Dr. Anurag Kulshreshtha has been working as the Director of Admission and Dean of the Faculty of Emerging Technologies at Scope Global Skills University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

He possesses a prolonged experience of 22 years in industry, academia, and research. In addition to this, he has published many research papers in various national and international journals. And throughout his career, he has participated in various conferences, seminars, and workshops as an eminent speaker. Dr. Anurag has also guided scholars in M.Tech. and PhD programs. He is a life member of the Tribological Society of India and the Indian Institute of Metals.

SCOPE Global Skills University

Being the Dean of the Faculty of Emerging Technologies, what are your key responsibilities towards the students?

As a Dean of the Faculty of Emerging Technologies, my prime responsibility is to oversee departmental activities and operations to ensure an optimal academic atmosphere. Apart from this, managing and motivating staff while fostering a positive, encouraging, and effective workspace on campus, providing high-quality and skillful education to students that encourages their overall growth and development, and ensuring a consistent provision for academic ambiance come under the scope of my work.

How do you maintain healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty of your institute?

For the purpose of establishing good relations with the fellow faculty of our college, I have developed a congenial environment on campus that enables everyone to work to their utmost capabilities while managing strong formal relationships with each other. Apart from this, I always ensure to support my colleagues in their tasks and have built a favourable atmosphere that encourages collaboration between us and mutual respect for all.

And when it comes to students, my approach involves focusing on their growth by identifying their talents, boosting their confidence, and providing them with suitable platforms to showcase their skills. Additionally, my emphasis lies on nurturing an environment where students feel supported, confident, and capable.

How do you bring a practical and industry-oriented approach to subjects?

With the aim of enforcing a practical and industry-oriented approach to subjects, we together have developed an industry-centric curriculum. Also, to bridge the gaps between theory and its real-world applications, we offer amazing internships to students from time to time so that they can gain the required hands-on exposure and insights that are directly relevant to their respective professional fields.

Apart from this, by immersing students in corporate-based learning opportunities and helping them apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, our goal is to equip them with much-needed skills and experiences that will be directly applicable and beneficial for them when they step into the challenging world. All in all, the curriculum and educational practices we have adopted facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of subjects and enhance students' readiness for the professional realm.

Which best practices are followed by your department to help students gain the necessary skills?

We have employed a structured curriculum that comprises 70% practical and 30% theory to deliver the finest quality education to students. Our objective is to provide the best possible hands-on experiences to students in order to help them develop essential skills and knowledge by implementing classroom learning into practical scenarios and being ready to fulfil the demands of their future careers.

How do you strategize and update the curriculum to make it befitting for the students?

We regularly update the curriculum of our institution after rigorous analysis of industry needs and technological advancements to ensure course content remains relevant and appropriate for the diverse academic requirements of students. And throughout this whole process, we often interact with industry professionals to understand their insights, incorporate the recommended changes, and quickly adapt to the evolving industry landscape.

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How does your department prepare students for placement and higher education?

The courses in our department are tailored carefully to meet the diverse and ever-evolving demands of sectors such as manufacturing, automotive technology, and renewable energy. Hence, placement opportunities are always abundant for students because of the timely alignment of our approaches and education quality with growing markets. Also, to support and guide students for higher education and offer them advanced programmes in their respective domains, our department has established strong collaborations with universities, both within India and abroad. And this partnership also helps us to ensure a smooth transition for students desiring further education. Last but not least, our focus on inculcating industry-relevant skills in young minds provides a pathway for those interested in pursuing higher studies, offering them options to continue their academic journey in line with the department's specialised domains.

How do you prepare your students to confidently deal with the outside, competitive world?

I have prioritised imparting wisdom alongside knowledge to make students ready for the outside competitive world. By emphasising the application of learned knowledge in real-world scenarios and encouraging critical thinking, students develop a deeper understanding and confidence. In other words, my focus on inculcating wisdom in them involves preparing students to not only understand the material but also to comprehend its practical implications. It cultivates a mindset that's adaptable and capable of addressing challenges in the competitive outside world.

Which extracurricular activities are organized by your college to enhance the skills of students?

Our college regularly organises workshops to provide the required practical knowledge and hands-on experience to students so that they can develop their skills and confidently face real-world challenges. Apart from this, internships are an integral part of our programmes and offer students the opportunity to apply their learning in real-world work environments. Then we have research projects, which encourage teamwork among students and inculcate in them the required problem-solving skills. All in all, these activities collectively contribute to the skill enhancement of our young minds and better prepare them for the practical hurdles they might face in their professional journeys.

In your opinion, what challenges are educational institutions facing these days, and how can those hurdles be fixed?

As we all know, even in today's time, despite the nation's economic growth, people all over the country (especially those coming from rural and underprivileged communities) don't have equal access to quality education, and this, I believe, poses a strong challenge for every institution that is trying to improve its education quality. And I believe that by implementing personalised learning methods that suit an individual's needs and capabilities, we can mitigate the disparities in access and quality of education, particularly for those in underserved areas, to a great extent. In other words, this early adaptation can play a significant role in enhancing the educational experience and outcomes for a diverse range of learners.

When you joined the college, what was your vision for it, and how are you trying to achieve it?

My aim when I joined the institution was to provide the best quality education and experiential learning opportunities to students by ensuring their active involvement in departmental activities and holistic development. In other words, my strategy involves building a system that students trust, fostering an environment where they are motivated to engage actively and learn through experience.

How does your college enhance faculty skills and train them as per industry standards?

Our institution has taken specific measures to ensure that faculty members regularly upgrade their knowledge and that their skills remain in sync with changing industry standards and the education system. First and foremost, we encourage them to regularly participate in various developmental avenues, such as faculty development programmes, workshops, conferences, and diverse training sessions. In addition to this, they are sent on industrial visits to observe and understand technological advancements, current trends, and techniques in their respective domains firsthand. This continuous professional development approach also ensures that faculty remain well-prepared to deliver relevant and updated content to students, meeting the demands of the industry.