Best Practices

Objectives of the Practice:

1. To develop and strengthen generic skills required for career and societal life.
2. To develop sensitization towards social issues and holistic development.
3. To create the knowledge of recent technology and techniques among students.
4. To develop an attitude for lifelong learning.
5. To instill innate talents through sports and cultural activities.

The context:

The Professionals need to possess a blend of both generic skills and professional skills in order to excel in their careers and achieve success in life. The amalgamation of generic skills and professional competencies determines candidates’ ability to perform well in their jobs and contribute to society. Therefore, it is imperative for students to receive education and training in generic skills and professional competencies through an actionable and comprehensive plan. To accomplish this, educational institutes must develop academic calendars and design programs that incorporate best practices and methods for the development of generic skills and professional competencies.

The Practice:

The institute has a well-structured and calendar-based schedule of programs and activities aimed at fostering generic skills and professional competencies. The institute offers the following programs to its students:

• Soft Skills
• Life Skills
• ICT/ Computing Skills
• Language & Communication
• Online MOOC programs –SWAYAM, NPTEL
• Certificate/ Add-on/ Value added programs
• Sports day
• Cultural events
• NSS and outreach programs
• Placement details

Specific training and workshops are organized for each program, ensuring that students from every department have the opportunity to enhance their professional competencies.

Likewise, the institute promotes and facilitates student engagement in both internal and external sports and cultural activities. Additionally, as part of its social corporate responsibility, the institute encourages students to actively participate in NSS and other outreach programs.

Evidence of Success:

1. Among the 184 capacity building and skill enhancement programs organized by the institute, students from all departments actively took part.
2. An impressive 95.7% of the students have successfully attended the Certificate / Add on / Value added programs offered and online MOOC programs like SWAYAM, NPTEL etc arranged by the institute.
3. With the institute hosting 209 outreach programs, nearly every student is actively involved in at least one of these initiatives.
4. The institute’s concerted efforts in organizing these programs have led to a rising placement rate. In the most recent year, 500 industry offers were received for students.
5. There has been a consistent annual increase in the number of students participating in these programs.

Problems encountered and Resources required

It is challenging for both faculty members and students to find time from their regular work and academic commitments to encourage students to undertake innovative and technically competent projects. The following are the problems that have been encountered:

1. Encouraging individuals to participate in the program.
2. Difficulty in finding time for faculty members and students due to regular classes and work.
3. Ensuring completion of certification for the SWAYAM and NPTEL programs.

Through dedicated efforts and comprehensive training right from the start, all mental barriers have been overcome. Students have actively engaged in all programs and acquired the necessary skills with the support and guidance of the faculty, mentors, and training providers.

Objectives of the Practice:

1. To establish a cooperative relationship between Institute and Industry.
2. To encourage mutually beneficial research-oriented learning inputs for faculty and students
3. To enhance newer technology transfer for socio- economic development
4. To bridge gap between employability and competence
5. To augment communication and professionalism

The context:

The faculty development and research activities play a significant role in enhancing the performance of the institute and enable the institution to achieve its mission. These activities also empower faculty members to engage in community and regional initiatives. Furthermore, the training and research initiatives have a direct impact on students’ project activities and contribute to the expansion of their knowledge base.

The Practice:

To comprehend the skills demanded by the industry, partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been established with 24 organizations and industries. The institution has conducted following activities to boost research and development.

• The institute has implemented a policy to offer financial aid aimed at bolstering research and development. Faculty members are encouraged to participate in seminars, conferences, research projects and paper publications.
• A grant of 114 lakhs has been allocated to the institute for project undertakings.
• The college actively encourages students to participate in Idea grant competitions organized by the Kerala start-up mission (KSUM), and several student teams have successfully secured Idea grants from KSUM.
• Moreover, the institution maintains close association with chapters such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Computer Society of India (CSI), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

 Evidence of Success:

1.  Students have the opportunity to engage in academic project work by visiting these industries. With the support of the industry, they design new products and write research papers. This has led to an improvement in their placement prospects.
2.  A significant number of research projects are undertaken throughout the assessment year.
3. Faculty development programs have been attended by 42% of the faculty members.

Problems encountered and Resources required:

The research program plays a crucial role in the learning and development process for individuals. However, finding time amidst regular work to encourage individuals to engage in research projects poses difficulties for both faculty members. The following are the problems that have been encountered:

1. Insufficient availability of high-end equipment.
2. Lack of qualified resource persons.
3. Limited availability of research assignments.

These challenges were overcome through the motivation, guidance, and support provided by faculty mentors and the management. To support the willingness of students and faculty members to work on their research projects, several resources were made available, including CAD/CAM software, assistance from the research cell, access to the library, and active participation of educators.

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