Keynote address delivered on Challenges for Faculty of Technical Education in India

1. Keynote address on
Challenges for Faculty of
Technical Education in the
Competitive Environment
Dr. Sridhara S.N.
Principal/Director,
KS School of Engineering and Management
Bangalore
www.kssem.edu.in
Delivered at AMC College of Engineering, Bangalore, on 11th Oct 2013

2. Contents
• Education Scenario – International
• Education Scenario – India
• Quality Indexes of Institutions
• Multitasking
• Challenges in each functionality
• Greater Challenges
• Greatest Challenge
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 2

3. Education Scenario – International
• Highest Demand in all Countries
• Higher Education is a multi trillion
Dollar Entity throughout the world.
• Number of students going abroad from
India for higher education is about 1.25
Lakhs per year
• Engineering Education takes the major
portion of all such entities (about 75%)
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 3

4. Education Scenario - India
• Engineering Education in India
– IISc, IITs,
– NITs,
– Government Universities
– Deemed Universities, Private Universities
• Limited Seats in all premier Institutes
• Varied depth and coverage of syllabus in
these institutes
• Syllabus not according to international
standards in many institutions
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 4

5. Usual Quality Indexes of Institutions
• Staff Qualification and achievements
• Student Admission Process (Entry Process – too
tough or easy)
• Infrastructure –
– Super structure, Teaching aids,
– Laboratories,
– Library – access to journals and other resources,
– other amenities – sports, recreation ….
• Course Work
– Relevance,
– Depth,
– Coverage and Implications
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 5

6. Usual Quality Indexes of Institutions
• Staff-student Ratio
• Pass Ratio
• Student Status
– Employment to students
– No. of students taking higher studies
– Alumni Achievements
• Publications, patents … etc
• Collaboration with industries and number of
problems solved
• Involvements in Societal Issues
• Many more ……
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 6

7. NBA Requirements
“Accreditation may be summarised as a
process, based on professional
judgment, for evaluating whether or not
an educational Institution or programme
meets specified standards of educational
quality” – NBA
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 7

8. NBA Requirements
• Institutional Mission, Vision and Programme
• Educational Objectives
• Programme Outcome
• Programme Curriculum
• Students’ Performance
• Faculty Contributions
• Facilities and Technical Support
• Academic Support Units and Teaching-Learning
Process
• Governance, Institutional Support and Financial
Resources
• Continuous Improvement in attainment of outcomes
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 8

9. Multitasking
• Teaching
• Research
• Mentoring
• Office Work (Supporting)
• Self Study and Continuous Updating of
Knowledge and Skills
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 9

10. Challenges in each Functionality
1. Teaching:
• Good Communication Skills
• Good Knowledge in the Topic
• Updated additional information of
status co of the topic (National and
International)
• Better Human Relations with Students
• Examination Relevance Teaching Ability
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 10

11. Challenges in each Functionality
1. Teaching: (contd…)
Appropriate use of Best Teaching Practices
(Pedagogy)
Appropriate use of Teaching aids – design and use
of own teaching aids
Development of Teaching Material
Authoring text books and manuals
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 11

12. Challenges in each Functionality
2. Research:
• Guiding students for their project work
• Developing Innovative ideas for simple projects
• Converting ideas into project proposals
• Writing, Submitting and Tracking Project
Proposals
• Execution of Project Proposals
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 12

13. Challenges in each Functionality
2. Research: (Contd…)
• Utilisation of facilities developed through
sponsored projects to offer consultancy
• Developing collaborative network among other
faculty, department, institutes and Universities
working in the same field
• Research papers in conferences and journals
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 13

14. Challenges in each Functionality
2. Research: (Contd…)
• Obtaining patents for innovative ideas and
products
• Organising seminars, conferences and
workshops
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 14

15. Challenges in each Functionality
3. Mentoring:
• Good Human Relations with Students
• Good Communication Skills
• Capability of understanding the problems of
students
• Better understanding of background of
students
• Ability to advice/suggest the student and
parents (if required) to overcome the
deficiency and strengthen the positive aspects
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 15

16. Challenges in each Functionality
3. Mentoring:
• Awareness of alternate opportunities and
means for the students to flourish in their own
field
• Capability to advice students as a
friend, parent and psychotherapist (not as
head-master)
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 16

17. Challenges in each Functionality
4. Office Work (Supportive):
• Accepting that good office-keeping is a
part of teaching job
• Knowledge on modern tools for managing
documentation and other office works
• Timely updation of all relevant
information and documents related to
student, self and other administrative
works
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 17

18. Challenges in each Functionality
5. Self Study and Updgradation:
• Accepting that continuous upgradation
is inevitable in teaching job
• Finding good sources for knowledge
upgradion
• Actively involving in learning through
workshops, seminars and conferences
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 18

19. Challenges in each Functionality
5. Self Study and Updgradation: (Contd…)
• Regular reading of leading news journals
on the topic
• Regular communications with veterans in
the field
• Self evaluation of learning process
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 19

20. Greater Challenges
• Lack of Self Motivation
• Lack of Good Support from boss and
management
• Lack of good quality students
• Lack of constructive support from
colleagues
• Many more … (of course we have more
of these types than constructive ones)
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 20

21. Greatest Challenge
Having right Attitude
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 21

22. Thank You
Dr. S.N. Sridhara 22