal fin of Zebra fish for investigating tissue regeneration in vitro’
  • Dr. Yasmin Khan (Dept. of Life Science): ‘Mechanisms of uptake of Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONS) and their effect on the C6 Glioma cell line’
  • Dr. Rajbinder Dehiya (Dept. of Microbiology): ‘Microbial Siderophores: Isolation, Characterization and Quantification from Polluted Soils’

The following Minor Research Scholarships from the Rotary Club was awarded at the Annual Prize-Day Function –  ‘The Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town Smt. Sumitradevi Jatia Research Award’ for the year 2009-2010 to Dr. Jennie Mendes (Dept. of Psychology) for her research project on ‘Evaluation of the Courtesan Genre of Kathak in Hindi Films’.

Smt. Dhandevi Mahindra Research Fellowship Award
This minor research award was given to Ms Rochelle Ferns (nee D’Souza) (Dept. of Chemistry) for her research work on ‘Biosorption of Chromium (VI) from Aqueous Solutions using Areca Nut Husk’.

On-going Major Research Project
Dr. (Sr.) Anila Verghese has the following on-going research projects on hand, for which she received a research travel grant from the Luigi and Laura Dallapiccola Foundation, U.K.: 

  • “Major Themes in the Arts of Southern India under Vijayanagara and its Successors”
  • “Art and Empire in South India under Vijayanagara and the Nayakas – 1350-1700”
In connection with these projects, she undertook a field trip from January 10 to 24, 2010, to visit Vijayanagara and post-Vijayanagara temple sites in Goa and northern Karnataka.
 

b) RESEARCH COMPLETED:
  By Staff Members
PhD Research:
The following staff members secured the PhD degree during the year:
  • Ms Andrea Coutinho (Dept. of Education)
  • Ms Sushma Deo (Philosophy Teacher, Junior College)

Publications:
Dr. (Sr.) Anila Verghese (Dept. of History) published five papers and one book review; Dr. Medha Rajadhyaksha (Dept. of Life Science) published one research paper.

10. Patents generated, if any:
  Nil
11. New collaborative research programmes:   
  Nil
12. Total research grants received from various agencies
  From University of Mumbai for minor research projects:
  • Dr. Aninha Lobo (Dept. of Psychology), Rs. 14,000/-
  • Dr. Prabha Shetty (Dept. of Chemistry), Rs. 31,500/-
  • Dr. Medha Rajadhyaksha (Dept. of Life Science), Rs. 30,000/-
  • Dr. Yasmin Khan (Dept. of Life Science), Rs. 30,000/- 
  • Dr. Rajbinder Dehiya (Dept. of Microbiology), Rs. 22,500/-
  From Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-town for minor research projects: Rs. 10,000/-
From the Luigi and Laura Dallapiccola Foundation for research travel: 250 pounds sterling (Dr. (Sr.) Anila Verghese)
Smt. Dhandevi Mahindra Fellowship Award:  Rs. 60,000/-
   
13. Number of research scholars
  PhD Guidance:
Dr. (Sr.) Anila Verghese (Dept. of History)
Had two registered Ph.D. students under her guidance:
  • Arul  Jayakumar,  working on ‘Dutch on the Coromandel Coast’; however, he deregistered in early December 2009 due to professional problems that he is facing as an IPS officer to get the time to continue with his research work.
  •  Mrs. Purnima Srikrishna, working on ‘Vidyashankara Temple, Sringeri: A Cultural History’; she submitted her thesis to the University of Mumbai in early January 2010.
In addition, the following submitted their PhD proposals for sanction by the University of Mumbai.  The proposals were drawn up under her guidance:
  • Mrs. Rashna Poncha on ‘Development of Frere Town, Bombay (1862-1947)’
  • Ms Lata Pujari on ‘Women at Vijayanagara (1336-1565)’
Dr. Nirmala Tripathi (Dept. of Hindi) has been granted recognition as a research guide by the University of Mumbai in December 2008.

Dr. Medha Rajadhyaksha and Dr. Yasmin Khan are recognized guides for research in Applied Biology.  The University local inquiry committee visited our laboratory during the year and has given a very positive report and the official sanction recognising the laboratory for PhD research in Applied Biology came in during the year.   Ms Jennifer Italia who has been doing research under the guidance of Dr. Rajadhyaksha will register once the formalities are completed.

