Industries depend on interdisciplinary graduates who can take up many complex problems and solve them to create innovative products. This study focuses on planning appropriate interdisciplinary research products.

1. Enhancing Interdisciplinary
Research in Engineering Education
Thanikachalam
Vedhathiri
(vthani2025@yahoo.in)

2. Interdisciplinary Research in Engineering
Education
Interdisciplinary thinking
is rapidly becoming an
integral feature of
engineering research
Inherent complexity of
nature of engineering
planning
Design Manufacturing
Maintenance
Compulsion to explore
problems that are not
confined to single
discipline
Power of new digital
technologies help the
researchers to solve the
complex problems

3. Challenges to Engineering Education
Improving
problem-solving
abilities of
engineering
graduates
01
Improving the
critical thinking
02
Manage the
impact of global
warming
03
Advance MOOCs in
engineering
education
04

4. Challenges
Providing access
to clean water
1
Improving the
urban
infrastructure
2
Improving
cybersecurity
3
Eradicating
poverty
4
Improving
urban transport
system
5
Improving
industrial safety
6

5. Drivers for Interdisciplinary Research in India
The inherent
complexity of the
Indian Society in
the 21st Century
Need to explore
complex problems
in developing
human capital
Pressure to develop
outstanding
engineers to meet
the challenges
Impact of
globalized economy
Power of digital
technology
Need for
interdisciplinary
programs
Challenge for
interdisciplinary
research teams

6. Essential Programs (Morse et al.)
Developing
Sustainable
Environment
Improved Health Food Security
Successful Design
Engineers
A mindset in the
students to pursue
interdisciplinary
programs

7. Needs of the Researchers
Higher Order
Cognitive Skills and
Competencies
Diversity in
educators, doctoral
committee
members
Complex problems Lifelong learning
Interdisciplinary
thinking
Data mining from
similar research
works in other
fields
Details of failures in
earlier attempts
Needs of various
end users

8. Real Issues
• Volatility
• Confusion
• Uncertainty
• Ambiguity

9. Barriers to Interdisciplinary Research in
Engineering Education (IRDEE) in India
Limited Faculty
AICTE has not
Recognized PhD in
IRDEE for
Recruitment
Affiliated
Engineering
Colleges did not
Approve IRDEE
Lack of Guides for
PhD in IRDEE
Lack of Research
Funds from AICTEE
Lack of Resources

10. Solomon Bililign (2013)
Deal with global
challenges
Comprehensive
understanding of
the main social
challenges
Collaboration of
scientists,
sociologists,
engineers,
technologists

11. Aboelela et al. (2007)
Critical review of health
service
Link and integrate
theoretical frameworks
from two or more
disciplines
Adopt methods and skills
from them

12. National Academy of Sciences (2005)
Prepare engineering
students for
interdisciplinary,
collaborative, and
global job market
1
Provide
interdisciplinary
training
2
Expose problems in
global importance
3

13. Barriers to Interdisciplinary Research in
Engineering Education
Funding
Communication
barrier
Personal
barriers

14. Global Initiatives to Foster Interdisciplinary
Research
Seed funding for
the establishment
of interdisciplinary
programs
Oho State
University
Rutgers University
University of
California at
Berkeley
Virginia Tech
Vanderbilt
University

15. External Funding Agencies for
Interdisciplinary Programs
NASA USDA
Homeland
Security

16. Success of IDREE
Collaborative Skills
Attitude
Motivation
Empowered faculty
Decentralized departments
Dedicated teams
Risk takers
Imagination

17. Building an Interdisciplinary Teams
(Bruhn, 1955 & Grant et al. 1998)
Clarity regarding roles, expectations, and authority
Clearly articulated protocols in data and resources sharing
leadership

18. Policies
(McGuire, 1999)
• Mutually agreed
• Acceptable to a majority
• Enhance the team members’ personal and professional goals
• Discipline
• Good interpersonal skills
• Dedicated leader
• Commitment
• Flexibility
• Willingness to work

