Volunteer-powered ZEST groups to support quality assurance in higher education institutions

The State Level Quality Assurance Cell (SLQAC), functioning under the Higher Education department, has formulated a concept of ZEST (Zeal-pool for Excellence Synergy and Transformation) aimed at promoting volunteerism within the higher education sector for quality enhancement.

ZEST groups or Quality Action Collectives will be constituted in each institution with representatives from student bodies, faculty, former teachers, non-teaching staff, alumni, parents and academically inclined community leaders.

According to official sources, such cells will be established across the State in a phased manner and will act as the “first orbit of thoughts and vibrancy” around the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC). ZEST will focus on idea generation and volunteer service by providing a platform to highlight various needs, innovative ideas and suggestions for improvement to the IQAC. It will also render flexible, grassroots volunteer service for quality-related initiatives, and thereby support the IQAC. It will also serve as the institute’s primary vehicle to ensure that its community linkage activities are effective and impactful.

Moreover, ZEST members will also be mobilised to gather information through micro-surveys, data collection and case studies from their respective institutions and communities. Such intelligence is expected to bolster effective policy planning through the SLQAC, sources point out.

Higher Education Minister R. Bindu formally launched the programme and presented certificates to the ‘ZEST institutions’ and their dedicated volunteer forces comprising students and teachers at a function held here on Wednesday.

A model ZEST group of 60 people from colleges in Thiruvananthapuram including University College, Government Arts College, Government College for Women, MG College, and the Department of Sociology, Kerala University, will pilot the project.

The Minister also felicitated 22 colleges that secured A grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) at the ceremony. As many as 145 other institutions were honoured for bagging top accreditation grades last month.