Faculty Quality Assurance Cell

Update of the FQAC: May - June 2025

Emergency contact number (24x7): 024-222-1593, Main Security Office, University of Vavuniya.

Staff Workload Assessment Portal (SWAP)

The Work Norm Policy and the Procedure for Academic Accountability and Workload Calculation Model of the Faculty of Applied Science was approved by the Council at its 14th meeting held on 26.11.2022. Aligning with the policy, a web-based application portal for self-assessment has been developed to calculate the total workload of an academic staff of the Faculty of Applied Science in an academic year and was presented at the 168th Faculty Board meeting held on 02.10.2024. The above policy and the web-based Staff Workload Assessment Portal (SWAP) were presented by the Coordinator/FQAC at 28th meeting of the CQA held on 02.04.2025. Steps have been taken to host it in the server. Thus, the academic staff can be able to enter their relevant workload data from current academic year 2022/2023 onwards. The FQAC prepared the initial version in MS Excel for self-assessment of workload calculation.

Students Feedback - First Semester: 2022/2023

The feedback on Course Evaluation, and Teaching and Learning of all levels of students were summarized and sent to the relevant departments on 04.04.2025 for necessary steps to be taken. 

Faculty Satisfaction Survey 2024

The summary of the above received from the following stakeholders were presented and discussed for taking necessary actions at the 47th FQAC meeting held on 20.03.2025:

1. Academic staff

2. Academic Supportive staff

3. Non-Academic staff

Students Feedback - Second Semester: 2021/2022 Ended August 31, 2024. 

The above from all levels of students were summarized and sent to the relevant departments on 17.10.2024 for steps to be taken.

Summary of Exit Graduate Survey - 38th Convocation March 2024 

The 38th Convocation for Academic Year 2017/2018 (General) was held on March 2024. The FQAC of the Faculty of Applied Science collected the Exit Graduate Feedback from 30 students and summary was discussed in detail regarding their career improvement. The summary was presented at the FQAC meeting held on 24.10.2024 and placed at the 169th Faculty Board meeting held on 06.11.2024.

Faculty Satisfaction Survey 2023

The above from the following stakeholders were obtained and presented and discussed for taking necessary actions:

1. Students

2. Academic staff

3. Academic Supportive staff

4. Non-Academic staff

July 2022

• Had a meeting on 19.07.2022 to discuss regarding the standards of the revised draft IR Manual of the UGC and the comments were sent to CQA on 22.07.2022.

• Coordinator/FQAC presented regarding Quality Assurance Practices to the freshers (2020/2021) in the Orientation Programme held on 22.07.2022. At the end of the Orientation Programme, feedback of the students were collected on 26.07.2022 and the feedback summary was submitted to the Dean/FAS.

• The softcopies of the evidences for PR of the degree programme BSc in AMC were submitted to QAC.

Preamble

We warmly welcome to the Faculty Quality Assurance Cell of the Faculty of Applied Science, University of Vavuniya, Sri Lanka.

FQAC of Faculty of Applied Science wishes to consider constructive comments on the contents of this website from students and staff to improve it further. 

Drop mails to fqac-fas@vau.ac.lk

Composition of the Coordinating Committee

• Dean/Faculty of Applied Science as the Chairperson

• Head/Department of  Bio-science

• Head/Department of Physical Science

• Coordinator/Faculty Quality Assurance Cell

• Chairperson/Curriculum Development Committee

• Chairperson/Research Committee

• Coordinator/Well-Being Cell

• Coordinator/UBL

• Snr. Student Counselor (Representing Student Counselors)

• Senior Assistant Librarian

• SAR/Faculty of Applied Science as the Secretary of the Committee

Functions and Responsibilities

FQAC shall design action plans and implementation mechanisms to ensure that the Quality principles (Best practices) are actually practiced by the Faculty. The ‘‘best practices” are dynamic and continuous.  They are the result of identification, experimentation, reflection, feedback and innovation based on experience. Best practices are amenable  to  documentation  and  have  the  potential  for  replication;  they  are  transparent, accountable,  affordable  and  accessible  to  both  staff  and  students,  and  add  value  to  an  institution. They are contextual and influenced by many factors. Best Practices show the path to success through continuous improvement leading to the benchmark of excellence.

Terms of Reference of the Coordinating Committee of FQAC

• Guide the FQAC in adoption of relevant by-laws prescribed by the University for governance and management of the FQAC, 

• In liaison with the Curriculum development Committee, promote adoption of guidelines and benchmarks prescribed/adopted by the university in academic development and planning in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the UGC and Ministry of Higher Education such as Sri Lanka Qualification Framework Manual for level and qualification descriptors,  Course Unit System, Unified GPA System, Outcome-based Education and Student-centered Learning (OBE-SCL) approach into curricula development of study programmes and courses, blended teaching and learning, and formative and summative assessments, etc., 

• Guide the FQAC in promoting internalizing quality principles and dimensions prescribed by the UGC-QAAC within the Faculty - with respect the study programme management, curricular design and development, course design and development, teaching and learning, student support and services, assessments, and other allied functions and services,

• Guide the FQAC to design and implement regular internal quality reviews, 

• Review the EQA Review (both Institutional and Study Programme Reviews) & IQA Review reports  and adopt action plans based on  recommendations coming  from such reports,

• Guide the FQAC to implement quality enhance plans and monitor the progress of implementation of annual quality enhancement work plans, and,

• Guide and assist the Director/FQAC in executing his/her duties.

Academic Accountability: Codes of Academic Ethics and Work Norms

Scope

The provisions of this Code and Work norm apply to persons whose service to the University includes teaching, scholarship, librarianship, and academic administration. Such persons are referred to in the Code as “Academic Personnel.” References in the Code to “Faculty” include permanent members of the faculty, librarians, and persons whose service are obtained on tenure.

Preamble: Academic Freedom and Responsibilities

It is important that academics are permitted and nurtured to pursue activities that enhance their intellect and be open and flexible in their academic activities – the academic freedom which is crucial for the person’s as well as the University’s academic advancement. However, while appreciating the academic freedom enjoyed by the academic community, it is necessary to recognize and accept certain duties and responsibilities that have to be fulfilled by a university academic. While some of these activities are essential others are voluntary on the part of the teacher. Nevertheless, the latter is crucial for the well- being of all stakeholders of the university community. Thus, it is imperative that university academics take up these activities and when so done that they are recognized and appreciated in some manner.

Hence, it is important to work out academic workloads and work norms so that each individual would be accountable to what is undertaken by him/her. 

Academic Ethics

University is a community of scholars, which actively pursues truth and, through its critical scholarship and research, seeks knowledge to enlighten and transform society. In so doing it recognises the intellectual and moral dimensions of teaching as a means by which human beings may reach their full potential.

The pursuit of knowledge in all disciplines requires a profound respect for all persons, a willingness to take different points of view seriously, and an openness to new and challenging ideas. This demands that academic staff show commitment to the search for understanding and wisdom in their teaching. By showing their commitment to, and genuine love of, learning, they will encourage their students to be motivated to discipline and form their minds so that they gain an integrated understanding of what they study.

This Code of Ethics in Teaching flows out of an understanding of scholarly work as demanding the highest possible professional standards of rigour and academic excellence from staff. It articulates the following principles to shape the framework of relationships and interactions, in which academic staff and students engage in teaching and learning. 

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