#5 Emerging Trends in Engineering Education in IndiaEach engineering institution should have a vision to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship

Every year a new trend emerges in the education sector in India. There was a time not long ago when students used to mostly prefer courses like medicine and engineering. However, those days are long gone and a shift can be witnessed wherein more and more students are willing to explore fields that showcase their skills, talent and interests. Nevertheless, engineering as a course has not lost its sheen even after all these years and there are still a large number of students enrolling themselves because of evolving technologies. Many universities and colleges are now adopting new and refined learning methods like modern learning labs and technology-integrated curriculum. These universities have also revamped their programs in their pursuit to be at par with the global standards.

Hands-on learning

At present, there is a blend of both hands-on learning and traditional lecture learning. The hands-on learning programs allow students to use classroom materials in real-world applications such as the 3D printing labs, state-of-the-art research labs thus empowering their skills and ideas. Students learn faster, comprehend knowledge and are able to solve critical problems in the real-world environment.

Industry-specific Programs

There are many colleges and institutes that have incorporated industry-specific engineering programs into classes such as Industry Partner Summit. Industry professionals and professors come together in such programed to discuss innovation, cutting-edge technologies and discoveries, tools as well as trends in the engineering sector. The courses are then regularly updated ensuring that students are abreast with the latest engineering knowledge.

Open-door Concept

Another emerging trend in the engineering education is the up gradation of facilities by colleges. They are now opting for open-concept labs to encourage students to take part in brainstorming sessions, group presentations and instructor demonstrations. The desk and chairs are being replaced with tables, laptops, technology-equipped workstations and whiteboards to visualize, design and map their thought processes.

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The course materials are no longer depended on textbooks, which has been replaced by adaptive learning software. The course materials can be easily updated with such software to ensure that students learn the most recent course material.

Enrollment in Non-technical Skills

Besides this, the engineering students also need to develop non-technical skills in addition to the main curriculum. For this, universities and colleges are encouraging students to enroll in soft-skill courses like public speaking, professional writing, and career preparation. This helps in honing their leadership skills, team-player skills and ability to communicate effectively.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Incubation-centers, warehouses, fabrication centers are being set up with the cooperation of the participant industry and institute. Initially, industry councils can also assist and mentor the institution until they set up on their own.

Each engineering institution should have a vision to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. This can be done by targeting specific goals giving new and challenging opportunities to the students.