Until the establishment of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB), the colleges were attached to different relevant ministry of the country and were functioning as one of the organizations under the ministry. However, with the establishment of the University in 2003, the office of the Vice Chancellor was set up in Thimphu, the capital City of Bhutan and the colleges were separated from the parent ministries and brought under the University.
Therefore, the office of the vice chancellor is responsible for looking after the member colleges which are spread across the country.
The Centre of University Learning and Teaching (CULT) is established in the Office of the Vice Chancellor to promote excellence in learning and teaching in the University. CULT works to help faculty members at RUB excel in their teaching, to enhance the culture of teaching at the university, and, in turn, to increase the quality of education at RUB. Besides helping faculty members, CULT also works to help academic support staff of the University in promoting their skills in their field of areas.
To do so, CULT provides various programmes and services all gearing towards enhancement of learning and teaching in the University. To induct new faculty members to the system of University learning and teaching, CULT conducts 10-day induction programme every semester. Besides new faculty induction programme, CULT also provides continuous professional development programmes. Faculty members at all levels of experience and expertise — from senior faculty to new teaching assistants, from those acclaimed to those struggling — participate in this programme.
CULT also organizes meetings and conferences of relevant individuals to discuss and plan activities which CULT could take up to promote academic excellence in the University. As each member college focusses on different field of areas, the CULT also develops and provides programmes on demand to an individual member college. For inquiries, information or to register for workshops, please email us at cult.ovc@rub.edu.bt
Remit of CULT
CULT will promote and support good practices, through research and studies, in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment for the Royal University of Bhutan. The Centre will:
- Assist the University in developing and supporting best academic practices in teaching and learning for the University
- Coordinate the development and delivery of continuous staff development provisions
- Provide and enhance access to resource materials (books, journals, manuals, periodicals, guides and software) to all University staff and students
- Support research on university teaching and learning
- Develop concepts and procedures for programme development
- Through the Advisory Committee be responsible to monitor the 5 year Strategic Plan and Operational Plan
CULT Advisory Committee
Following are the composition of the CULT Advisory Committee:
- Director (Academic Affairs) – Chair
- All Deans of Academic Affairs including affiliate college/s – Members
- Manger, Quality Assurance & Enhancement – Member
- Manager, Programme, Teaching and Learning – Secretary
The frequency and quorum of Advisory Committee Meeting
- CULT Advisory Committee will meet annually.
- Two third attendance by committee members is required
- Officiating Dean of Academic Affairs will attend in the absence of the member
Centre for University Learning and Teaching (CULT) Royal University of Bhutan Strategic Plan 2016 -2020
1. Introduction
The Centre for University Learning and Teaching (CULT) is operated within the Office of the Vice Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan, under the Department of Academic Affairs. The department of academic affairs at the office of the vice chancellor provides college-wide leadership in improving performance in learning and teaching, monitoring and quality assurance of programmes besides others. The Centre for University Learning and Teaching is set up to provide a coherent and strategic approach to the development of excellence in learning and teaching under the Royal University of Bhutan. The Centre is a centralized unit in developing, supporting and coordinating activities which will assist students achieve their educational and personal goals. This strategic plan will provide detailed guidelines based on the remit of the Centre and demonstrate the strategies that will help in achieving its goals and objectives.
2. Remit of the Centre
a. CULT will promote and support good practices, through research and studies, in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment for the Royal University of Bhutan. The goals of the Centre are to:
• Assist the University in developing and supporting best academic practices in teaching and learning for the University.
• Coordinate the development and delivery of continuous staff development provisions.
• Provide and enhance access to resource materials (books, journals, manuals, periodicals, guides and software) to all University staff and students.
• Support research on university teaching and learning.
• Develop concepts and procedures for programme development.