19. Interdisciplinary Research in Curriculum
Status of
Technician
Programs in
Computers in
Kerala State- A
Qualitativ
e Analysis-
Pasupathy. T.D,
2002
01
A Study of the
Effectiveness of
Curriculum of Three-
year Diploma
Program in Civil
Engineering and its
Implementation in
Affiliated
Polytechnics in Tamil
Nadu- Thamilarasu.
V, 2004
02
A Study of the
Industry-Based
Curriculum for
Manufacturing
Technology to meet
the Human Resource
Needs of the
Chennai Industrial
Hub- Sivanesan. T,
2009
03
Development of
Model Curriculum
for a Flexible Credit
based Four Year
Degree Program in
Building Technology
and Management-
Mathew. B .V, 2014.
04

20. Interdisciplinary Curriculum…
1
A Study of the
Effectiveness of
the Present
Mechanical
Engineering
Curricula with
Preference to
Design
Competencies-
Subbaraj. S,
2014
2
Evaluation
of the
Computer
Sciences/IT
Curricula
with respect
to Software
Engineering
Skills-
Srividhya,
2015
3
Developmen
t of Diploma
in
Animation
Engineering-
Kurinchi. P,
2017
4
Development
of
Interdisciplinar
y M.Sc.
(Forestry) –
Indian Council
for Forestry
Research and
Education,
under World
Bank
Sponsorship
5
Developmen
t of Diploma
in Wood
Technology

21. Environment
Protection of
Urban Areas
• A Study on the Role of Non-Government
Organizations in Protecting Environment
at Local Level- Reeni Samuel, 2008

22. Women in Engineering Education
2007
Curriculum Improvement Model in
Instrumentation and Control Engineering
with respect to Women Technicians-
Uma Rani. K
2009
A Study of Women Technicians and
Engineers in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands- Alagu Sundaram.V

23. Human Resource Management
2006
Study of Lifelong Learning and the
Effectiveness and Development
Interventions to Build a Learning
Organization- Swaminathan. S
2010
A Study on HRM Challenges faced by
Indian Global Corporations in Preparing
Managerial Personnel for International
Assignment- Muthuvellaippan

24. Institutional Development
2009
A Study on Institutional Development to
Create Excellence in Technician
Education for the 21st Century- Sujatha.
S
2012
Performance Management of Heads of
Departments in Engineering Institutions-
Ponnuswamy. M

25. Globalization
of Engineering
Programs
• Analysis of Indian Engineering Institutes’
Capacity to offer Programmes under General
Agreements on Trade in Services/ World Trade
Organization- Anita. S, 2010

26. Postgraduate Programs
2010
A Study of the Effectiveness of the
MBA Curriculum and its
Implementation in the Business
Schools and Colleges in Chennai-
India- Athivera Rama Pandian. V
2017
A Study of the Effectiveness of M.E
(Postgraduate) Programme in
Embedded Systems Technologies
and a Model for Curriculum
Improvement- Sheebarani
Gnanamalar

27. Quality
Assurance in
the
Postgraduate
Programs
• A Multi-Dimensional Perspective Towards
Internal Quality Assurance of Second Cycle
Programmes in Engineering- Abdul Hakeem,
2015

28. Interdisciplinary
Research in Curriculum
Design
Research Focus

29. Research Focus in Curriculum
• Why do we evaluate the curriculum?
• Employment stagnation
• Balance of the courses
• Adequacy of the courses
• Relevance of the courses
• Need for new courses based on the needs of the industry
• Sunrise industry
• Career needs of the learners
• New skills and competencies
• Impact of new technology

30. Why do We Develop New Programs
• Unprecedented growth of companies due to FDI
• GDP increase
• Changing needs of the learners
• Interdisciplinary skills and competencies
• Migration of the graduates
• Global challenges
• Networking of the institutes
• Specialization due to career needs
• Cooperative programs
• Job shift

31. Changes due to Vulnerability, Uncertainty,
Complexity
• New models
• Lifelong learning
• Learning organization
• Globalization of Indian Industry
• International human resource management
• Urban growth
• Urban reconstruction
• High level jobs
• Continuous improvement in the technology based industries

32. Conclusion
Introduce IRDEE in Universities and
Autonomous Colleges
Introduce
Develop industry specific new
programs
Develop
Approve the graduates from IDREE
Programs for jobs
Approve
Provide funds for research programs in
IRDEE
Provide
Evaluate the existing programs against
the needs of emerging industries
Evaluate
Network with the industry, national
labs, and institutions in the district
Network
Develop cooperative programs
Develop

33. Thank you Your questions please