Management & Governance Structure

The International Program for Technology and Business involves coordination between multiple institutions and stakeholders. A robust management and governance structure is therefore essential to oversee the program’s implementation, maintain quality, and clarify the roles of Thakur College and the partner universities). This section outlines how the program is governed and managed on an operational level, including reporting lines and quality assurance mechanisms.

Roles and Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders

Thakur College (Home Institution): Thakur College is primarily responsible for the execution of the first two years of the program. Its roles include:

• Academic Delivery: Designing and delivering the curriculum during Year 1 and Year 2, including conducting exams and evaluations.

• Student Administration: Managing admissions (as outlined in Section 4), maintaining student records, transcripts, and facilitating the transfer application process.

• Infrastructure: Providing the necessary infrastructure (classrooms, labs, library resources, etc.) and learning environment for the program.

• Quality Control: Ensuring that the teaching standards and curriculum stay aligned with agreed standards. Thakur’s internal quality assurance bodies (like the Academic Council and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)) will oversee the program’s academic standards and ensure continuous improvement.

• Liaison Coordination: Thakur appoints a Program Director/Coordinator for the International Program. This individual is the nodal point of communication between Thakur and all external entities. The Program Coordinator’s responsibilities include coordinating with partner universities’ representatives, ensuring MoU terms are followed, and reporting to Thakur College management (Principal/Board) on program status.

Partner Foreign Universities: The role of each foreign partner university is defined through formal agreements (MoUs and Articulation Agreements) and ongoing collaboration:

• Curriculum Input and Approval: Partners provide the list of courses or competencies required for entry into year 3 of their programs. They review Thakur’s syllabus and content mapping to ensure compatibility. Essentially, they pre-approve the Thakur curriculum for credit transfer (as evidenced by the signed agreements). They also commit to notifying Thakur of any substantial changes in their first two-year curriculum so that we can adjust our content if needed.

• Admission and Transfer: The partner universities agree to admit Thakur College students who meet the specified criteria (GPA, English scores, specific course completions) into their programs with advanced standing (typically third-year). They handle the admission of our students just like transfer students, but with the advantage of the block credit transfer. Each partner will have a designated International Admissions Coordinator who liaises with our Program Coordinator to manage applications smoothly.

• Quality Feedback: After our students transfer, the foreign universities have a stake in their success. They will provide feedback on how our transferred students are performing. For instance, if they notice that Thakur students consistently excel or struggle in a particular area, they will communicate that to us. This feedback loop allows Thakur to refine its teaching (if, say, our students needed stronger foundations in one subject, we can reinforce that in future batches).

• Site Visits and Audits: Partner universities may occasionally visit Thakur College for monitoring or relationship building. For example, delegations from the University of Canberra or Royal Roads have visited for MoU signings and campus tours

• Going forward, such visits can serve as informal audits – visitors might sit in on classes, talk to faculty, inspect facilities, and ensure that the program delivered is as per the understanding. This maintains transparency and trust.

• Degree Conferral and Records: The partners will ultimately confer degrees to the students who transfer and complete the program abroad. They are responsible for the academic standards of the final two years. However, they maintain communication with Thakur if any issues arise (e.g., disciplinary issues involving a transfer student could be communicated back for record). Generally, once students transfer, they are subject to the partner university’s rules entirely, but our relationship continues in terms of exchange of info on outcomes.

Thakur College Management & Governance Bodies: Internally, the governance structure at Thakur for this program would include:

• Governing Council/Oversight Committee: The college management may form a specific oversight committee for the international program. This could include the Principal, Vice-Principal, heads of relevant departments (Computer Science, Commerce, etc.), the Program Coordinator, and possibly external experts (like a member from industry or academia with international experience). This committee meets perhaps quarterly to review the program’s status, address any policy decisions (like fee structuring, expansion to new partners), and ensure integration with the college’s overall policies.

• Operational Team: Day-to-day management is handled by the Program Coordinator and a small team including administrative staff. There might be roles like a Student Relations Officer (for counseling and support), an International Programs Officer (for handling MoU communications, paperwork), and a Placement/Alumni coordinator (to track outcome and alumni relations). These report to the Program Coordinator.

• Departmental Involvement: Since courses are taught by different departments (Computer Science/IT department for tech courses, Commerce/Management department for business courses, etc.), those departments remain academically responsible for their subjects. The heads of departments ensure that faculty allocation and resources are sufficient for the program. They work with the Program Coordinator to avoid conflicts (for example, a faculty teaching in this program might also teach in regular programs; scheduling needs coordination).

