IBRAD is a non-profit, ISO 9001:2000 certified professional institute, established in the year 1985.

Vision

Creating a world of human understanding for sustainable human development.

Mission:

IBRAD is committed to value based Human Development and Relationship with Trust through

• Continuous Learning
• Systemic Approach and
• Interdisciplinary Team

Purpose:

Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development (IBRAD) was established in response to growing need for:

• Understanding the concepts of biological, social and other natural sciences, through systemic approach and unifying these concepts for developing a coherent body of knowledge
• Thus applying the body of knowledge and skills through integrated training and educational programmes to address the problem of severe degradation of natural resources and social environment, upon which our survival depend.

The realisation that no single discipline of knowledge can address the problem of sustainable human development, needed understanding the problem through systemic and holistic approaches rather than trying to address them in an isolated manner. This needs a cohesive team of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary professionals working in a coherent manner valuing each others strength and appreciating the weakness of their own.

The Need for Bilateral Matching Institutions

The problem of sustainable development even at the community level is not an issue of the competency and responsibility of community alone. The policy, philosophy, ethos and approaches of the Government responsible for the development of the area play crucial role in achieving the goal of the development programme. Therefore transformation of bureaucratic organisation to be more responsive, effective and

accountable to meet the challenges of development is imperative. This requires understanding the processes of bureaucratic organisations, appreciating their problems and finding solutions through participatory action research, scientific design for orientation, training and also structural change of management. This needs ‘bilateral matching institutions’ of the community and Government organisation for working together to address challenges of sustainability. Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the delivery of the services of the bureaucratic organization and its performance.
The participatory action research and community development is typically designed and conducted through participatory approaches where the partner analyzes the data to improve their own practices and outcomes. IBRAD’s approach for transformation of community institutions has been a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by the members of the community in contemporary social situation in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own practices and the situations in which the practices are carried out. It is most rationally empowering the community to design and decide, act and monitor the effectiveness of their own institution.

One of the goals of IBRAD has been the production, publication, training materials based on their research and experiences and shares them with stakeholders. In addition, public education and the dissemination of research results is encouraged through the participation of IBRAD professionals in public scientific symposia and international meetings, as well as the support of Network members’ publications and organizations that perform and publish research investigations consistent with the stated objectives.

It has head Quarter at Kolkata and Regional centers in the following region-

Eastern regional center at Kharagpur, Bishnupur and North Bengal in West Bengal,
Western region at Jaipur in Rajasthan,
Central region at Dhamtari in Chattisgarh,
Northan region at Solan in Himachal pradesh and
Southern region Bangalore in Karnataka.

Training, education and academic programmes:

IBRAD provides training for senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in the country and has trained forest officers, health officials, and engineers in the field of Participatory Development.

Distance Learning Course on Natural Resource Management (NRM):

There are many individuals who have potentials in learning managerial skills and apply them in the field of social development. But either due to remoteness or due to lack of resources they do not get the opportunity to attend formal programme of training and education. Hence, the potentials are wasted. In view of the above need, constraints as well as challenges, IBRAD has launched Distance Learning Programme, to begin with on Natural Resource Management (NRM) for forming a network of NGOs committed for the cause of NRM, Water Management and Public Health Education from 2003. As required in Distance Learning Programme the students located at far distance places from the institute have instructional delivery system with facilities of Personal Contact Programmes to be held at different Interactive Centers

Public Health Education and Practices:

Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. Health is defined by world health organization as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

The focus of public health intervention is to prevent rather than treat a diseases through activities, in many cases treating a disease can be vital to preventing it in others, such as during an out break of infectious diseases, vaccination program and distribution of condoms are example of public health measures. 

IBRAD has been working with the department of Health, Government of West  Bengal in the districts of North 24 Parganas and Uttar Dinajpur to facilitate the process of developing effective leaders in public health. It has initiated a project of public health through a web of partnership involving policy makers, health officials, intersectoral collaborators, members of the community and NGOs.

