NITK bags Best University Award

NITK bags Best University Award

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Dec 19: NITK received the first ISTE-KIIT National Award for Best Technical University Award during the inaugural ceremony of the 39th National Convention organized by it on Friday. 

Lueny Morell, the president of the International Federation of Engineering Societies (IFEES), inaugurated the National Conference of the Indian Society of Technical Education (ISTE). In her address titled "Engineering Education: Challenges of 21st Century" she spoke about the necessity of schools producing a workforce required by companies. Since technology is reaching people quickly, engineering educators cannot remain backward. She stressed the urgent need to revive curriculum in technological institutions and discard the 18th century curriculum that is still being followed. Engineering educators must cater to the requirements of society, involve everybody at stake, and design a student-centered curriculum that focuses on learning. 

 

Prof N R Shetty, the president of ISTE and the former director of NITK, said in his presidential speech that the system of higher education requires a structural reform. He said that a culture of entrepreneurship ought to be developed because entrepreneurs are the innovators and catalysts of economic progress.

Prof Shetty also said that the ISTE is planning to accredit the Indian engineering colleges as per the guidelines of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), USA; the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE); and IFEES.

He also informed the audience that the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC), India Chapter, will be inaugurated on Saturday. The function of the GEDC will be to enhance the quality of education in India by creating a common platform for vice chancellers and principals to interact with policy makers in different parts of the world. The ISTE will also launch a website, which will function as a virtual lab and a library portal and will thereby enable the development of online faculty. 

 

Stanislaus Francis D’Souza, the head of the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology division of Bhabha Atomic Center (BARC), released the proceedings of the conference. Hans Hoyer, the secretary-general of IFEES, and Prof R S Nirjar, the vice chancellor of Gautam Buddha University in UP, were the guests of honor. Prof Ranjit Singh, the executive director of ISTE; Ashok Singh, the chairman of the Central Board of Workers Education; Prof Sandeep Sancheti, the director of NITK; and many others were present at this conference, which will end on Dec 20.