Operational Flow and Communication

The operational flow of the program across the stakeholders can be summarized as follows:

1. Strategic Planning: Thakur College management, advised by the oversight committee, sets broad policies (admission numbers, budget allocation, partnerships to pursue, etc.). For instance, if considering adding a new partner in UK, the management approves the initiation, then the Program Coordinator works on it.

2. Academic Operations: The Program Coordinator, with faculty, plans each academic semester (schedule, course offerings, etc.). Coordination meetings are held before each semester to align all teaching staff. Any resource needs (lab upgrades, new software licenses required to match partner curriculum) are identified and procured with management’s support.

3. Student Monitoring: Throughout the semester, the Program Coordinator receives periodic reports from faculty advisors about student performance. If any serious academic issues or disciplinary issues occur, they are addressed via standard college procedures (with possibly stricter expectations given the nature of the program). The coordinator might intervene to arrange extra support for students or to enforce corrective measures.

4. Coordination with Partners: There is an established communication schedule with partners:

• At least once a semester, a Curriculum Alignment call or email exchange with academic counterparts to discuss any curriculum updates.

• A Transfer Prep meeting in the middle of second year: for example, by the start of Semester 4, the coordinator will send provisional lists of students who are on track to meet requirements to the partner universities. They confirm any changes in admission procedures, etc. This ensures no surprises and that students are aware of any new requirement (like if a partner raises an English score requirement or introduces a new prerequisite course, though such changes are usually within the scope of our existing curriculum).

• Annual Partnership Review: Once a year (maybe end of academic year), there could be a formal meeting (virtual or in person if possible) with each partner to review how the year went – number of students transferring, their performance, any issues, and any improvements. This is akin to an academic audit of the collaboration. The outcomes of this meeting are reported to Thakur management and actions (if any) are taken.

5. Decision Making: If a decision needs input from multiple parties (for example, temporarily allowing a student who slightly missed the GPA requirement to still get a transfer opportunity), the governance structure facilitates it: The Program Coordinator would gather data, discuss with the partner university (they might allow an exception or alternate pathway like a bridge course), and then present to Thakur management for approval. Transparency with the student and parents is maintained in such processes.

6. Reporting Lines: The Program Coordinator prepares a Semester Report and an Annual Report for the college management. These reports include statistics like intake quality (averages of 12th marks), pass rates in each course, average GPA, number of students eligible for transfer, any notable achievements (like student projects or awards), and any challenges faced. The report also includes feedback from partner universities and any notable updates in the partnerships. This ensures the college’s top management and governing body are fully aware of how the program is progressing and can make informed decisions on investments or strategic changes.

7. Integration with College Systems: Although a specialized program, it operates within Thakur’s broader ecosystem. That means the program follows the college’s academic calendar (with slight adjustments if needed), participates in college events (students of this program join clubs, sports, etc., like any other student), and benefits from common facilities. The Program Coordinator works with other offices like Examinations, Finance, and Student Affairs to ensure smooth integration (e.g., exam timetables, fee collection, ID cards, library access are all coordinated).

Quality Assurance and Governance

Quality assurance is a critical part of governance and will be discussed more in Section 10. However, as it pertains to structure:

• Academic Council Approval: As an autonomous program, the curriculum and assessment scheme are approved by the Academic Council of Thakur College (which includes external university nominees and senior faculty). They ensure the program meets the academic standards and is in line with the college’s academic framework.

• Regulatory Compliance: The governance structure ensures compliance with any regulations by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or relevant bodies regarding twinning programs. In 2022, UGC released regulations on academic collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions. Thakur College will ensure that this program is either under those guidelines or seek necessary approvals if required (for example, since the degree is ultimately foreign, UGC’s joint degree rules might not directly apply, but we ensure transparency and equivalence).

• Ethical and Legal Oversight: Roles and responsibilities include upholding student rights and responsibilities. Any issues like harassment or grievances fall under Thakur’s standard mechanisms (anti-ragging committee, grievance cell, etc.), which include this program’s students as well. The management ensures that the involvement of foreign entities does not dilute the accountability – students of the program have equal access to all college support systems and protections.

In summary, the management and governance structure is a multi-layered system involving Thakur College’s internal management, an advisory, active collaboration with foreign partners, and dedicated program leadership. This structure is designed to be transparent, accountable, and efficient, ensuring that the program runs smoothly and maintains high standards. By clearly defining roles and workflows, we mitigate confusion and create a synergy between all stakeholders, which is essential for a cross-border educational program of this nature.