Dr. L. Sharmila is the Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Agni College of Technology, Chennai, India. She received her M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from Anna University and Sathyabama University. She has secured distinction in both B.E. and M.E. Dr. Sharmila is an Anna University rank holder in her PG degree. She has 16 years of teaching experience and six years of research experience and is a reviewer for many SCI Indexed Journals like Ambient Intelligence and Humanised Computing (Springer), Journal of Supercomputing, Computer Communications (Elsevier), Microprocessor and Microsystems, and Wiley, among others.

Agni College Of Technology

What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/dept. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

We have courses that are designed for students to build a strong foundation for the future. For CSE students, we have courses on Python, Big Data, IoT, Cyber Security Essentials, Cloud computing and Mobile Application Development. Depending on the student's interest, the specialization has been identified for the individual students based on that specialization. Technical training is also given to the students so that they get specialized in the platform in which they are interested. They become specialist in a programming language, a domain which the software company expects.

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt?

Our courses have been designed keeping in mind the needs of the industry. Factors like offering courses through online education platforms such as Coursera and Udemy are provided to make this program the best that meets the needs of the industry for the students. We also encourage our students to complete NPTEL programs to further prepare and train them for their careers. 

What would you say are the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?

Our best practices would be the technical training we provide. It comes into aid as students learn about new and advanced technology training such as IOT, blockchain, data science, and cloud essentials that are in demand among employers. Students also get trained in both theoretical and hands-on sessions by the trainers. Based on the training, the students extend their skills to publish their work in national, and international conferences and national and international journals.

What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute/dept.?

To polish our student’s skills, we conduct seminars, webinars, workshops and hands-on training sessions to learn more about coding, development, and testing skills. The students become strong enough in their skills by taking part in other college technical symposiums like paper presentations, technical quizzes, debugging, and gaming. To make the students efficient in hacking and coding, events like hackathons are conducted for them.

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

Our students actively take part in the Entrepreneur Development Cell, which involves creative thinking. Creative thinking can help individuals solve complex challenges. The interest of the students is reflected in their participation in events like group discussions, technical discussions, technical debates, etc. The confidence level of the students gets elevated because of the technical knowledge which is inculcated in them.

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How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

To train the faculty in certain programs we have initiated collaborations with the industry. Industry experts visit the college and conduct interactive sessions to educate the teachers on the latest trends and technologies. The faculty members are also getting updated by actively participating in FDPs, seminars, webinars, and technical talks. This in turn benefits the students.

How do you tend to build an industry connect with this program?

“Keeping the industry people involved as far as possible.” Industrial experts are identified through alumni to network with and connect with. Guest lectures with industry experts are conducted for the students to understand the current trends and technologies. The students can also experience industrial exposure through our Centre of Excellence events like Data Patterns, and Virtusa, which are used to refine their technical skills.

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating this program in your curriculum?

Our biggest challenges are about understanding the different learning challenges among students. We also want to address the lack of effective communication. We also want to make our students more attracted towards the recent trends and technological updations. There is also a lack of cross-platform knowledge and less eagerness to learn coding.

What are the types of projects that the students are working on through this program?

Students are encouraged to exhibit their interests by choosing projects based on the latest technology, like IoT-based projects, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Data Analytics. Students solve problems and make decisions based on real-world case studies and complex problems. Problems on topics such as big data and cloud computing are given to the students based on their interests. We provide students with opportunities to learn about current and future complex issues and problems and to use creative solutions for them.

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

After pursuing this technical training course, students will acquire a strong technical foundation in their area of interest and can be easily placed at top MNCs with good packages in core companies like TCS, CTS, Clusterx, and Rapid Data. Many of our students have also become successful entrepreneurs, able to pursue higher studies in foreign countries at recognised universities and also get placed. For example, if their area of interest is Big Data, students are well-trained and get placed in the role of data analyst in top MNCs.