The head of Aditya Engineering College's Petroleum Technology department is Dr. R. Giri Prasad. From SV University in Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, he holds a PhD degree. He has worked as a faculty member for 13 years in total. Dr. Prasad has published 24 papers in reputed National and International Journals and has published five patents to his name.

Aditya Engineering College

Being a HOD of PT Dept., what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

My duties as a HOD include curriculum creation, industry involvement, student mentorship, and academic leadership. In addition, I'm responsible for developing innovative projects, working with other departments, implementing policies, and keeping an eye on performance. I also work at gathering student opinions regarding the instructors in each subject area (for all courses that are taught to students in that branch) and forwarding the comments in a standard format to the relevant faculty members.

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

I try to be personable and promote candid dialogue with my students. I applaud the students' accomplishments in both their extracurricular and academic lives. Their confidence is boosted, and they are motivated to achieve even more by this praise. In addition, I exhort the teachers to collaborate by constructively exchanging expertise.

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

We made memoranda of understanding with industry and invited specialists for guest lectures, workshops, and collaborative projects. It exposes students to the current practices and challenges of the industry. I work with teachers to regularly update the curriculum by integrating practical case studies, projects and assignments that reflect real-world scenarios.

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

Students in our department are trained to acquire communication skills and soft skills by participating in technical activities, e.g., paper presentation competitions, poster presentations, technical quizzes, and organize the student conferences. Expert lectures are organized for the students by inviting eminent persons from famous industries/academic organizations/institutions. In addition, regular field visits are organized to raise awareness of the latest developments in the technical field.

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

Feedback from faculty, students, recruiters, industry experts and alumni is considered while designing the course syllabus. The curriculum has been prepared in such a way that students can demonstrate the important knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to obtain professional training and higher education. The content of the curriculum is decided according to the educational objectives of the program with the support of the results of the direct grant program. We ensure that the program curriculum meets the program-specific criteria.

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What are your views on the placements and higher education of the students from your department How does your department prepare students for Higher education?

To motivate students, a lot of attention is paid to the campus internship. Every year, many students in my department opt for internships in various renowned organizations and renowned institutions of higher learning in India and abroad. A successful internship is also facilitated by the department's reputation and alumni network.

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

We organise technical competitions and project presentations that encourage students to solve real-world problems. These events promote innovation and creativity. Mentors can help students gain confidence and clarity about their goals. The college also provides access to career counselling services that help students identify their strengths, interests, and long-term career aspirations. Hands-on experience can give them a competitive edge.

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

Extracurricular activities are offered by several clubs run at college level. Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, including NSS, NCC and various club activities, to emphasize socially relevant activities.

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

Challenges can vary according to institutional, departmental, and external factors. Some of our challenges are regarding curriculum relevance, adaptation to online learning, assessment and accreditation, balance of research and teaching, and maintaining diversity and inclusion. We are still trying to meet these challenges and will overcome them slowly.

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

My vision is to transform our department into a petroleum technology center of excellence with technological capabilities and professional commitments and to have social responsibility through multiple mission elements. We strive to provide quality training, well-equipped laboratory facilities and industry collaboration. We also promote cutting-edge technology to serve the needs of society and industry through innovative research and encourage professional ethics and personality development skills.