SCDL: A Legacy of Excellence in Distance Education

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The 21st century has been a century of transformative, disruptive technology impacting each and every aspect of modern life. The world of education is no exception. Gone are the days when teaching and learning were confined to classrooms, accessible only to a select few. Today, and more so after the recent pandemic, learning has stepped out of colleges and universities, and into the hands of everyone, anywhere.

In India, SCDL (Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning) pioneered the concept of providing opportunities for higher education – without constraints of location or time. Started offering distance programs since 2001, SCDL is one of India’s leading and largest distance learning institutes, with alumni base more than 12 lakh.

It is recognised by the Distance Education Council, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, and in 2018, has been certified with ISO 9001:2015 certification for successful establishment of “Quality Management System”. SCDL engages more than 150 full time teachers and administrators to control and run the over 40 different programmes it offers. Curriculum, resources for teaching & evaluation, self-learning and e-learning material – every aspect is carefully chosen and developed so students get the finest education, in their own space and time.

Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) offers Post Graduate Diploma, Diploma and Certificate programs across industry sectors including Business Management, International Business, Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management, Insurance Management, Education Management, Business and Corporate Law and Entrepreneurship Development.

In addition, SCDL partners with leading organisations such as IBM, Cognizant, Infosys, Wipro, Ranbaxy, Collabra, Aditya Birla, Bharti Retail Pvt. Ltd., Wall-mart, Vodafone, Cipla, etc. to offer corporate programs for working executives.

Innovative concepts

SCDL has pioneered several innovative concepts in distance education such as:

1. Introduction of a “Blended Learning” methodology for all programmes, combining all the three forms of learning, namely, Published / Printed – Self-Learning Material / Books, Digital e-learning, and Faculty Interaction – Chat Sessions and Online Classroom Facility.
2. Introduction of highly interactive e-Learning content as a supplementary learning methodology to improve the understanding of concepts through case studies and practical examples, thereby bridging the gap between the book and the classroom. Computer based assignment system to provide students the flexibility and convenience to submit assignments at any time and receive immediate results and feedback.
3. The Virtual Classroom facility with Faculty members has removed the distance barrier between the teacher and the taught. This facility provided by SCDL is an additional student support service whereby students can ask questions, have peer interaction and even replay an archived lecture. Virtual Classroom sessions are conducted for all courses throughout the year.
4. Online Faculty Chat Sessions allow students to interact with faculty by typing their questions and receiving immediate answers in an online environment.
5. Modular Course System with Credit Banking Facility: Ability to take any Single Course and Bank and Accumulate credits for future transfer to other programs of SCDL thus providing Flexible Pathways of Learning.
6. A dedicated Call Centre with dedicated telephone lines supported by call operators and student counsellors to give prompt response / guidance to students.
7. An ‘e’ communication centre which handles all student queries promptly & effectively.
8. A powerful web portal, www.scdl.net providing facilities like – Computer based Assignment Submission, computer-based examinations Booking, Message Board, Counselling, ability to view Admission Status and Academic Status, etc.

Accolades

Over two decades of its existence, SCDL has won many accolades and recognition. Some of these include:

• 1st amongst Distance Learning Institutes by Careers 360 Rating 2012
• 2nd amongst the leading institutes by DNA Indus Learning Survey 2012
• 3rd amongst Distance Learning Institutes by Competition Success Review
• IT Award for HRD through quality Distance Education by Govt. of Maharashtra
• 8th amongst Distance Learning Institutes by Outlook
• Nomination for Institutional Excellence award by the prestigious International Council for Distance Education (ICDE)

Impeccable lineage

SCDL is a special initiative of Symbiosis Open Education Society which has been redefining the standards of education for decades. Symbiosis is an institution with a sound reputation in the field of education; where students learn relevant skills and are enabled to reach their true potential.

Conclusion

So when students enrol at SCDL, they subscribe to a legacy of quality education and dreams-come-true. SCDL provides a complete and proven learning ecosystem that nurtures knowledge generation, builds critical thinking and design thinking, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. By bringing quality education to the doorstep, SCDL helps shape futures and optimize potential.