Journal of Engineering Education Transformations

Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Center for International Affairs, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The Ministry of Human Resource Development envisaged a research cluster in engineering education in the 1980s under United Nation's Development Project in technician education development. Many initiatives have been taken to institutionalize research in engineering education by the Technical Teachers Training Institutes (now National Institutes of Technical Teachers Training and Research) in Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, and Kolkata. These four institutes have grown into the Centers of Excellence in Engineering Education and assisted the project polytechnics, State Project Implementing Units, National Project Implementing Unit and World Bank. They offer part-time and full-time interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in curriculum evaluation, improvement, instructional design, improvement of diploma, degree and postgraduate programs, educational administration, educational management, institutional development, human resource development and management.

Keywords

Research Cluster in Engineering Education, Interdisciplinary Research, and Project-Based Research.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Former Professor and HOD, Center for International Affairs, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

Engineering education is facing volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in the last seventeen years due to fast developing global industries which established manufacturing units in India under foreign direct investment (FDI). The needs of these global industries are based on the high-quality products which were exported to the European countries and to the rest of the world. Some of the engineering institutions could modernize the curriculum, improve the resources, infrastructure, faculty's skills and competencies but the explosive growth of the institutions in the private sector could not meet the challenges. They need strategic planning, training their faculty members, improve their infrastructure and modernize the resources. They must focus on globalization and offer high-end programs. The faculty needs accelerated leadership programs. They need global thinking and mindset.

Keywords

Response to VUCA in the Engineering Education, Institutional Change, Development, and Modernization.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Center for International Affairs, NITTTR, Chennai, IN

Abstract

In this research critical reviews of selected outcome based postgraduate programs in Transportation Engineering (M.E/M.Tech.) are presented which are offered by a set of selected leading engineering colleges/institutions in India.Macro and micro analysis of the courses have been performed. Most of the postgraduate programs offer specialization in transportation engineering design, or transportation system engineering,or transportation engineering management. It is observed that there is a need for greater focus on the Transportation System Analysis (Performance and Optimization), Economic Analysis, and Planning Methods (Data Sciences for Transportation), Intelligent Transportation System, Safety and Security, Transportation Policy, Planning and Sustainability and Urban Transportation. In the fast, most of the graduate students took up teaching jobs. Due to rapid economic development, they may end up in the corporate sector. It is learnt that only Indian Railways offers professional development programs for their engineers. Rarely transportation engineering departments depute their engineers to postgraduate programs. Considering the massive expansion of infrastructure development, it is suggested that more specialization is needed on Policy Analysis, Urban Transportation, Performance and Optimization, Analysis and Planning Methods, Data Sciences for Transportation, Intelligent Transportation, Safety and Security, and Sustainability. The existing programs could be improved based on the needs analysis.Also, there is need to focus on the consultancy works so that these postgraduate engineers can establish consultancy units. The curriculum need to be continuously be updated to meet the needs of massive infrastructure needs.

Keywords

Postgraduate Transportation Engineering Programs, Transportation Systems, Transportation Management, Policy Analysis, Interdisciplinary Programin Transport Engineering.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Former Professor and HOD, CIA, NITTTR, Chennai, IN

Abstract

Performance management is a continuous and systematic process that allows an institute (an engineering college/ university) to ensure efficiency in rendering institutional vision and mission. The process involves college, departments, and faculty entitles planning educational programs and academic services based on the needs of employers and students. To achieve these, the colleges must recruit outstanding faculty, developing institutional goals based on the vision, andmission. This can be achieved through training and by developing the faculty, empowering the colleges and departments, monitoring the development process, auditing the outcome, evaluating the performance of the faculty and diagnosing the causes for shortfalls, implementing interventions like firefighting so that the loss of resources can be minimized. This study is based on the brainstorming sessions with thirty small groups of heads of departments from thirty-six engineering and polytechnic colleges over a period of five years. The groups have identified the problems faced by them in planning industry- relevant programs, establishing consultancy centers, planning in-house faculty development centers, planning state level seminars and industrial training programs for the students. The outcomes are creating a learning institute, engaging the faculty, establishing in-house faculty development units, formulating the process of undertaking consultancy projects, establishing academic council, following appreciative appraisal of the faculty performance, decentralization of administration of the departments, empowering the star performing faculty members, and introducing firefighting mechanism to correct the deviations in achievements.Also, the recruitments should be based the excellent achievement of the candidates.All these form the basis of learning institution which comprises of system thinking, personal mastery, mental models. shared vision and team learning.

