Presenting by

1. The Role of Continuing Education In Enhancing Engineering Education for Managing Global Challenges(with special reference to Quality Improvement Program) Presenting by Bani Chatterjee Professor of Economics, Dean Continuing Education and Principal QIP Coordinator Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur – 721 302

2. We are living in an age of change. The pace of change in the last decade of the last century has significantly accelerated. While entering the 21st century the development landscape in general and organisational landscape in particular are being totally transformed. This has made the task of educational planners and policy makers more challenging. These challenges must be confronted. Innovations in technology, the spread of knowledge and technical skill, the growth of population, its concentration in cities and the resultant unemployment and underemployment, the financial integration of the world, and rising demands for political and human rights etc. are some of the forces that reshape the development terrain. If they are managed well, these forces could revolutionize the prospects for development and human welfare. However, the same forces are also capable of generating intolerable instability and human suffering.

3. Rising educational and technical skill levels, technological innovations that allow ideas to circulate, and the forces of globalization and liberalization have all contributed to such changes. They are mostly praised for the new opportunities they bring, such as access to information, markets and technology transfer, opportunities that hold out the promise of increased productivity, profitability, higher pay package and higher living standards for the people, who are at the centre. But they are also feared and often condemned because they sometimes bring instability and unwelcome change. They expose the workforce to competition which can threaten their jobs, make their education and skills obsolete and make them feel alienated and frustrated. The aim of this talk is not to praise or condemn such global changes. Rather it sees them as a phenomena that no planner or policy maker can afford to ignore. Thus, these challenges must be confronted by giving people more of a chance to shape the context of their own lives. This paradigm shift requires organisational and educational transformation for treating human resource as ‘assets’ rather than ‘costs’. It requires continuous education, collaboration, team work and a ‘clan’ culture. Skill and quality consciousness and its continuous improvement are to be developed at all levels of education, training and management. The present paper attempts to study and analyse such a paradigm of human resource management (HRM) which not only integrates educational strategy with the organisational strategy, but also integrates the concepts of quality improvement in engineering education with an aim to improve performance, productivity, profitability and price, of the people who are at the top, and tries to construct a five PS model to explain it.

4. The Corporate Climate The last decade is truly unique and noteworthy for the transformation that it has brought about in the corporate world. It will go down in history for the competitive environment, globalisation and multinational culture that developed all over the world. The decade will also be remembered for the total quality revolution that transformed the work place. Many time tested methods of managing work have been undergoing a sea change. Traditional managers, who fought in the market place on the basis of a low cost structure, are now aimed with the new weapons of quality of products and services in addition to low costs. Stable, highly specialised mass production factories are being replaced with flexible, automated innovative facilities where new products and, therefore, the entire manufacturing lines get replaced as fast as may be every six months. Hierarchical structures with well defined chains of command are being demolished to give way to inverted, flat, flexible structures where the customer is the focal point. In today’s fact changing environment there exists a need to build a slim and trim, fast changing dynamic enterprise, that is stable too. The need of the day is to build strong, stable organisations who have the capability to manage short product life cycles. Thus today’s organisations need process capabilities and investments not only in R&D, but also in education and HRD.

5. The HRD Challenge Human resource is an important and indispensable part of the production process, just like material, finance, technology, machinery etc. This key economic resource deserves the same attention, if not more, as is given to financial resourcing and planning, technology resourcing, marketing management etc. The traditional production units as well as modern service focussed enterprises of today are still labour-intensive. Qualitative shift in the pattern of employment has certainly taken place, but it has increased the importance of deployment of right number of people at the right time and in the right place. In the modern world, due to continuously changing technology and the dynamic character of business the demand for engineering professionals and skilled workers and teachers specially of technical institutions are ever increasing, who are extremely difficult to be found and retained. It is important to discuss in this context the concept of dynamic stability. The word ‘dynamic’ relates to everchanging technology, markets, products and processes, while ‘stability’ relates to the anchors of an enterprises, viz., its values and objectives which make it adaptable, innovative and customer focussed. Such anchors for an enterprise are primarily its human resource and the systems and processes that support them.

