Established in July 1987 the erstwhile Academic Staff College (HRDC), recently re-nomenclatured as UGC-Human Resource Development Centre (UGC-HRDC), of Utkal University is one among the 66 HRDCs (HRDCs) located at selected Universities of India. This centre belongs to UGC Cluster 8 sharing it with one more in the State of Odisha located at Sambalpur University and 5 others distributed in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh. Realizing that teachers are the agents of socio-economic reform and national development UGC-HRDC at Utkal University has made a remarkable stride to recharge, refresh and rejuvenate young as well as mid-career teachers serving different colleges and Universities within and outside the State of Odisha through organizing different UGC-approved academic training programmes of varying durations. Over the years, its activity has been focused on quality ensured delivery of education to continuous knowledge up-gradation, capacity building and motivation of teachers for accepting challenges arising from exponential growth of new knowledge and fast growing trends of breaking barriers of subject specific teaching and research. The UGC-HRDC at Utkal University has recognized the urgent need for creating effective systems to provide opportunities for professional and career development of teachers, necessary for quality education and research so that they are well equipped and motivated to accept new challenges emerging from growth of new knowledge, international competitiveness and changing requirements of learners, especially in the institutions of higher education. Therefore, special care has been taken to enhance their motivation skills and knowledge through systematic orientation in specific subjects, techniques and methodologies, and thereby inculcate in them the right kind of values that would in turn encourage them to take initiatives for innovative and creative work. Since 1987 till date a total of 255 Refresher Courses (3 weeks each), 67 Orientation Programmes (4 weeks each)and 34 other Programmes (3-7 days Short-term Courses, 3-week Summer School, 3-week Winter School) have been organized by the UGC-HRDC at Utkal University often in collaboration with respective post-graduate teaching Departments of the campus. Eminent personalities from the world of academics, media, bureaucracy, technocracy and NGOs from within/outside the State of Odisha have been invited as Resource Persons for different Courses to interact with the teacher participants and sharing with them their long years of experience and expertise in respective field of interest, thereby motivating them to support their consistent knowledge up-gradation and enabling them to catch up with the global competition and other requirements of fast growing innovative trends and advanced knowledge in various disciplines and across disciplines. In consonance with the contemporary scenario in our country, efforts are being made to organize more number of skill-based courses of shorter durations (3-7 days) with a view to promote employability of students passing out from our University while continuing focus on expansion, equity and excellence.