Academic Programmes

We are very happy to inform you that we are going to start certificate, diploma and degree program in our up coming campus.( Academic Programme )

Competency of IBRAD in conducting courses on Sustainable Development and Human Development

• IBRAD, in conducs action research and training on human development and sustainable development,training on Joint Forest Management for senior level IFS officers since 1991.
• The professionals and faculties of IBRAD have already conducted four international trainings on ‘Systemic Approach to Sustainable Joint Forest Management’ in its institute at Kharagpur/Kolkata.
• The faculty of IBRAD have also been invited in foreign universities such as University of Wales, Manchester, Helsinki, Indonesia, China to conduct similar courses, designed by IBRAD.
• IBRAD has been awarded prestigious assignment from different State Governments and Government of India related to subjects like Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Development, Human Development. Some of them are :



• Assessment of NRM courses and developing a model curriculum for post graduate courses on NRM (Ministry of HRD, Government of India)
• IFS officers courses at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, and SFS College, Coimbatore
• National programme: Assessment of effectiveness of Joint Forest Management Committees in India (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India)
• Developing Participatory Monitoring Indicators for the Assessment of Joint Forest Management (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India)
• Developing a National Programme on water conservation (JALTARANG) by Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India
• National Coordinator of the programme - Man and Nature: Trust Relationship and Action (MANTRA) (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India)
• Conducting Distance Learning Course on Natural Resource Management with interactive centres in different states of India
• Human Development Project (UNDP Project) on Action Research and Intervention by Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal
• Facilitating the process of design and implementation of Karnataka Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Assessment Project sponsored by JBIC
• Initiating three months certificate course on Natural Resource Management to develop professionals in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Forest Academy
• Acting in collaboration with different international and national networks on JFM, NRM, sustainable development like FTPP FAO, NNFP USA
• Assigned to organise national workshop on standardisation of the methods and approaches for evaluation of JFMCs by NAEB, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India
• Appointed as Training Advisor for Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management Project to develop training strategy and it’s implementation for the state sponsored by World Bank
• Phd programme: Number of Phd thesis based on IBRAD’s concept concept and project areas. IBRAD faculty has supervised Phd students and reviewed and examined Phd thesis.        
• Number of books, research papers and consultancy report published in different journals and also by this institute related to the topic such as Joint Forest Management, Sustainable Development, NRM, Human Development

• Above all Government of West Bengal has given a piece of three acres of land on Prafulla Kannan, Kestopur, VIP Road Kolkata – 700101, the infrastructure including the classroom, Computer, laboratory, library and other facilities will be ready by July 2007 as per the requirement of AICTE for any MBA / MCA courses.
• We have already appointed many faculties and Principal, initially on ad-hoc basis.
• The advertisement for formal appointments of all the faculty is being published in Newspaper.
• The academic advisory committee has been formed from the leading professionals from Government, IIT, IIM and other academic fields.
• The institute has received endowment as grant from the Ford Foundation of nearly rupees three crores in fixed deposit.

Action Research:

This organization has been a pioneer in the field of Action Research and Development through experimental sites in different states of India like Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

IBRAD has received US $ 8,00,000 to IBRAD as an Endowment Fund  from the Ford Foundation. While giving the endowment The ford Foundation has mentioned in it’s letter to the Government of India that “IBRAD’s work has helped build capacity in local communities, other NGOs and forest bureaucracy! ……The endowment from The Ford Foundation would strengthen IBRAD’s core programmes, support the initiation of it’s training institute and enable the organisation to achieve financial stability.” 

Upcoming Campus:

Government of West Bengal has allotted three acres of land for IBRAD to build its own campus at Prafulla Kanan, Keshtopur, VIP Road, Kolkata 700 101. With the support from the Ford Foundation, IBRAD has started making its own campus on 12th March 2006. IBRAD laid its foundation stone of this upcoming campus, which is known as Prathama building by its respected board members and its staff.  The Ford Foundation as a special case has extended support through corpus and grant-in-aid to develop the training institute. IBRAD is going to launch formal Degree courses on BCA and also MBA-NRM, Public Health Education and Sustainable Human Development in future under the auspices of IBRAD School of Management and Sustainable Development.

Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development (IBRAD)
An ISO 9001 : 2000 Certified Organization
3A, Hindustan Road, Gariahat,
Kolkata, West Bengal, India-700029.
Ph No. 91-33-2464-3105/7370, Fax No. 91-33-2466-6554,
Email: ibrad@giascl01.vsnl.net.in