6. Engineering education is one of the most significant components of human resource development, with a potential for adding value to products and services, contributing towards national economy and improving the quality of life. During the past five decades, there has been a phenomenal expansion of engineering education facilities in the country. But a lot still needs to be done in respect of increasing its coverage and enhancing its accessibility to all sections of the society and in improving its relevance to productivity. Engineering education not only brings about increased productivity, but is also a means of converting 'job seekers' to 'job givers'. It is, therefore, imperative to emphasise on quality engineering education for overall improvement of the economy by enhancing the global competitiveness of technical manpower and by ensuring excellent technical education to all sections of society.

7. The Scenario of PG Education and Research PG education and research are very crucial for the technological wellbeing of the country, for growth in industrial productivity, for a respectable performance in a globally competitive economic environment and for sustenanance of self relevant R & D in strategic fields. It requires a multiple of agencies and institutions to support AICTE to achieve its goal. As such PG education in Engineering and Technology has had a late start in our country. At the time of independence only 6 institutes offered PG programmes in Engineering and Technology to about 70 students in all. The first doctorate in Electrical Engineering was in 1946 from the Guindy College of Engineering, Madras. The first PhD in Metallurgical Engineering was awarded in 1957 at BHU. The first PhDs from the first Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering emerged respectively in 1958, 1959 and 1960. Thomson College (later to become Roorkee University and now IIT Roorkee) produced its first doctorate in Civil Engineering only in 1963.

8. Considering the initial tardy progress, there is some satisfaction that we have today over 200 institutions offering PG education and the country produces annually about 400 doctorates, all disciplines in engineering and technology put together. Our growth in size and quality is certainly commendable. However, recently the institutional scene has undergone a sea change. The unstoppable exodus of the post graduates in Engineering disciplines to the IT sector on the one hand and the small and declining out-turn of PhD on the other have resulted in an acute shortage of teachers with PG qualifications for a large number of private colleges. Thus, urgent measures are required to revitalize PG education and research in engineering and technology so crucial to sustain security related technical developments as also to wealth generation and economic growth. The country has invested heavily in indigenous development of technology-intensive products and systems in strategic fields such as atomic energy, space and defence research. Remembering that India is a target country of wide ranging export control regimes, we have an inevitable stake in advanced education and research, specially in engineering and technology. The inescapable pressure of competition that the industry faces in an open economic regime dictated by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) constitute yet another element which was not a factor earlier. Unless imaginative moves are made forthwith to bolster human-resources to contend with the obvious forces of the coming decades, a serious dearth of well-trained manpower, can lead to perilous consequences. This situation requires that we have to gear up and do as much as we can to strengthen the existing institutions and their programmes so that one major asset that India has had and can continue to build on, namely qualified manpower is augmented.

9. Continuing Education : a tool to promote Engineering Education The National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986 of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India envisages the promotion of Continuing Education (CE) with the prime objective of adopting CE as a national culture and making it a recognized activity of all technical educational institutes. Continuing Education (CE) is a global phenomenon and many countries have taken full advantage of CE concept particularly for the development of Technical Manpower Resources of the country, keeping pace with the continuous technological developments around the world. The needs of CE education in the country is growing substantially as education imparted through some of the institutions are often being questioned on the quality of education. The graduates of these institutes need to be substantiated with further quality inputs to make those employable in the competitive job market. Besides the euphoria of IT education has resulted into skewed development of technical education in IT sector at the cost of core technologies such as civil, mechanical, electrical etc., which are very vital for the economic and infrastructural development of any nation. This needs to be corrected through appropriate training education wing by non-formal mode. The culture of research and development can not be inculcated unless the attention is focused on the development of technical education and further enhancement of technical knowledge through continuing education. The knowledge and skills acquired through the formal systems of technical education must be directed towards development of technology in order to achieve economic development and self sufficiency. The need for adopting modern technologies and continuing upgradation of such technologies in industrial application to sustain economic development can not be over emphasized.

