Conventionally, education is portrayed as a process of enabling learning or acquiring knowledge, habits & skills with the intention to be transformed into a socially acceptable person. Right education unbolts plethora of avenues for an individual which can be exploited to reap resounding success in life. With changing times, the education system too, has become irrevocably dynamic and hence the responsibility of educators heaves up manifold to equip future leaders with an accurate incubator for maximum mutual benefit. Evidently, organizations constantly put an employee’s mettle to a test by observing how poised he/she is in countering mundane business worries. Hence, employers incessantly hunt for people who are cognitively flexible, smart & confident to make their business grow.
As thoughtful educators, the management of IILM decided to engage in a radical discussion with established loyalists to identify the lacunae and incorporate suggestions to make the teaching model oriented towards students’ success. The objective of the Industry Academia Meet 2018 was thus boiled down to acclimatize with measures that add up in making a student fit for the corporate world. The deliberated meet also intended to probe for ways to inculcate practices that make teaching model most innovative. Restraining students to classroom teachings could be quite delirious to their careers and would eventually hamper the organizational excellency, especially in the contemporary set up because organizations are in dire need of versatile personnel.
To address & resolve this perceptible issue, eminent personalities from organizations like Future Group, IndusInd Bank, Nestle, Bata, Oracle & Marks & Spencer nodded to participate in the dialogue. The discussion peeled off with Senior Director and other Faculty Associates elaborating about the prevailing structure of education at IILM, wherein they explicitly explained all the modules across different domains of specialization, the blueprint of extra-curricular activities, management-oriented engagements & finally expressed the openness to adopt experimental learning. Post understanding the entire schema, the industry guests adorned the gathering with alluring propositions, some of which are envisaged as under:
- Students must drive majority of functions: Borrowing cues from his alma mater, one of the guests suggested that a student would learn more by doing. A platform must be created whereby students are given lead to plan and execute events, sessions or festivals as learning does not happen in isolation. Doing so will help them learn how to tackle difficulties and think faster.
- Clarity of thought process: This goes to explain the ambiguity that virtually no student is spared of while thinking about choosing the specialization. One way to sort this issue is by connecting every student to industry mentors over and above the faculty mentors to keep them at pace with industry expectations from different domains. Once this is achieved, the college must give all possible insights relevant to that domain.
- Student focus is most pivotal: An important point enumerated by one of guests signaled that most students keep hopping off across different verticals that ultimately fosters job dissatisfaction and resentment. Thus, a student must investigate his/her area of interest to perform sensibly at workplace. The aim must not be to get the job but to make a career.
- Curriculum must lay more emphasis on learning through case studies. This form of education is more practical and would enhance the attitude of brainstorming.
- Faculty training: It meant to highlight the importance giving proper, timely inductions to faculty members so that their contribution is also improved. This would also help them understand that every student is different and needs to be developed on a case to case basis.
- Working on soft skills: Students need to be highly polished while presenting themselves to the community. Dashing communication skills are a per-requisite to business success and must thus be given prime importance.
- Summer Internship Program (SIP): By far one of the most influential factors in securing jobs is by demonstrating the learning acquired by a candidate during his/her apprenticeship. Most organizations welcome candidate with a good foundation and prior understanding of business know how which could be established through undergoing a good training. The guest also suggested that students must be mentally tough to advocate severe grinding during this stint as it ultimately does more good than harm. Important to mention that it also reduces organization’s cost in some cases.
- Use of technology: Technology should be used in a wise way. It should not jeopardize the use of books that have world of wisdom and better ways to sort our queries.
- Institutions must also give time to students to absorb huge amount of information as well as time to introspect. Some of the top colleges have molded their curriculum to match with a student’s requirements.
- Use of LinkedIn: This undoubtedly remains an indomitable source to search numerous opportunities. Accordingly, it can induce active learning and serve to be a multipurpose source.
Delving into these suggestions would lead to rewarding outcomes, for both students and the institute. In totality, the agenda to explore and acquire progressive ideas was adequately met. It is a matter of pride and honour that these suggestions would be incorporated in IILM’s silver jubilee year of establishment coupled with its achievement to be accoladed as a University. Hoping it glorifies the education level once again and meets the expectation of its stakeholders with staggering performance in the education industry.