MPhil Guidance:Dr. (Sr.) Ananda Amritmahal (Dept. of English) is guiding an MPhil dissertation through SNDT Women’s University titled “A Marxist-Feminist Analysis of the plays of Mahesh Eklunchkar and Mohan Rakesh”.
14. Internal resources generated
  The publications of Dr. (Sr.) Anila Verghese have been widely cited. A number of staff members are recognised as experts in their field and are consulted by others.  The Principal and staff members have also been invited as experts on selection committees.

A number of lecturers give lectures at the MA, MSc and MPhil classes conducted both by the University of Mumbai and SNDT Women’s University. Almost all staff members are paper setters / examiners or moderators for the University or Board examinations.  Many are invited as moderators to other colleges.
15. Honours/awards to the faculty
  Nil
16. Internal resources generated
  Internal resources, beyond fees and grants, were generated through Kaleidoscope, by letting out premises for functions, video-shootings, as well as by generous donations by donors and well-wishers.
17. Details of departments getting sap, cosist, dst/fist etc. Assistance and recognition
  The College was sanctioned of Rs. 50 lakhs by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, under the DST-FIST programme for the upgrading of our PG Science departments.  Sophia was one of two colleges in Mumbai that received this grant.  Sophia is also perhaps the only college in Mumbai that has received a DST-FIST grant for the second time within the last ten years
   
18. Community services:
  This has been done through a variety of outreach activities. The main examples of these are:
  1. Of Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (SCWSD):
    - June 20: SCWSD held a session from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on "Maximising Potential of SHGs".
    - July 6:SCWSD conducted a training workshop for volunteers from Akanksha on Ways of Communicating the Evil of Child Marriage’ 
    - SCWSD conducted a Women’s Leadership Training Programme in collaboration with the Archdiocesan Women’s Desk on weekends from mid-August to mid-September 2009. 
    - Workshops were conducted in collaboration with various organisations.

  2. The Municipal School Outreach Project of NSS 
    A camp was held on campus from October 20 to 26, 2009, preceded by three days of preparation.  Children from the Nana Chowk and Tardeo Municipal Schools, Sharda Sadan School as well as from the NGOs Akanksha and Vatsalya participated in this camp.  A second camp took place from April 1 to 17, 2010, preceded by two days of preparation.  The participating schools were the Nana Chowk and Tardeo schools as well as the Walkeshwar Municipal School which joined for the first time.  Once again the focus was one English, Maths and Science.

  3. Other NSS Activities
    Other NSS activities during the year included the following:
    - A youth-festival conducted at NAB (workshop for the blind).
    - Ganapati festival celebration and an annual fun-fair conducted at the David Sassoon Industrial School (remand home).
    - Aids Awareness activities, including a ‘Red Ribbon Club’, distribution of a newsletter on AIDS and the planning and executing of a calendar on Aids Awareness, jointly with SCWSD.
    - The conducting of a Disaster Management Workshop.

  4. Departmental Outreach Activities
    A group of Chemistry students, under the guidance of Dr. I. Mendes, visited ‘Asha Sadan’, the rescue home run by the Maharashtra State Women’s Council on January 13, 2010.
19. Number of teachers and officers newly recruited
  Teachers:   6
Non-teaching staff:  6
20. Teaching-non-teaching staff ratio
  Approximately 1: 1
21. Improvements in library services
  The library is now fully computerised and the bar-coding of all books have been completed.  The library offers various reference and referral services.  Post our NAAC re-accreditation, several other college staff members visited the college and library for consultancy in preparation for their college NAAC Peer Team visit namely, Nirmala Niketan, MVLU College, SIES College, SIES College (Nerul), B.N. Bandodkar College of Science, D.G. Ruparel College, St. Theresa’s Institute of Education, G.E.S’s College of Education & Research, Rizvi College etc.
22. Number of new books/journals subscribed and their value
 
ITEM NUMBER AMOUNT
Books 610 Rs. 334292.75
Journals & Newspapers 82 Rs.  98323.00
   
23. Number of courses for which student assessment of teachers is introduced and the action taken on student feedback:
  At Sophia there is the tradition of administering the Teacher Assessment Questionnaire (TAQ) to students.  In the case of all new teachers, this is done every year.  Permanent faculty members are encouraged to have the TAQ administered in their classes every few years, in order to gain feedback from students. 

Entry and exit level questionnaires are administered by the  IQAC, in order to improve the quality of education at Sophia. 

