The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Patna Women’s College (Autonomous), in collaboration with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, successfully concluded its Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “Higher Education in the Current Scenario: Issues and Challenges” with a valedictory session marked by reflection, gratitude, and forward-looking insights.
On the fifth and final day of the FDP, the morning for Batch A commenced with an insightful session on “Service-Learning and Community Engagement – A Pedagogy of Empowerment” delivered by Dr. Anita Tiphagne, Assistant Director, Admin and Partnerships, United Board. Simultaneously, Batch B engaged in a session on “Whole Person Engagement: Transforming Classrooms through Creative Connections” conducted by Dr. Esther Elizabeth Grace C. and Dr. Nissi Karunya E.R., Assistant Professors, Lady Doak College, Madurai. Post-lunch, participants from both batches took part in the WPE action plan presentations, where each of the 12 groups from both the batches showcased their key takeaways and proposed action plans through PowerPoint.
The day concluded with the Valedictory Programme in the evening, which commenced with a formal address by Dr. Sister M. Rashmi A.C., Principal of Patna Women’s College, who conveyed her gratitude and expressed hope for enhanced teaching outcomes as a result of the five-day FDP. She emphasized the importance of embarking on a meaningful journey of reflection, rewarding service, and fostering a commitment to the community. She also acknowledged the United Board’s generosity in sponsoring and supporting the programme, particularly in championing Whole Person Education. She highlighted that this partnership has enabled participants to engage with and explore contemporary challenges. Reflecting on the history of Patna Women’s College, she expressed her sincere appreciation to the IQAC for organizing the FDP and extended heartfelt thanks to all the participants for their active involvement and collaborative spirit.
Dr Maher Spurgeon, Director, United Board, expressed heartfelt gratitude to his team, the organizers, and the faculty for their efforts, and appreciated the warm hospitality extended by everyone in Patna Women’s College. He commended the participants for their vibrancy and active engagement, while also recognizing the United Board’s contribution in nurturing not only livelihood skills but also essential values for life. He emphasized that faculty members are the most important pillars of institutions, serving as true leaders of education. He encouraged participants to remain steadfast in the days to come, shared two insightful stories, and advised them to apply their learning in practice. He concluded by wishing all participants the very best.
This was followed by a feedback session, with reflections shared by Dr. Nupur Sinha, Head, Department of Psychology, and Dr. Anil Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology from Batch A and Dr. Sumeet Ranjan, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology and Director, Central Research Laboratory, along with Dr. Aprajita Pathak, Assistant Professor, Mass Communication from Batch B.
The morning sessions were moderated by Ms. Swati Sinha , Assistant Professor, History and Dr Deepa Sonal, Assistant Professor, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
The valedictory session was moderated by Dr. Soofia Fatima, Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Management, and concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Alok John, Dean, NICCS, who acknowledged the contributions of all collaborators and participants in making the FDP a resounding success. The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to the participants, recognizing their commitment to professional growth and lifelong learning.