10. The decision of creation of centres for Continuing Education by AICTE is therefore a landmark achievement for the council which started with the following salient objectives : 1. To supplement education received through formal education by upgradation of knowledge and skills through CE. 2. To build up country's capacity through system of non-formal education and training for meeting the technical and skilled manpower needs of the industry. 3. To arrange workshops, seminars and conferences on emerging areas. 4. To develop course curricula for various courses. 5. To provide short term courses / training programmes to teachers and also to industry professionals. 6. To enhance industry - academia interaction. 7. To award certificates, diploma and degrees through CE system may be through credit accumulation over a period of time.

11. No pursuit in excellence can ever be dreamt, if the teachers involved in making of technocrats and managers are not up to the mark. They are the architects who provide the essential know-how, which help students to realize their awesome potential. However good the infrastructure may be, however promising may be the results of various programmes, there is no substitute to a good teacher. Further, no one can claim to be the best unless efforts are made to continually update the knowledge of emerging technology. Quality is nothing but a continuous improvement and we owe it to future generations to deliver knowledge which is up-to-date. All these aspects are considered in the scheme of Quality Improvement Programme (QIP) of AICTE, a statutory autonomous body of Government of India.

12. Quality Improvement Program (QIP) The Government of India initiated QIP in 1970 with an objective 'to upgrade the expertise and capability of regular full time faculty members in degree level engineering institutions of the country', which is being implemented and monitored by AICTE. Under QIP sponsored teachers of engineering colleges are eligible for admission to either Masters or Doctoral degree programme, with the aim to imbibe in them the culture of research and also to develop innovative teaching ability by exposing them to the environment and training in premier institutions of technical education in the country. This programme was launched to improve the overall quality of teaching in technical institutions. The Scheme envisaged that by training the faculty members in institutions where the facilities, infrastructure and the faculty are of the international standards, it would provide the teachers an opportunity to get involved in emerging areas of research and development activities. This would facilitate building of quality infrastructure and improve the standard of technical education in their parent institution.

13. The three major activities under this programme are : (i) Providing opportunity for the faculty members of recognized degree level technical institutions to improve their PG and research qualifications. (ii) Organizing short-term courses at QIP centres in emerging areas of technology and research (iii) Curriculum development activities to improve teaching - learning process, teaching pedagogy and emphasizing practical training, personality development, inter-personal skills, development teaching and learning materials, etc. The additional objectives of the programme are : (i) Conducting seminars and workshops on various themes and policies relevant to technical education. (ii) To monitor and evaluate course material and to disseminate the same in institutions and industry. (iii) To interact with industrial establishments and research and development organizations at national and international levels. Thus the ongoing scheme of QIP should not only continue but should be vigorously promoted. The number of teachers deputed for studies and research should be doubted along with increasing the number of its major and minor centres.

14. OUR ACTIVITIES Continuing Education Programme National QIP Coordination 2003 -2005 Quality Improvement Programme (Q.I.P) Early Faculty Induction Programme (E.F.I.P) CEC Guest House Curriculum Development Cell • 110 beds including AC rooms • Dining Facilities • Two Lecture Halls • Community Hall Self Financing Short Term Courses Corpus Fund Support from SIDBI for SIMAP and STUP Distance Education

15. National Coordination • National Coordination of admissions for Ph.D. and M.Tech. Under QIP for 2003-2005. • Involves 7 IITs & IISc as Major Centres & 17 other Minor Centres. • 1205 in 2004 and 1146 in 2005 applications were received against about 1000 in 2003 and 750 in 2002. • About 440 candidates got admission in 2004-2005 through QIP for M.Tech. and Ph.D. degrees all over the country.

16. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME Formal Degree Programmes under QIP (M.Tech. & Ph.D) for Engineers • About 30 teachers for Ph.D and 20 for M.Tech. every year.

17. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME (Contd..) QIP Short Term Courses • Offered for teachers of AICTE recognised institutions on recent trends and advances in various subjects with financial assistance from AICTE. • Short term courses 12 weeks per year from 2004. • About 270 teachers participate in these courses every year

18. Early Faculty Induction Programme (EFIP) The programme commenced in a new format from 2003 • Eligibility: • First Year M.Tech. and Ph.D. Students who have completed three years at all IITs, IISc and 21 other Institutions are eligible. • B.Techs of IITs pursuing M.Tech and Dual Degree M.Tech in 9th Semester are eligible. •  Terms: • Contingency grant of Rs.10,000 pa, opportunity to attend courses on pedagogy and teaching skills development, and assistance for placement in Institutions as a student. • Rs.5000 pm allowance from AICTE on getting a job as a Lecturer on AICTE salary for three years. • Bond with AICTE and with the Institution for three year service.

19. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CELL C.D cell activities are supported by AICTE. • 18 text books by IIT faculty have been published in the last 5 years. • 9 CAI packages have been class room tested during the last 3 years • Workshops on curriculum development are undertaken periodically.

20. SELF FINANCED SHORT TERM COURSES • Specially formulated. • In the campus as well as at other places. • About 40 courses every year, 1500 participants, 200 teachers. No of STC Gross Receipt (Rs. In lakhs) 1997-1998 2001-2002 2002-2003 2004-2005 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2004-2005 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2003-2004 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001

21. Some Self-financing STC of Recent Past • International • Dinida Private Sector Development Programme sponsored by Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka for Bangladesh Companies (VGSOM) for 2½ months • 2001 – Rs. 32,00,000.00 (32 Participants) • 2002 – Rs. 17,50,000.00 (23 Participants) • 2003 – Rs. 24,62,289.00 (23 Participants) • 2004 – Rs. 21,73,952.00 (23 participants) • UNESCO Regional Training Course in Fibre Optics for College/University Teachers (Physics) for 15 days (January 2001). • Rs. 5,54,875.00. (21 Participants) • National Computer Training Programme on Information Technology Sponsored by Employee Provident Fund Org. 2001 – Rs. 32,00,000 (32 participants) • 1st May to 15th July 2001 (560 Participants – 80x7 batches) – Rs.28,00,000.00 • 3rd to 22nd December 2001 (160 participants– 80x2 batches) – Rs. 7,45,000.00

22. Some SF-STC in 2003-2005

23. Corpus Fund Support from SIDBI for Conducting SIMAP and STUP • Corpus Fund ------ Rs. 23,88,000.00 • Purpose to conduct one SIMAP and two STUP every year. • SIMAP (Small Industries Management Assistants Programme) – The objective is to develop a cadre of industrial managers specifically trained to assist the SSI entrepreneurs in their multiple responsibilities. • STUP (Skill-cum-Technology Upgradation Programme) – The objective is to improve the performance of existing SSI units by Developing/ Strengthening the entrepreneur skills of entrepreneurs and senior executives of the small enterprises.

24. Future Goals • Ph.D. 50 per year under QIP • M.Tech. 50 per year under QIP • Housing for QIP students • Continuing Education Courses for Alumni • Promoting Short Term Distance Education Courses. • Web based courses • Live transmission through satellite • In-house Faculty Development Programmes

25. I am sure that all the other major and minor QIP centres are equally active to promote engineering education through continuing education over and above their regular programs, and, thereby, making engineering education more relevant in the present day context. Integrating Quality Education in a Five P’s Model For Tomorrow’s World Though no one can predict tomorrow’s world for sure, but onething is certain, it will be radically different from today’s. In order to make the necessary adaptations in today’s world with an eye to the future, we must make continuous improvements in quality in whatever we do while focussing on the long-term environment. This change in emphasis requires a flexible strategy totally responsive to people, who are both the internal and external customers. Accordingly a Five P’s model has been constructed keeping people at the top and linking them with performance, productivity, pay package / price, and profitability. The worth of the people are to be judged by their excellence in performance which they acquire only through high quality education and training. This results in the improvement in productivity and product quality. Improved products not only fetches a better price from the people who are their external customers, but it also helps to provide people, i.e. the employees (who are the internal customers of the organization) a better pay package / perks, and ultimately improves the organizational effectiveness by increasing its profitability. This finally increases the capacity of the nation to manage global challenges well. ---------------------------

26. PEOPLE PAY PACKAGE / PRICE PROFITABILITY PERFORMANCE PRODUCTIVITY Five Ps' Model

27. Thanks