Dr. P Venkat Ramana has been working as the Dean of Academic Affairs at Mohan Babu University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. As part of his education, he has done PhD from Sri Venkateswara University of Tirupati, and his area of expertise is in Communication & Signal Processing and Micro & Nano Electronics. He has an amazing 25 years of work experience in the teaching and research sector. Apart from this, he has published 52 research articles in reputed International journals. So far, he has received grants worth INR 55 Lakhs from various funding agencies.

MBU - Mohan Babu University

Being a Dean of Academic Affairs, how do you balance the academic needs of students and administration?

Approaches like setting proper goals and objectives for the team, prioritizing activities based on requirements and urgency and delegating tasks to people based on their skills and expertise, have helped me a lot in focusing on taking strategic initiatives and improving the academic programs of our institution.

Apart from this, I regularly keep myself updated about the current educational trends, best practices and administrative procedures, so that I can incorporate the same in our policies and provide the much needed support and guidance to students based on their diverse academic requirements. Last but not the least, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and seeking continual professional development has helped me in balancing the expectations of everyone, I am working with or working for.

What initiatives have you implemented to ensure that the curriculum and academic pedagogy stay updated with the latest trends?

Our university has employed a comprehensive approach to keep both the curriculum and academic pedagogies in sync with contemporary trends. First and foremost, we are fostering the culture of lifelong learning on campus and have also prioritized the continuous professional development of our faculty by ensuring their participation in Knowledge transfer programs, so that they stay aware of the latest research and pedagogical methods. Other than this, we regularly collaborate with leading industries and their experts followed by eminent professors to make sure our students can timely develop essential skills, share innovative ideas and best practices and be ready for the challenges of the corporate world. 

We also have a Curriculum Review Committee, which plays a key role in assessing and integrating the latest courses and technologies into the curriculum and keeping it relevant. Lastly, student feedback is routinely collected to gauge curriculum effectiveness and our attitude to quickly adapt things to the changing educational landscape has helped us to solidify the accreditation processes and create a dynamic and responsive educational environment for young minds.

What steps has MBU taken to provide experiential learning experience to students?

For the purpose of providing a much needed experiential learning atmosphere to our students so that they can confidently compete in the outside world, our university has adopted multiple unique approaches, such as identifying the learning objectives associated with each course, planning and selecting suitable activities after considering logistics and safety, offering guidance and support to students during the activity, assessing student performance and provide them feedback and documenting learning outcomes. 

Also, MBU regularly conducts seminars, surprise tests, quizzes, poster presentations, group discussions, debate and role play, etc. In addition to this, we also organize technical talks, group activities, market surveys and professional visits to industries for them so that they stay informed of what's happening in the dynamic world of companies. They are encouraged to develop models for real-time projects, work on assignments, publish papers and pursue certification courses from online learning platforms like MOOC, Swayam and NPTEL.

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Are there any challenges associated with your role as Dean of Academic Affairs?

One of the key challenges associated with my role as Dean of Academic Affairs is that I have to delicately balance everyone's requirements and promote an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students on campus. Apart from this, I need to supervise the curriculum design process and ensure faculties regularly upgrade their skills to deliver quality knowledge to students.

Then I have to maintain high educational standards considering the resources and support services to address the diverse needs of students. And to address these hurdles, I regularly communicate and collaborate with faculty and staff, to make data-driven decision making and ensure students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for future challenges.

How do you incorporate technologies in teaching methods to give effective learning experiences to students?

We have adopted the latest tools and technologies in accordance with the revolution happening in the world of education. At present we are using the approaches of Flipped Classroom Model, Mind Mapping, Z to A approach, Storytelling and Think-Pair-Share to deliver knowledge and moral values to students. Apart from this, we promote the concept of educational diversity through Peer Study Groups and also organize debate sessions and industry interaction sessions by inviting Entrepreneurs and Innovators to the classroom. 

Then we have technology, cultural and community immersion sessions for students and unique ideas are collected from them too on the taught topic. Also, all our faculty members are well versed in online delivery of lectures and assessments of students using the Learning Management Systems. 

Hence, using the latest digital tools and resources such as LMS and online platforms to organize materials, multimedia content to enhance understanding, and quizzes and discussion boards to foster active participation, they have created engaging and interactive lessons to cater to the diverse learning needs of students. Last but not least, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality can make abstract concepts tangible, while collaborative tools and gamification add an element of fun and teamwork to the learning process.

How do you encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities organized by MBU?

We have a dedicated department called Student Affairs to make sure students regularly take part in activities and events organized by MBU. In addition to this, Department Heads have rigorously focused on creating a great environment inside the campus that is favorable to organizing activities that can bring out the hidden talents of students and provide them a platform to showcase the same to everyone in the outside world. Lastly, we have clubs, technical associations in each department and professional societies and chapters to bridge any kind of possible gaps between academia and industry.

What is your vision for the MBU in coming years as a Dean of Academic Affairs?

My vision being the Dean of Academic Affairs at MBU is to foster a dynamic and inclusive learning environment on campus for students, that prioritizes innovation, student success, and academic excellence. Other than this, I want to improve the curriculum of our university by integrating cutting-edge technologies, interdisciplinary programs and pedagogical methods into it. Hence, our focus remains on attracting and retaining top-tier faculty, empowering them to engage in research and teaching that pushes boundaries. Lastly, through strategic partnerships, a focus on continuous improvement, and a dedication to student-centered education, we will equip our graduates with the skills, knowledge and attitude to thrive in an ever-evolving world.