By carrying out good research in various fields and then its publications (high impact factor journals) and patents can help in improving the index of an institute.
Organizing seminar and conferences, and some valuable book writing by faculty members are also helpful in improving the impact of an institution.
At the first glance the question seems to be simple. Going deeper in theory of institution in social science - socology and political science also education - is this a very important question, in particular concerning reform and readjustment which shoud be alweays in discussion. For instance education. There was a movement 100 years ago in Europa and the US, progressive education. excellent teacher, scientists pedagoges brought new ideas of education. But at last there was a lack to implement such ideas in institutionally controlled structures, because the inspired generation died, and a new generation had other ideas. On the other hand you msut consider: Get the institutions too much power than they have a lack of dynamic deveolopment and all persons which could have present new ideas work as part of a fossilized institution. So you need a vivid balance betwwen personal freedom an institutional continuing of further development of society.
Impact factors (IF) depend directly on the number of citations received. There are several ways which can led to IFs' increase, directly or indirectly:
Why are we worried about impact factor, a metric created for journals by commercial interests and widely recognised now to be grossly inadequate and inappropriate for assessing individual researchers or institutions. As also commented by some of the responders, Institutions should maintain a dynamic and vibrant work culture and should strive to hire competent and enthusiastic faculty. Its impact would automatically become visible.
For increasing the impact of institutions, institution should organize more qualitative conferences and workshops, research collaboration with good institutions, publication of quality research papers and their demonstration through institution's portal, literary talk, promotion of faculty to present quality papers in International conferences etc.
Try to publish as much possible to a journal having the following three facilities
1. ISSN/ISBN
2.DOI
3. Open access model.
If the above three criteria are met then there is very high chance of getting the work cited and in turn the overall citation of the institution raises.
By publishing more qualitative papers, good number of research projects and collaborative research will increase the visibility of institute which finally improve the impact factor of institute.