Mr. P. Anjappa is the Head of the Department of EEE at Viswam Engineering College. He is a distinguished academician and able administrator with more than seven years of experience. He has grown through the ranks at the institute, starting his teaching career as an Assistant Professor in 2019. He obtained his master's degree in 2015. Mr. Anjappa has published ten research papers in various reputed national and international journals, besides a couple of patents to his credit. In his impressive teaching and administrative career, he has consistently promoted innovative teaching practices and imaginative thinking. He has endeared himself to his students and colleagues alike through his affable nature and empathetic leadership style.

Viswam Engineering College

Being a head of department of college, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

As the Head of the Department, my roles and responsibilities are multifaceted. Creating a comfortable and supportive classroom environment, encouraging students to pursue their academic goals, and monitoring their well-being are key responsibilities I have to complete. I also work towards encouraging and assisting students to participate in extracurricular activities, clubs, and research opportunities.

How do you tend to establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty?

Creating strong connections with both students and faculty is essential to generating an encouraging learning environment. With students, we adopt some strategies such as active listening, empathy, transparency and communication. With fellow faculty, the college adopts strategies such as collaboration and teamwork, professional development and support, leadership and guidance.

How do you try to bring in practical approach towards subjects and make it industry oriented?

There are a number of methods that may be used to connect what students learn in the classroom with what they can do in the real world. We consider curriculum development, internships and work placements towards getting our students a practical approach to learning. We also use modern and new teaching methodologies, such as project based learning, guest lectures and industry speakers, and have hands-on workshops and labs.

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students which help them gain necessary skills? 

We use a wide range of methods and tools for facilitating the development of students' core competencies. Some activities are designed to help students develop marketable abilities in addition to their academic expertise. Some practices are skill development programs, internships, industry collaboration projects, career services and guidance, research opportunities, extracurricular activities, practical assignments and projects, and providing feedback.

How do you strategize the curriculum and how often it gets updated to make it befitting for the students? 

Both students and industries have different requirements, so institutions must evolve their curricula and approaches to education. We can approach curriculum as analysis and evaluation, identifying objectives and goals, curriculum development, implementation, assessment and feedback. We also seek the help of alumni members and industry experts to understand what to include and what not to include in the syllabus.

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What are your views upon the placements and higher education about the students from your department or How does your department prepare students for higher education?

We try to prepare students for placements and higher education. We do so by implementing strategies such as placement support, internship opportunities, and higher education readiness. We also provide standardized test preparations, networking opportunities, and skill development classes.

How do you help your student to cope up with the competition being so high in the outside world? 

Educational institutions can employ a variety of methods to help their students overcome the competition. We tackle this issue by providing soft skills training, career counselling and guidance. We also provide immense scope for networking and opportunities for industry exposure through internships and mentorship programs. We also provide real-world case studies so that students can practice their technical and classroom knowledge. This helps provide real-world experience.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students or expose them to the real-world challenges?

Students benefit greatly from extracurricular activities and programmes. These activities offer them valuable knowledge in the real world. We provide programs such as start-up incubator programs, leadership development, community service and social impact services. We also have innovation challenges, cultural and artistic activities, sports and health initiatives.

What are the challenges you faced/ are facing to uplift the quality of education of your department? 

It might be difficult to improve a department's educational standards due to a number of factors, such as resource constraints, faculty development and retention. There are also issues regarding curriculum relevance and adaptability, competition and market dynamics, along with assessment and quality assurance. We also have to face regulatory and accreditation demands.

When you came to the college, what was your vision and how are you trying to achieve the same? 

My vision upon entering a college leadership role was enhanced academic excellence, faculty development and support, and technological integration into the curriculum. The strategies to achieve the vision are curriculum enhancement, research and innovation initiatives, and quality assurance and continuous improvement. We also want to make it a point to adapt to educational trends.

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How does the curriculum of your department/college ensures the best practice of the industry? 

We develop our curricula with best practices by involving industry collaborations. There must be regular curriculum development that should supplemented with guest lectures and workshops with industry experts. Our curricula focus on practical applications through internships and experimental learning. We also pay due attention to professional development, research and innovation.

How does the department/ college/University enhance the skills of the faculty and prepares them according to the industry standards? 

Maintaining a high standard of learning requires that teachers continually improve their abilities. The college must also adapt its curricula to reflect current trends in the profession. This can be achieved by conducting workshops and seminars, conferences and continuing education. There must also be collaboration with industry, research and development, and faculty exchange programs.

What are the interventions and approaches you bring in apart from curriculum to train/teach the students? 

When integrated with the curriculum, some interventions can help shape well-rounded, competent, and adaptive graduates who are prepared to face the difficulties of the real world. These interventions can include experimental learning, collaborative learning, and adaptive teaching methods. We also have mentorship programs, soft skills training, leadership and entrepreneurship programs and support services.

What valuable advice would you like to the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead? 

The potential of a student's future professional life can be improved by their ability to develop transferable skills like communication skills. I would advise students to network and build relationships, set goals and plan strategically. Seek mentorship and guidance from experienced seniors.