In addition to feedback from students, we have other methods of teacher assessment and accountability:
  • The weekly plan book
  • The six-monthly report that every teacher writes at the end of each term
  • The Confidential Reports
  • The supervised lecture for new teachers
The Performance Appraisal form
   
24. Computerization of administration and the process of admissions and examination results, issue of certificates
  Both the General Office and the Accounts Office are computerized.  Accounts work, admissions, examination results etc. are computerized.  The certificates are computerized, except those like the leaving certificates which have to be hand-written.  The work of computerizing results and preparing certificates is outsourced to a professional agency, as is the case for the computer analysis of the Teacher Assessment Questionnaires. The library is now fully computerized.
   
25. Increase in infrastructural facilites
  There has been a steady improvement in infrastructure and learning resources of the College.  The computer facilities available for staff and students took a quantum leap forward with the setting up of the ‘Sophia – M.K.Tata Trust Communications Technology Centre’ with four computer laboratories in which 65 computers were installed. The College office got six new computers.  Two new LCD projectors with lap-tops were also installed.  The class IV staff toilets were also renovated during the year. 
   
26. Technology uprgradation
 
  1. Two LCD projectors and laptops were purchased at the commencement of the academic year
  2. Eleven new computers for the two offices and Principals office were purchased.
27. Computer and internet access and training to teachers and students
  Many departments have their own computers.  In addition, in the staff room there are two computers with internet facilities exclusively for the use of staff members.  Wi-fi facility was made available in the college hostel.
   
28. Financial aid to students
  The total amount disbursed as financial aid to needy during the academic year amounted to Rs. 1,63,431/-.
   
29. Activities and support from alumni association
  The College is fortunate in having a full-set up alumni association with its own office on campus.  The association is known as THE SOPHIA COLLEGE EX-STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (SCESA), which carries out activities within the College as well outreach activities, both rural and urban.
   
30. Activities and support from the parent-teacher association
  There is no parent-teacher association as such.  However, parents are invited to the Orientation Programme held at the beginning of the year for each class.  There was also an ‘Open Day’, held on January 2, 2010, when parents were invited to College to meet with faculty.
   
31. Health services
  There are four major hospitals within the distance of less than one or two kilometres from the College (Jaslok Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital, Cumballa Hill Hospital and Bhatia Hospital).  In case of any emergency, students are taken immediately to the casualty department of any one of these hospitals, especially the former two, by the College van.  Besides this, first aid facilities are provided by the College Wardens (Arts and Science); two doctors in the neighbourhood of the College are also available for medical assistance in case of any emergency.
   
32. Performance in sports activities:
 
  • The College team secured the fourth place in the inter-collegiate table tennis tournament of the University of Mumbai.
  • The College team secured the fourth place in the inter-collegiate badminton tournament of the University of Mumbai.
  • The College team secured the second place in the ‘Maharashtra State Mumbai District Open Volleyball Tournament for Women’.
  • The College team secured the second place in the ‘Maharashtra State Mumbai District Open Table Tennis Tournament for Women’.
  • The College team reached the semi-finals in the ‘Maharashtra State Mumbai District Open Basketball Tournament for Women’.
  • Mariam Vora (FYBA) secured fourth place in discus throw - Mumbai Mahila Open Athletics Competition
  • Prratednya S. Sakpal (FYBSc) and Shraddha R. Kava (FYBSc) were chosen for the University Volleyball team and they participated in Inter-University tournaments
33. Incentives to outstanding sportspersons
  The University scheme of additional marks for active participation in sports is an incentive.  Some attendance remission is also provided if lectures are missed due to participation in sports meets.   Besides trophies, including the championship trophy, at the Annual Athletic Meet, certificates are given to outstanding sportspersons at the Annual Prize Day Function.  There is also a prize for an outstanding sportsperson, given at the Annual Prize Day Function.
   
34. Student achievements and awards
 
  • Sohini Mitter stood first in the University examinations of 2008-09 in TYBMM – Journalism
  • Sohini Dey stood third at the University examinations of 2008-09 in TYBMM – Journalism
  • Meghna Kasat stood first in the University examinations of March-April 2009 in TYBA Sociology. 
  • Roshan Dadachanji, secured third rank for MSc Part II in Biochemistry
35. Activities of the guidance and counselling unit
  At Sophia College we are fortunate to have a counselling centre, namely the SOPHIA J.N. HEREDIA CENTRE FOR COUNSELLING AND VALUE EDUCATION. This year there were two part-time counsellors working in the Sophia J.N.Heredia Counselling Centre:  Mrs. Vasundhara Sanghi and Ms Ashwini Batra.  Unfortunately, mid-way through the year, Ms Batra had to leave due her husband’s transfer out of Mumbai. In addition, Ms Tripti Singh was a consultant Foreign Education counsellor who did counselling for study abroad. Dr. Jennie Mendes from the Department of Psychology was over-all in charge of the Centre and its activities.
   