Keywords

Performance Management, Turnaround Mechanism, Learning Organization, Firefighting, Continuous Performance Management, Appreciative Enquiry, Academic Auditing

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Adjunct Professor and Former HOD, Center for International Affairs, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

In the 21st century, the Indian economy has to grow faster than its rivals. It depends on the production of knowledge and human capitals by the state technical universities, autonomous institutes, and deemed universities. Hence, the high- performing engineering faculty members have to be assisted and supported by an appropriate academic ecosystem as other global research universities perfected by them. Well- developed engineering universities in China, Japan, Korea and Singapore have introduced many administrative processes to support their key performing faculties to reach excellence and global leadership. This demands most appropriate and continuously supporting academic system too. A snap study has been undertaken to identify the most desirable academic ecosystem in the well-performing engineering institutes in the southern states of India. 131 Senior Faculty members at Assistant, Associate, and Professors' cadre have been selected to form a Quality Circle to identify the desired academic ecosystem. These participants attended the workshops on Higher Education Administration, Leadership Development and Institutional Development. The significant outcomes are as follows: 1. Unbiased Faculty Recruitment System which focuses on the Excellence, 2. Skill Focused Induction and In-House Training Processes, 3. Cognitive and Higher Order Training and Development Processes as per Emerging Needs, 4. Appreciative Performance Inquiry, 5. Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring the Emerging High Performers, 6. Digital-based Instructional Packages Production Center, 7. Sabbatical Leave to Undergo Faculty Development Programs to meet the Emerging needs under IDAs, 8. Implementation of Appropriate Reward System like new pay scales as approved by AICTE, 9. Sanction of Funds to Participate in the International Conferences as per the Rules, Norms, and Standards, and 10. Approval for accepting the International Invitations to participate in the Conferences and Summits without any grants. All these would enhance the academic ecosystem.

Keywords

Academic Ecosystem, Fast-growing Educational Institutes, Planning Conducive Ecosystem.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Former Professor and HOD, Center for International Affairs, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

India has to develop engineers with competencies required for independent practice in which the graduates can work similarly to competent senior engineers and managers. Graduate attributes form a set of individually assessable outcomes that are components indicative of the graduate’s capacity to acquire competence to independently practice at the desired level of the industry. In the knowledgebased global economy, the engineering graduates should possess the needed outstanding abilities to solve complex and real-life programs of the fast-growing global industry. A sizable percentage of Indian Engineering graduates are found to be lacking industry-specific skills, competencies and rendered jobless. A snap study on the alumni shows that fine- tuning of assignments based on industrial practice is essential. The SWOT Analysis suggests that the need for continuous quality development programs for engineering students. All the engineering programs are to be accredited under NBA as per the Washington Accord so that the graduate engineers can register in other countries if they migrate. Otherwise, they have to work for a minimum of two years as an intern. India has to establish an Engineering Council for the registration of the engineering graduates as similar to the Architectural Council. The need for industry-focused complex development programs for all students has been identified based on the qualitative research done. It is found that there is an urgent need for graduates to prepare portfolios and plan to acquire desired competence through seminars, research, industry- specific capstone projects, and self-planned practicum. It is suggested to introduce a course on failures, guest lectures on the industrial methods, trends in new technologies, innovations, and offer industry-specific dissertations.