The strategies and initiatives to achieve the above mentioned goals/mandates are provided in the following sections:
Goal 1: Assist the University in developing and supporting best academic practices in teaching and learning for the University
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 1.1: Convene CULT Advisory Committee Meeting |
To discuss and advice the CULT coordinator on the best practices in teaching and learning, meeting of CULT advisory committee is convened twice a year | Once in a Semester |
| Strategy 1.2: Annual Conference for Dean of Academic Affairs |
To discuss wide range of issues in Academic matters, the Dean of Academic Affairs meet annually | Once in a year |
| Strategy 1.4: Consultations with other academic support unit like ICT and library |
To discuss various issues in providing ICT services to enhance learning and teaching in colleges To use ICT in teaching learning process like Virtual Learning Environment To discuss various issues in providing teaching learning resources, a meeting of librarians will be conducted as and when it is necessary |
As required |
| Strategy 1.5: Quality check for improvement in learning and teaching |
Refine mechanisms for student feedback on quality of learning and teaching, and modules. An online system will be developed to collect feedback on module and tutors. An appropriate mechanism will be put in place to closing the loop. |
Spring 2017 |
Goal 2: Coordinate the development and delivery of continuous staff development provisions.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 2.1: Induct new faculty recruits to University Teaching Learning Process | The Centre conducts faculty induction programme twice in a year in areas of teaching pedagogy, academic integrity and university regulations. | Twice in a year (every semester break) |
| Strategy 2.2: Keep faculty members updated in teaching & learning methods and in subject knowledge | To provide Continuous Professional Development programme to the faculty members, a training course material is developed and discussed during the 6th CULT Advisory Committee Meeting. | Annual event |
| Strategy 2.3: Improve and update the knowledge of lab technicians and assistants | To improve and update the knowledge of lab technicians and lab assistants, a training is planned in collaboration with Human Resource Department and Samtse College of Technology. | Autumn 2016 |
| Strategy 2.4: Improve and update the knowledge of library assistants | To improve and update the knowledge of library assistants, a training is planned in collaboration with Human Resource Department and Samtse College of Technology. | Autumn 2016 |
Goal 3: Provide and enhance access to resource materials to all university staff and students
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 3.1: Enhance access to teaching learning materials | A website www.cult.rub.bt is already initiated and will be complete very soon | August 2016 |
| Had a discussion on what materials to put in this repository during 6th CULT advisory committee meeting. | To upload by November 2016 | |
| To update and improve the contents of the repository | Annually(with an approval from CAC) | |
| Strategy 3.2: Enhance access to useful materials online | Provide web links of useful online material on www.cult.rub.bt | As required |
Goal 4: Support research on university teaching and learning.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 4.1: Support faculty members in referencing and citation | Referencing style for Dzongkha document (APA for Dzongkha) is in the process of developing: A training on how to cite and make references while writing article and research papers in Dzongkha will be conducted. | February/March 2017 |
Goal 5: Develop concepts and procedures for programme development.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 5.1: Support new Programme Development | The will coordinate and support colleges in developing new programmes – Development of programme on social work education is in the process with Samtse college of education. | As required July 2018 |
| Strategy 5.2: Guide on the process of developing programme document in the University | To provide workshop on programme development procedure and preparation of programme validation document | As required |
Centre for University Learning and Teaching (CULT) Royal University of Bhutan Strategic Plan 2016 -2020
1. Introduction
The Centre for University Learning and Teaching (CULT) is operated within the Office of the Vice Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan, under the Department of Academic Affairs. The department of academic affairs at the office of the vice chancellor provides college-wide leadership in improving performance in learning and teaching, monitoring and quality assurance of programmes besides others. The Centre for University Learning and Teaching is set up to provide a coherent and strategic approach to the development of excellence in learning and teaching under the Royal University of Bhutan. The Centre is a centralized unit in developing, supporting and coordinating activities which will assist students achieve their educational and personal goals. This strategic plan will provide detailed guidelines based on the remit of the Centre and demonstrate the strategies that will help in achieving its goals and objectives.
2. Remit of the Centre
a. CULT will promote and support good practices, through research and studies, in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment for the Royal University of Bhutan. The goals of the Centre are to:
• Assist the University in developing and supporting best academic practices in teaching and learning for the University.
• Coordinate the development and delivery of continuous staff development provisions.
