Online Faculty Development Programme (eFDP) at RGU
Date : 22nd May 2020 , Department of Social Work, RGU , Itanagar

Online Faculty Development Programme (eFDP) at RGU on 22nd May 2020

Department of Social Work, RGU Concludes Five Day Online Faculty Development Programme (eFDP)
On Re-thinking Research and Contemporary Development Priorities: Learning Essentials for a Sustainable Future

Every crisis offers an opportunity to revisit our priorities. In this context, the Department of Social Work, RGU has conducted a Five Day Online Faculty Development Programme (eFDP) On Re-thinking Research and Contemporary Development Priorities: Learning Essentials for a Sustainable Future.

It has been an initiative in the backdrop of COVID 19 to facilitate an informed introspection on the part of academicians, research scholars and development professionals in terms of revisiting individual and institutional priorities, to the basic fabrics which constitute our life, livelihood and overall well-being.

An overwhelming response from interested participants across the country cutting across disciplines and occupations, with a tally of 1639 applications were received to attend the eFDP. The applicants included a balanced group having almost equal representation of men and women (56% men and 44% women) comprising a Mixed Occupational Profile of nearly two third (67%) Academicians, 22% Research Scholars, 8% Social Scientists and 3% Development Professionals.

Participants included a proportionate representation from all these categories ensuring representations from more than 50 institutions and over 20 states of the country along with one international participant.

The programme commenced from 18 May (Monday) and has concluded today i.e. Friday, 22nd May, 2020. It witnessed a total of eleven technical sessions over five days of programme through Cisco Webex platform having a proportionate blend of seasoned, young and dynamic resource persons from all walks and corners of the country.

Online Faculty Development Programme (eFDP) at RGU on 22nd May 2020

The Distinguished resource persons who enriched the five-day eFDP with their insightful experience and lively deliberations, included:
Prof. Kalpana Sarathy, Deputy Director, TISS Guwahati, Assam, India,
Dr. Rajendra Singh, Waterman of India Stockholm Water Prize (Nobel Prize for Water), Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, Chairman, Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), Rajasthan, India,
Prof. Niranjan Roy Department of Economics, Assam University, Assam, India,
Prof. Susheel Sharma, Department of English, Allahabad University, U.P.,India,
Prof. Sibnath Deb, Director, RGNIYD, MoYA&S, Govt. of India. Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India,
Prof. Manish Sharma, Department of Economics, Institute for Excellence in Higher Education (IEHE), Bhopal, India,
Dr. KanagarajEaswaran, Mizoram University, Mizoram, India,
Dr. Nemthianngai Guite, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU, New Delhi, India,
Dr. Saumya, School of Social Work, IGNOU, New Delhi, India,
Dr. Jajati Patnaik, Head, Department of Political Science JTGMDC Roing, Arunachal Pradesh, India, and
Ms. Rekha Nambiar Commandant 4th BN, NDRF, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

The Eleven Key Themes of eFDP included Contemporary Research and Development Priorities viz. – Mental Health, Environmental Sustainability, Economic Growth, Social Capital, Youth, Welfare State, Reflective Pedagogy, Social Model of Health, Livelihood & Migration, Geo-Politics and Disaster Management.

The valedictory session witnessed participation of over 100 delegates and invited dignitaries including Prof. Saket Kushwaha, Vice-Chancellor and Prof. Amitava Mitra, Pro-VC, RGU, Prof. Tomo Riba, Registrar, Rajiv Gandhi University, Prof. Sumpam Tangjang, Dean Student Welfare, Rajiv Gandhi University, and Dr. Kaushalendra Pratap Singh, HoD i/c & Convenor-FDP.

Dr. Kaushalendra Pratap Singh delivered the welcome address and presented a brief summary of takeaways in terms of lessons and recommendations. As a key learning, revisiting personal, professional, individual and institutional priorities from empathetic informed, evidence based practice and vice versa in terms of symbiotic relationship between health-environment and economic well being was highlighted.

The recommendation included suggestions from the Waterman or lovingly called Jalpurush of India to initiate courses like ‘Nourishment of Nature’ instead of ‘fashionably’ taught Environmental Studies which offers only synthetic learning and lacks in grass root reality based attitudinal transformation of learners.

In his valedictory Address Prof. Saket Kushwaha, Vice Chancellor, RGU emphasized that real wisdom of life lies more in worldly experiences of farmers and indigenous societies and less in researches based on commercial interests.

Prof. Kushwaha further stressed that human empathy, trust and concern for one another recognized popularly as ‘Social Capital’ should be a priority area for academicians, researchers and development professionals. Inherent Goodness of human beings and need for an empathy based quality education was also highlighted during the session as a priority learning and take away.

Prof. Amitava Mitra, Pro-VC, RGU, brought focus of participants on reaping the benefits of an enormous demographic dividend with conscious efforts on skill development, value education and adequate attention to Youth as a vital learning essential for academicians, development professionals and policy makers alike to focus in their research, pedagogy and policy paradigms.

Prof. Tomo Riba, Registrar, RGU highlighted during his address, the significance of spirit of human ethos which lies in concern and care for one another.

Dr. Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Assistant Professor- Social Work, RGU and Convenor-eFDP served as master of ceremony and proposed Vote of Thanks in the end, reiterating enormous support from University administration in conducting the programme and extending gratitude towards Resource Persons, Dignitaries and Participants for their graceful and lively contribution throughout the five day eFDP.

The session ended with extending gratitude to Front line Corona Warriors and victims of Amphati Cyclone.