Keywords

Focused Engineering Student Attributes Development, Student Portfolio, On-the-Job-training and Development, Role of Industry-Based Dissertation in Offering Needed Competence.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Former Professor, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

Under the fast-changing disruptive technologies and fierce global competitions, employers are looking for industry-ready graduates with excellent attributes and innovative skills to develop state-of-art products and replace them periodically with superior products to get the lions’ share of global markets. This is possible only if the institutes focus their efforts to develop outstanding faculty members. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides a guideline to develop Indian Education to innovate in all spheres. In the last fifty years, there were many faculty development efforts, but none of them provided long-term impact. A study has been taken on the following issues: 1). Flawless Recruitment Process, 2). Planning and Conducting Orientation Programs, 3). Attaching them with Dedicated Mentors, 4). Planning and Implementing Continuous Professional Development Programs, 5). Conducting Appreciative Inquires and Follow up 6). Encouraging them to Undergo Advanced Research and Development Programs in the Research Universities. 7). Encouraging and Inducting them into the Ongoing Consultancy Projects, 8). Training them to Establish Interdisciplinary Graduate and Postgraduate Research and Programs, 9). Training and Inducting them in Planning and Conducting State, Regional, National, and International Conferences/ Seminars/Symposia, 10). Assessing their Performance and Implementing Recognition Systems for Outstanding Accomplishments, 11). Encouraging them in Planning and Implementing Diverse Global Faculty Development, 12). Facilitating them in planning Institute-Institute Collaboration, and 13.) Mentoring them to reach Higher Academic Cadres. The management should cultivate a culture of supporting and rewarding the best practices which will enable the growth of the graduates and the institute. The research on creating, supporting, and rewarding the promising newly recruited-faculty members has become essential not only to retain them but also, to serve the industries to reach national and global standards with needed human capital and technical support. The current National Educational Policy 2020 of India also focuses on these aspects, but the institutes have yet to refine their recruitment and rewarding best faculty members. This research suggests low-cost but high yielding human resource management practices to sustain the innovations in higher education and to support the knowledge-based Indian economy.

Keywords

Recruitment of Faculty, Mentoring. Continuous Training, Recognition of Outstanding Performance, Global Best Practices, and Suggestions.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Former Professor and HOD, Center for International Affairs National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

In the last ten years, there is a growing chorus of discontent about what is not happing in the engineering education in India. Around 5 % of the engineering graduates are possessing required industry -relevant skills and competencies. All over the world major efforts are being undertaken to transforming the engineering education. Based on the research, it is suggested to improve the performance of the faculty members, their abilities to undertake the globalization of engineering education and digitalization. Further there is a need for improving the faculty development through flexible and blended programs under NITTTRs, NITs, State Technical Universities, modernization of curricula and instructional design and collaboration with the industry and government. The colleges are to network with well performing global universities and collaborate in research and development. There is an urgent need for Institute-Industry-Government Partnership for improving the curriculum, research methods and product innovation. The institutes can review their curriculum through Faculty-Alumni- Industry-Representatives of Entrepreneurs (FAIR) Committee once in a year and make improvements. The engineering students are to be exposed to the problems of the industries and they are to be coached to solve them. Their research work, dissertations have to be industry relevant. Further, the engineering institutes have to plan innovative products as a part of the capstone projects. Ultimately the Indian engineering education has to develop industry relevant competency model which will focus industry relevant skills and competencies.

