STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN INDIA THANIKACHALAM.V., B.E., M.TECH., PH.D., M.S., FIE., FIGS., FFIUCEE FMR FULBRIGHT SENIOR RESEARCHER AND FORMER PROFESSOR AND HOD, CIA, NITTTR-CHENNAI
OBJECTIVES • To assess the gross deficiencies in the current engineering faculty development. • To get solutions to improve the professional competencies of the junior and middle level faculty members from the senior faculty members through a set of quality circles.
• To validate the solutions through a small group of industry experts. • To plan the desired high faculty development courses through a schedule.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY- QUALITY CIRCLE • A series of three days Faculty Development Programs have been organized under QIP in the following areas: Creation of Centers of Excellence, Performance Improvement, Industry-Institute-Government-Society Partnership The following four case studies are given to the trainees solve through Quality Circles: 1. Improving the quality of junior and middle level faculty members, 2. Improving the Skills and Competencies of Graduate Engineers, 3. Improving Human Capital to meet the Challenges of the Fast Growing Indian Industry, 4.Institutional Development
OUTCOME OF THE QUALITY CIRCLE: 1. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE FACULTY MEMBERS • Introduce sequential summer and winter schools in the advanced areas. • Provide more faculty development funds • Increase the salary of the faculty members • Introduce blended programs through MOOCS • Introduce coaching of the junior faculty members and mentoring of the middle level faculty members
2. IMPROVING THE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES OF THE GRADUATE STUDENTS • Develop global curriculum to meet the needs of MNCs • Evaluate learning outcomes and improve the students’ performance • Introduce dual programs with industry focused dissertations • Offer knowledge based internships with built-in credits • Encourage high standards based on the accreditation • Adopt continuous transformation in collaboration with the industry experts • Introduce blended programs based on the new MOOCS for professional development
IMPROVING THE HUMAN CAPITAL TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF FAST-GROWING INDIAN INDUSTRY
• Increase the intake in the PhD Programs through various State Technical Universities, NITs, IITs and bilateral agreements
• Establish a national quality improvement which can coordinate and offer new MOOCS • Establish an Institute for Learning outcome research and development • Refine the programs to meet various cadres of the jobs like design engineers, and manufacturing engineers
• Make transformation work through digital technologies • Employ experienced design engineers as adjunct faculties • Develop industry specific and flexible research projects as dissertation topics and fund them.
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Encourage cooperation and collaboration of the industry and national labs • Eliminate barriers to change • Convert all NITs and NITTTRs as Institutes of National Importance • Cloe down poorly performing institutes • Maintain high standards in the approval of the institutes • Create a culture of blended learning both for faculties as well as for students • Develop industry specific curricula in collaboration with the industry • Introduce learning accountability.
DISCUSSIONS • All the suggestions have been validated through senior engineers from local companies and professors. They emphasized collaboration with the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of HRD. There is a need for a National Policy which can accelerate such initiatives. The companies can utilize the CSR for the faculty development. MOOC s could be given importance in the faculty development. There is a need for digital technology. Periodically review the Indian engineering program development with those of global development. Constantly improve the programs.
SUGGESTIONS • Develop model programs based on the digital technology. • Encourage well performing institutes with adequate funds for undertaking interdisciplinary research.
• Reward the excellent faculty members based on their research and iinovation. • Focus on the growth of Global institutes and learn their outstanding performance. • Encourage innovations in interdisciplinary programs.
CONCLUSIONS • State Technical Universities, Deemed Universities and Autonomous Colleges have to formulate strategic planning to modernize their computing labs., training their faculty members and introduce many up to date programs in AI, Cloud Computing, Analytics, and collaborate key industry leaders. They need sufficient fund, approval for the innovative programs and ready to collaborate with fast growing industry with sponsored research and development projects.
• They should not be lagging behind the competitors and the leaders should undertake more global view and plan innovative courses.