Our aim is to empower students for sustainable future, says BB Ahuja COEP director
Also, all students are exposed to mandatory courses in innovation and entrepreneurship. Also, the institute has 39 different technical and non-technical clubs and six student society chapters and it’s mandatory for every student to join either of the clubs which is of his interest and actively participate in the activities organised by the club
BB Ahuja, director, and professor, department production engineering and industrial management, College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) has held several important academic, research and administrative positions in his career of 32 years. Also, he has been felicitated with several awards including; Best Teacher Award by the government of Maharashtra in 2009-10, Education Leadership Award by 25th business School Affaire and Dewang Mehta, National Education Award 2017, among others. He throws light on the various initiatives undertaken by the college for the skill enhancement of students.
What steps have been undertaken by the college to enhance the skills of students?
The college provides a platform for young minds to learn and explore many passions, along with their education. The infrastructural facilities include a well-stocked library that is open round-the-clock, well-equipped laboratories, and easy access to computers with Internet connection, all of which bolster the learning environment.
What are the different courses offered by the institute?
There have been several academic enhancements in the form of exposure to liberal arts with courses on psychology, humanities, and music, among others. Basic sciences including biology, with open electives across departments. Also, all students are exposed to mandatory courses in innovation and entrepreneurship. Also, the institute has 39 different technical and non-technical clubs and six student society chapters and it’s mandatory for every student to join either of the clubs which is of his interest and actively participate in the activities organised by the club. Such compulsion ensures that every student is given an opportunity to explore his/her potential and talent through extracurricular activities as well. Students who have difficulties with communication in English are woven into the mainstream through special classes to improve their communication and comfort with English as a medium of instruction. Weaker students have the option of taking summer semesters in subjects that have not done well in.
What steps have been taken for students’ upgradation?
Higher education is indulging transformation at rocket space. Thus our aim is to provide the students with all necessary infrastructure and knowledge to empower them for a sustainable future. A conducive academic environment in terms of comfortable classrooms fitted with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, well-maintained laboratories with modern tools and amenities, two-three state of the art industry-supported labs at every department large library with access to an extensive collection of books, journals and periodicals, and well-equipped computer labs with internet connectivity in all departments as well as hostels.
What are the online courses offerend by the institute?
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), liberal learning courses, industry internships, mini-project in the curriculum have been added in the courses with due credits. Also, the institute organises occasional expert lectures by eminent academicians, including several Nobel laureates, with support from Honeywell Technologies. Meanwhile, COEP has been empanelled by the ministry of human resource development for the development of virtual laboratory that can be accessed remotely through the web, by students of all engineering colleges as part of the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT). Also, a regular revision in the curriculum at structure level is held after every four years, with technology roadmap guided by the department-wise industry advisory boards. Also, choice-based credit system with relative grading and transparent evaluation, with honors and minor certifications schemes (with additional credits) are introduced for aspiring learners.
What are your future plans for the institute?
The institute prioritises itself on various challenges and opportunities. It is working towards acquiring the deemed to be university status and initiate novel joint and collaborative academic programmes therein. It chases to accomplish the targeted research outcomes, qualitatively and quantitatively, in terms of tier-I journal publications, patents/copyrights, monograms/books, funded research and development projects. Our institution is gearing up for the formal mentorship programmes for identified mentee institutes under the patronage of All India Council for Technical Education’s (AICTE) Margadarshan scheme and TEQIP-III. We encourage students and faculty towards outcome-oriented active participation and contribution in the nation’s flagship programmes such as Make-in-India, Digital India, Startup India, and Unnat Bharat Ahiyaan.