OVERVIEW OF THE CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Sree Saraswathi Thyagaraja College (STC) established the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) in 2010 to promote and elevate the quality of education and research within the campus. CRD aims to imbibe scientific temper and research culture in faculty and undertakes various initiatives such as writing proposals to government and outside agencies for new projects, conducting skill-based programs for students, building inter-departmental ventures, taking surveys, and generating funds through sponsored projects. The college's mission is to achieve national and international recognition in the field of education. CRD aims to foster a research atmosphere and culture by promoting research activities among faculty members and students.
                       This includes sponsored projects, publications, research consultancy, trainings, faculty research seminars, and working paper series. CRD acts as a catalyst for introducing cutting-edge research ideas and methods, fostering excellence and a research center at STC. CRD reviews the progress of research projects and encourages proposals in emerging research areas with practical applications. STC offers 7 M.Phil. and 6 Ph.D. programs across various disciplines, with many M. Phil and Ph. D scholars completing these programs showcasing the strength of the Research Departments.
Vision: To emerge as a Centre of Excellence in Research and Development
Mission: Synergize Academia for the Development and Welfare of the Society
Goal: Contribute to Achieve the Goals of Sustainable Development

CORE OBJECTIVES

1. To promote a scientific and methodical temperament.
2. Come up with novel solutions to academic and societal concerns.
3. To encourage, coordinate, and implement research and development programs (workshops, seminars, and trainings).
4. To raise knowledge about emerging technology and industrial standards for products.
5. Allow learners and instructors to work on cutting-edge technology while adhering to industry norms through consultancy projects.
6. Identifying and informing academics about relevant research opportunities announced by various academic, research, industry, or government organizations.
7. To stimulate and assist the publication of research findings/projects in reputable academic publications and conferences.
8. To develop and implement a research quality assurance framework to ensure that all activities adhere to standard quality criteria.
9. Create, prescribe, and enforce rules and regulations to ensure that all researchers follow the research quality assurance framework and the research code.
10. To promote Core Competencies and Consultancy work
11. To raise knowledge about filing Patents and IPR
12. To develop a research culture in the College
13. To handle development issues in accordance with changing economic and social needs
14. Identify possible resources to promote sustainable local economic development
15. Form strategic connections with national and international entities to encourage research

KEY RESEARCH AREAS

• Commerce, Business, and Industry
• Finance, Marketing & Human Resource Management & Entrepreneurial development
• Banking sector, Consumer Behavior and Digital Marketing
• Green Marketing, insurance and foreign trade policy and Procedures and Documentation
• Technology and Development
• Globalization and Economic Development
• Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Security
• Decentralization and local self-governance
• Gender and Development
• Sustainable Agriculture development
• Water and Sanitation
• Indigenous people, Knowledge, Heritage, and Culture
• Sustainable Livelihood System Development
• English – Literary Studies, Gender Studies, Culture Studies, Criticism and Theoretical Studies
• Data Mining, Soft Computing and Cloud Computing, Networks Image Processing
• Graph theory, Differential Equations, Topology, and Statistics
CRD has organized a Research Advisory Board comprising members from various research institutions and research agencies to provide suggestions and feedback on the research efforts of the College. It has aided faculty members in pursuing research projects financed by several funding bodies such as UGC, ICSSR, NABARD, AICTE, and others.

COMPOSITION OF CRD

• Advisory Committee- Research Advisor, Principal, Dean and 3 or 5 renowned external Academic Personalities with sufficient Research and Administrative background.
• College Research Advisor- A Professor with at least 10 years of research supervision experience
• Coordinators- 5 to 7 teaching faculty members from the College, with research supervising experience and 1 or 2 non-teaching officers representing with experiences in research related administrative duties.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERS

• Advisory Committee: The advisory committee's primary function is to provide guidance on research focus as needed within the R&D cell.
• Coordinators- Coordinators are required to provide updates on college research committee business to their constituents, participate in committee discussions, and make decisions.
• College Research Advisor:
1. Complete understanding of funding opportunities for research projects, FDPS, seminars, and workshops for professors and students.
2. Serves as a point of contact for sponsors, auditors, and other administrative support units of the Institute.
3. Aids faculty and research students in creating proposals and the associated financial summaries and budgets.
4. Have a thorough understanding of direct, indirect, facility, and administrative costs.
5. Making sure that expenses related to supported research projects carried out within the department are compliant with sponsor and university policies.
• Meeting
1. The R&D Cell will meet at least two times per year or whenever necessary.