36. Placement services provided to students
  The Placement Cell organised sessions to train students in CV writing and on how to face an interview.  A few companies and corporate visited the campus for recruitment.
   
37. Healthy practices of the institutions
  The following are some of the healthy practices:

Departmental concretization of College Goals:  As was done in the previous year, at the commencement of the academic year, every department was asked to study the College Goals and choose one or more to focus one.  The departmental plans were submitted to the Principal.

Theme for the Year:  As has been the practice since 2000, this year too we took up a theme for the year, namely ‘Education for Justice and Peace’.  

The work of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC):   Besides having a quality assurance cell, we also have an IQAC office, where our IQAC co-ordinator is available to meet staff and students for discussion on issues related to quality enhancement. The IQAC started work on preparing a Management Information System (MIS) for the College.  It also administered the entry and exit level questionnaires and analysed the data from these.

Staff Seminars / Workshops for teaching staff: The focus for this year was on ‘Strategic Planning’; one workshop for this had been held at the end of the last academic year.  During this academic year three workshops were held and by the end of these some concrete decisions had been taken.
Besides the above:
  • On January 29, 2010, a session on ‘Money Matters’ was organised by Ms Sheila Kapoor, for the benefit of staff in order to acquaint staff members about various types of financial schemes that would help them to secure and plan their future as well as provide adequate tax shelters. 
  • On March 15, 2010, a Staff Seminar on “Gender and Climate Change”. The resource person for the seminar was Dr. Vibhuti Patel.
Sophia Nobel Orations were held on January 13, 2010 as follows:
  • The Nobel Oration in Physiology and Medicine 2009 was delivered by Dr. Ullas Kolthur of TIFR, Mumbai on ‘Telomeres: The End Game’;
  • The Nobel Oration in Chemistry 2009 was delivered by Dr. K.V.R. Chary of TIFR, Mumbai on ‘Heavy Duty Machinery in Protein Synthesis: Ribosome’
The wide range of Outreach Activities of the College, the Sophia Centre for  Women’s Studies and  Development and SCESA Peace Fortnight:  as in the past years, Peace Fortnight was celebrated to coincide with Hiroshima Day (August 6) and Indian Independence Day (August 15).
   
38. Linkages developed with national/international, academic/research bodies
 

Visitors from a number of foreign universities visited the College during the year in order to explore the possibilities of collaboration.
   
39. Any other relevant information
  Among the Healthy Practices at Sophia College, which have not been highlighted under any of the earlier points are:
  1. Wide range of co-curricular activities in order to develop the students leadership capacities and their personalities:

    KALEIDOSCOPE
    Kaleidoscope is the annual inter-collegiate youth-festival of the college, organised by a team of over 600 students. The main sponsor for Kaleidoscope 2009 was Tata-DOCOMO. 

    CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
    At Sophia we have a large number of clubs and associations. All the Clubs participated actively for Glimpses ’09 and during the Peace Fortnight.  In addition they carried out various activities during the year.

  2. Activities under the Theme of the Year 2009-2010

    As in the past few years, this year, too, a theme for the year for the whole college had been selected.  The Annual Theme chosen for the academic year 2009-2010 was ‘Education for Justice and Peace’.   The activities under this theme were undertaken in three major ways:
    Events/ Activities during the year
    An Inter and Intra Collegiate Event: Ananya, held in December 2009
PART - C
Explain the plans of the institution for the next year (2010-2011)
  1. To implement new courses:
  • If the University  / State Government gives the necessary permission, then we will introduce MSc in Analytical Chemistry this year
  • The bioinformatics career-oriented course will be started
  1. To implement MIS
  1. To carry forward the Strategic Plans that were drawn up in 2009-2010
  1. To enhance infrastructural facilities for teaching-learning:
  • By transforming the existing auditorium in the Science building into a modern convention centre where we can hold seminars, conferences, talks etc.
  • By fully setting up the fourth computer laboratory in the Sophia – M.K.Tata Trust Communication Technology Centre as a resource centre for bioinformatics, remedial coaching etc.
  • By adding to the LCD facilities of the College
  1. To publicise the College and its vision / mission through:
  • Bringing out a calendar on a socially relevant theme which will be widely distributed.
  • Through another conference on the theme of Mumbai.
All other good and healthy practices and programmes that we have at sophia college for women will be continued in 2009-2010 in order to impart quality, value-based education to our students.
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