• Provide and enhance access to resource materials (books, journals, manuals, periodicals, guides and software) to all University staff and students.
• Support research on university teaching and learning.
• Develop concepts and procedures for programme development.
The strategies and initiatives to achieve the above mentioned goals/mandates are provided in the following sections:
Goal 1: Assist the University in developing and supporting best academic practices in teaching and learning for the University
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 1.1: Convene CULT Advisory Committee Meeting |
To discuss and advice the CULT coordinator on the best practices in teaching and learning, meeting of CULT advisory committee is convened twice a year | Once in a Semester |
| Strategy 1.2: Annual Conference for Dean of Academic Affairs |
To discuss wide range of issues in Academic matters, the Dean of Academic Affairs meet annually | Once in a year |
| Strategy 1.4: Consultations with other academic support unit like ICT and library |
To discuss various issues in providing ICT services to enhance learning and teaching in colleges To use ICT in teaching learning process like Virtual Learning Environment To discuss various issues in providing teaching learning resources, a meeting of librarians will be conducted as and when it is necessary |
As required |
| Strategy 1.5: Quality check for improvement in learning and teaching |
Refine mechanisms for student feedback on quality of learning and teaching, and modules. An online system will be developed to collect feedback on module and tutors. An appropriate mechanism will be put in place to closing the loop. |
Spring 2017 |
Goal 2: Coordinate the development and delivery of continuous staff development provisions.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 2.1: Induct new faculty recruits to University Teaching Learning Process | The Centre conducts faculty induction programme twice in a year in areas of teaching pedagogy, academic integrity and university regulations. | Twice in a year (every semester break) |
| Strategy 2.2: Keep faculty members updated in teaching & learning methods and in subject knowledge | To provide Continuous Professional Development programme to the faculty members, a training course material is developed and discussed during the 6th CULT Advisory Committee Meeting. | Annual event |
| Strategy 2.3: Improve and update the knowledge of lab technicians and assistants | To improve and update the knowledge of lab technicians and lab assistants, a training is planned in collaboration with Human Resource Department and Samtse College of Technology. | Autumn 2016 |
| Strategy 2.4: Improve and update the knowledge of library assistants | To improve and update the knowledge of library assistants, a training is planned in collaboration with Human Resource Department and Samtse College of Technology. | Autumn 2016 |
Goal 3: Provide and enhance access to resource materials to all university staff and students
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 3.1: Enhance access to teaching learning materials | A website www.cult.rub.bt is already initiated and will be complete very soon | August 2016 |
| Had a discussion on what materials to put in this repository during 6th CULT advisory committee meeting. | To upload by November 2016 | |
| To update and improve the contents of the repository | Annually(with an approval from CAC) | |
| Strategy 3.2: Enhance access to useful materials online | Provide web links of useful online material on www.cult.rub.bt | As required |
Goal 4: Support research on university teaching and learning.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 4.1: Support faculty members in referencing and citation | Referencing style for Dzongkha document (APA for Dzongkha) is in the process of developing: A training on how to cite and make references while writing article and research papers in Dzongkha will be conducted. | February/March 2017 |
Goal 5: Develop concepts and procedures for programme development.
| Strategies | Initiatives | Target & Timelines |
| Strategy 5.1: Support new Programme Development | The will coordinate and support colleges in developing new programmes – Development of programme on social work education is in the process with Samtse college of education. | As required July 2018 |
| Strategy 5.2: Guide on the process of developing programme document in the University | To provide workshop on programme development procedure and preparation of programme validation document | As required |
- Dzongkha version of selected sections of the Wheel
- Programme Development Guidelines
- APA Referencing Style for Dzongkha
- Library Information and Service Manual
- EDP101- Entrepreneurship Supporting Resources
- GSE101-Analytical Skill-Supporting-Resources
- GSE101-Analytical-Skills
- EDP101-Entreprenuership
- ACS101 Academic Skills
- ACS101 Academic Skills – Tutors’ material
- ACS101 Academic Skills- Students’ Material
- DZG101-Dzongkha Communication Module Descriptors