R & D CELL MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Facilitate academics, research scientists, and students submit grant applications for research from a variety of funding sources, including the UGC, NCW, ICSSR, AICTE, MHRD, etc.
• Faculty members receive grants for seed money associated with their research and development projects.
• Assists instructors, research associates, and students with the filing of intellectual property rights (IPRs), including copy rights and patents.
• Encouraging interest in the newly emerging science and technology, Pure Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities.

I. IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH PROMOTION POLICY

The goal of Sree Sarawathi Thyagaraja College's (STC) Research Policy is to foster a culture of research among the staff and develop students' aptitude for it. The policy will act as a general framework for all permitted research activity. To further the college's vision and mission, it also seeks to identify research thrust areas with social value. The Research Policy also places a strong emphasis on contributions to society and the nation. By creating a Committee on Research and implementing specific and goal-oriented research activities / schemes to support faculty members' independent or collaborative research activities with industry and students, STC is committed to fostering a research culture on campus. This will follow in the establishment of research centers with necessary financial support. To encourage faculty participation in research and development activities, a policy on academic research faculty is in place. This policy includes guidelines on faculty members' higher education and publications. To promote faculty enrollment in Ph.D. programs and to establish appropriate incentives for Ph.D. holders who publish research articles in journals and reputable publications, this policy acts as a reference point.
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II. REGULATIONS FOR RESEARCH

The research regulations for M. Phil and Ph.D. is prepared and implemented as shown in below:
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The Sree Sarawathi Thyagaraja College's (STC) offers Research Programmes (Full Time and Part Time) in the following disciplines:

           • Computer Science
           • Social Work
           • Commerce
           • Management Studies
           • Mathematics
           • English Literature
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Candidates having a Master's degree from Bharathiar University in the relevant or related field, or with any other degree that the Bharathiar University Syndicate determines to be on par, can enroll. According to UGC regulations, candidates are allowed to conduct their study under the supervision of Bharathiar University faculty members who are recognized as guides, working within the jurisdiction.

III. COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH COORDINATION

The R&D Cell is a hub for research program ideation and conceptualization through workshops, training programs, conferences, and seminars. It promotes a research culture on campus, encouraging students and faculty to tackle emerging fields. A Research Coordination Committee promotes innovative, industrially relevant research by faculty members, ensuring high-quality accuracy and marketing potential.
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            • Principal, the Chairman
            • Director, Head of the Department
            • Senior faculty members as nominated by the Chairman
           
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Research Coordination Committee Regulations:

1. The committee must hold a minimum of one meeting per semester.
2. Whenever necessary, the chairperson will call ad hoc and emergency meetings.
3. Any modifications to current research-focused programs, schemes, or activities must be brought to the research committee's attention and approved by the committee.
4. The research committee chairman has the authority to keep an eye on the activities and development of the research activities.
5. The chairperson has the authority to make all strategic decisions, corrective actions, prepare and update policies in accordance with rules and regulations required by top institutions like the UGC, NAAC, AICTE, and Bharathiar University, as well as policies periodically framed by the College and approved by the Governing council of the College.‍

RESPONSIBILITIES OF R & D COMMITTEE

• To expand the range of research possibilities and financing opportunities for staff and students, it is important to strengthen industry-college interactions through MOUs for long-term connections with national and international research groups.
• Assign faculty members and students to relevant industry problems so they can conduct research and development (R&D) initiatives to find solutions.
• To start and promote memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with businesses and R&D groups for consulting, team-based research, funded projects, business, and academic connections, etc.
• To schedule brainstorming sessions featuring lectures from illustrious figures from business, R&D organizations, and reputable institutions for a better grasp of research methods and procedures currently used.
• To update everyone about announcements made by different funding organizations, such as DST, DRDO, ISRO, NCW, CSIR, ICSSR, AICTE, UGC, universities etc.
• To encourage faculty members and students to present papers at national and international conferences as well as projects at university-level competitions and exhibitions.
• To encourage interdepartmental and collaborative research work.
• To keep track on how the research and development cell effort is going.
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