Keywords

Competitive Engineering Education, Flexible Curriculum, Blended Programs, Sponsored Research and Development Projects.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The Indian engineering faculty members need to be exposed to self-regulated learning strategies and adult learning methods to plan effective competency development programs for the engineering graduates. The engineering students need to be informed on the industry needs and the performance desired in the workplaces. Without a focus on improving skills analysis, planning, design concepts, and high-order cognitive skills, problemsolving abilities and critical thinking skills, many engineering students performed poorly in the basic and core engineering courses. Some of the students displayed a negative response for a few applied science courses. These are due to their self-regulated learning system. In this research, six batches of engineering faculties have been trained to focus on the students' self-regulated thinking, acting, behaving, and engaging in purposeful activities. The impact is that the engineering students actively manage their metacognition, motivation, and behavior after passing through the self-regulatory process. The trained faculties prepared their instructional design on the needs of the contextual knowledge and their utility on Thanikachalam Vedhathiri National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai. vthani2025@yahoo.in professional development. The increase in pass percentage after redesign improved to 16.17% in the basic courses, 17.37% in the core courses, and 5.99% in the advanced courses. When the faculty members are trained in the appropriate instructional design to meet the demands of the fast-growing and knowledgebased economy, this resulted in unprecedented students' success not only in their examinations but also in their performances in the workplace. Further, the executive and employee development programs are to be carefully planned and implemented to get maximum return on the investment (ROI) in the fastchanging manufacturing technology.

Keywords

Self-Regulated Learners (SRL), Performance Management, Faculty Development Programs (FDP), Planning Executive Development Programs (EDP), Metacognition, & Intrinsic Motivation.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai, IN

Abstract

Indian engineering colleges need more qualified faculty, since, thousands of engineering colleges have been approved by AICTE with teachers who possess only bachelor's degrees without any experience in curriculum design, instructional design, evaluation, and industrial training. Many of them were not exposed to advanced industrial design and advanced manufacturing practices. This has resulted in the unemployment of about 70% of the graduates. This paper focuses on the systematic planning, and implementing appropriate faculty development programs not only for the fresh graduate teachers but also the senior faculty members through various long-term programs, short-term courses, industrial training, research works, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) under SWAYAM, and training through specialized overseas courses that are implemented by Ministry of Education. National Institutes of Technical Teachers Training are offering MOOCs in various areas of engineering education. Continuous process development has been suggested. The engineering colleges could reimburse faculty members on the cost of training under MOOCs which are offered by edX, COURSERA, etc. Further, the colleges should organize faculty development programs in collaboration with the well-known global universities and Research & Development Centers of Multinational Companies (MNCs) which are functioning here. Such a dynamic initiative will bring excellence in the knowledge capital. The government can assist professional associations to plan industry-relevant workshops. Considering the difficulties in getting admission for thousands of faculty members in Quality Improvement Programs (QIP), alternate, hybrid and flexible programs are suggested. The significant outcomes of these initiatives are: i) It increased the skills and competencies of the faculty members and students; ii) The graduates have become be industry-ready; iii) Many regions have come industrially competitive, iv) The new initiatives like Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) and MOOCs have improved the faculty competencies in hundreds of colleges; v) Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) have increased interdisciplinary research capability of the faculty members; vi) The overall outcomes of these initiatives have improved the engineering curriculum, attributes of the graduates and interdisciplinary research. It is suggested to undertake further research on the finetuning of the curricula to meet the challenges of Industry-4.0.

Keywords

Faculty Competence, Dynamic Process, QIP, Summer Schools, Webinars, MOOCs.

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Thanikachalam Vedhathiri ¹

Affiliations
1 Center for International Affairs, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai-600113, India., IN

Abstract

Equity is defined as “fairness and impartiality based on even-handed treatment” (Nace, 2021, Unitedwaynce, 2021). Current engineering education problems are the improper selection of faculty members, educational leaders, and administrators. Equity approaches will alone sustain the fast growth of attributes of graduates, and service to society through creating human and knowledge capital. The National Education Policy 2020 focuses on the vibrant growth of engineering education. This research paper assesses the prevailing equity culture, getting feedback from the senior faculty members, and suggests ways and means of implementing equity, norms, and standards in recruiting outstanding and well-accomplished faculty members, and training and developing them. Best practices in ethics, areas that require major change and development, the impact of ethical practice, and the responsibilities of maintaining ethics in an institute are presented

Keywords

Ethics, the Desired Scenario of Engineering Institutes As per Nep 2020, Best Practices in Ethics, the Impact of Ethical Practice, Maintaining Ethics, Soft Solutions, and Implementation Strategy.

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