Dr.Zareena Sultana is the Dean (Student Welfare) at ISL Engineering College. She is an accomplished professor, author, and poet. With a career spanning over thirty years, she has established herself as a prominent voice in academia and literary circles. As a professor, Dr. Sultana has taught English literature at the prestigious ISL Engineering College affiliated with Osmania University. As an author, Dr. Sultana published a book on Business Communication and Soft Skills. She also published numerous scholarly articles, essays, and books on literature, language, and culture. She is widely recognized as a leading authority in her field and has won several awards for her contributions to student development and Philanthropic works.
As a poet, Dr. Sultana has published several collections of poems that explore themes of love, loss, identity, and social justice. Her poetry is lyrical, sensitive, and insightful, resonating with readers of all ages and backgrounds.
What is the latest program that you are offering in ISL Engineering College. Which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?
Our college is offering innovation and entrepreneurship programs to help students learn how to start and manage their own businesses. These programs provide students with the resources and guidance they need to turn their ideas into successful startups. Our college is teaming up with leading companies in specific industries to provide students with industry-specific training and experience. This gives students an edge when it comes to job placement and helps them outperform their peers who haven’t had this training.
With the rise of online learning platforms like Coursera, Edu and EdX, our college is partnering with these platforms to offer free online courses that students can take at their own pace. This not only helps students learn new skills but also provides them with valuable credentials that can help them stand out in the job market. Our college is providing students with research opportunities to help them gain hands-on experience in their field of study. These opportunities allow students to work on cutting-edge research projects and develop skills that will help them succeed in their careers.
Overall ISLEC is constantly exploring new programs and initiatives to help their students outperform. It’s important for students to research the different options available to them and choose the programs that best suit their needs and goals.
What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt?
The program provides hands-on experience and opportunities to work on real-world projects to prepare students for the real business world and access to resources such as funding, mentors, networks, and experts to guide and support students in their ventures. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the industry and students’ interests, incorporating practical skills, project-based learning and interdisciplinary courses. The program cultivates an entrepreneurial culture by fostering creativity, risk-taking, and innovation, and encouraging students to think like entrepreneurs. The program establishes partnerships with industry leaders and startups to provide students with access to industry events, internships, and mentorship opportunities. It offers global exposure and opportunities for international collaboration to prepare graduates for working in a globalized world.
Overall, the entrepreneurship program for ISLEC students provides a holistic and practical approach to learning, fostering creativity, innovation, and critical thinking skills necessary for success as entrepreneurs.
What will you say are the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?
The program encourages students to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas and solutions. Our college has experienced mentors who can guide the students and provide them with the necessary support and resources. The program encourages collaboration among students from different disciplines and backgrounds. This helps create a diverse and talented team of entrepreneurs. Students are given the opportunity to work on real-life projects and learn from their experiences. It provides students with access to resources such as funding, research facilities, and industry partners.
In addition to technical skills, the programme emphasizes on business and marketing skills. This helps the students understand the market and develop strategies to launch successful ventures. The program also fosters a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by encouraging students to take risks and learn from their failures. This helps create a highly motivated and skilled community of entrepreneurs.
What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute?
These programs encourage participants to think outside the box and come up with new ideas or solutions that can solve real-world problems. Participants are taught the process of generating ideas, testing them, and validating them with potential users or customers. These programs provide an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts who can provide valuable insights and connections.
Participants learn a range of business skills, such as marketing, financial management, and project management, that are essential for successfully launching and running a business. Many innovation and entrepreneurship programs provide access to funding opportunities, such as seed funding, venture capitalists, or angel investors, which can help participants turn their ideas into viable businesses.
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How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?
We are ensuring that the academic program is tailored to meet the needs and requirements of the current job market and industry trends. We are providing students with opportunities to gain practical experience through internships, co-ops, research projects, and affiliations with industry. We emphasize on the use of modern technology that is relevant to the student’s field of study to enhance their proficiency. We are providing flexible educational options that enable students to pursue their goals at their own pace and skill level and ongoing career counselling and job placement assistance to students. We are working on continuously evaluating and improving the program to provide students with the most advanced and relevant coursework and learning activities.
We are infusing soft skills training into the coursework to prepare students for the demands of the workplace such as effective collaboration, communication skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
Witnessing the graduation ceremony where students receive their degrees after years of hard work and dedication is a fulfilling moment for the dean. Obtaining accreditation and recognition from reputable organizations add to the college’s reputation and the dean’s accomplishments. When students, faculty, and researchers contribute to significant engineering breakthroughs, the dean can take pride in their achievements and research advancements.
When alumni excel in their careers in the engineering field, their achievement brings recognition and pride to the dean and the college. When faculty members win national or international awards, break ground in their research, or publish extraordinary research papers, their achievements reflect positively on the college and the dean’s leadership.
Overall, as dean, I take pride in the development, successes, and achievements of both students and staff.
What strategy do you employ for building an efficient work team?
Communication is key to building a strong team. Encourage open and transparent communication between team members. Hold regular meetings to discuss progress, share ideas, and brainstorm on new projects. It is important to have clear-cut roles and responsibilities assigned to each team member so that there is no confusion in the workflow. This promotes accountability and responsibility amongst the team members.
Fostering an environment of team collaboration among team members and emphasizing that everyone’s input is valuable, and ensuring that your team members have the chance to share ideas. Give them the freedom to express their opinions or ideas without fear of being dismissed or criticized. Clearly defining goals and targets for your team, and ensuring that everyone is aware of what is expected of them. Set achievable targets that are time-bound and measurable. Celebrate achievements and share success stories. Encourage team members to attend training courses and workshops to improve their skills. It can be beneficial to have them share what they learned with the rest of the team to continue to develop a culture of teamwork. Recognizing individual and team achievements. Celebrate successes and milestones. Offer incentives for outstanding performance and provide constructive feedback, both positive and negative, to your team members. This helps them learn and grow and feel valued. Encourage them to take feedback positively and to use it to improve their performance. By implementing the above strategies, ISLEC has built a strong team that functions efficiently and effectively, working well towards achieving common goals.
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What was the most challenging task that you faced in your career so far, and what did you learn from it?
Being the dean of the college is a challenging position that requires managing complex academic programs, leading faculty and staff, overseeing budget and resource allocation, collaborating with industry partners, addressing student and staff concerns, and promoting the college’s reputation and success.
Some of the most common challenges include keeping up with evolving technology and industry demand, addressing diversity and inclusion issues, balancing academic rigor and student success and resolving funding and resource allocation issues.
What do you find most difficult about being a dean?
The most difficult part of being the dean of the college could include some potential challenges such as managing budgets, fostering relationships with industry partners, ensuring equity and diversity in student and faculty populations, prioritizing research initiatives, and keeping up with the constantly evolving field of engineering. Additionally, managing student expectations and career preparation can also be a challenging aspect of the role as dean.
What is your Vision for ISL Engineering College in the next Five years?
The vision of ISLEC for the next five years may include incorporating emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain into the curriculum to train and prepare students for the job market. Improving the quality of education by integrating an interdisciplinary approach to learning and research. Collaboration with industry partners to provide students with practical experience and opportunities for internships. Increasing diversity and inclusivity in classrooms by ensuring all students have access to the same opportunities. Launching new programs that cater to the changing demands of modern society, such as environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and cybersecurity. Developing strong career support services for graduates to help them obtain employment opportunities that match their skills and interests. Investing in research and innovation to solve real-world problems and accelerate technology advancements. Building a culture of continuous learning and professional development for students, faculty, and staff.
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