Dr Radhika Devi is a Dean IQAC and Vice Principal in the MLR Institute of Technology, Hyderabad. She did her Master's and PhD in Physics from Hyderabad Central University.She is an acclaimed academician and administrator in the field of technical education. She has an academic experience of more than 14 years. Dr. Radhika Devi is the former head of the science and humanities department at the same institute. Her specialized areas are Density Functional Theory, and Transparent Conducting oxides. She attended several National or International Conferences, seminars and workshops. She published nearly 20 research papers in Journals of National and International Repute. She was awarded “Swarna Jayanti Puruskar ” for the best research paper by the National Academy of Sciences India, IUCEE Showcase Award for Excellence in Academic Leadership by IUCEE and IUCEE Showcase Award in Leadership of Teaching and Learning Center by IUCEE. 

MLR Institute of Technology

What is the latest program that has been offered at MLR Institute of Technology in recent years?

“Courses in CSE with Specialization in Cyber security, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence started on campus”

Data Science, Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence are becoming increasingly in today’s networked world. The impact is felt on every aspect of society and individuals. Technology is touching every aspect of human life and the world is rising in digital. With an evolving connected landscape, organizations are grappling to analyze and protect the data. India alone is expected to have more than 1.5 million job vacancies in the data science, cyber security and AI. We have started courses in CSE with Specialization on Cyber security, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence in these years. 

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students?

“Cutting-edge curriculum as per industry demand and job ready skills are given to students”

E-commerce has redefined the commercial activities around the world with the help of the internet. People can buy and sell virtually everything and this is generating a lot of data. Both data scientists or cyber security professionals are needed for identifying insights. We are unlocking value-driven business decisions and securing the data respectively. India's e-commerce sector is expected to reach US$ 111.40 billion by 2025. Cutting-edge curriculum designed in guidance with industry to develop job ready skills makes the program best for the students.

What is your take on the New Education Policy in MLR Institute of Technology?

“Provides a comprehensive, sustainable and reformative roadmap in the education sector”

The NEP-2020 provides a comprehensive, sustainable and reformative roadmap for a paradigm shift in the entire education system. For implementing a smooth, effective and sustainable education is a need for all teachers in the country. It get exposed to the nuances and implementation strategies of the NEP-2020. 

What are the valuable insights of the program offering at the institute that align with the latest educational policy?

“High quality leadership skills, multi-disciplinary programs and research are provided to all”

As per the latest educational policy, our autonomous institution formulating innovation and excellence with leadership of the highest quality. We have introduced multi-disciplinary programmes with high-quality teaching, research, and community engagement for students. It improves flexibility and choice of subjects across various streams. 

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How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future post-pandemic corporate culture?

“Critical thinking, interdisciplinary thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution are vital parts of our programs”

To remain marketable and relevant to industry, employees must be committed to reskilling and upskilling.Some of the very important skills needed are Crisis Management, Problem-Solving, Digital Engagement, Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Competence and Data Literacy. The integration of formal and informal learning opportunities are designed to give students more than just classroom knowledge. These tools help them to know about knowledge in the real world. Critical thinking, interdisciplinary thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution are all part of our curriculum. 

What are your views on the future of education in the rapid trend of technological addition in every course curriculum?

“Broad and specialized knowledge of students about technology is necessary in the curriculum”

Technology has swiftly changed every dimension of our society, including the education industry. The agents of change are the students who are best prepared for tomorrow. Though however technological additions take, the basic idea of competency must be acquired. Disciplinary knowledge, a capacity to think across the boundaries and technology use are vital for bringing better students. Therefore, each student needs both broad and specialized knowledge.

How do you tend to build an industry connection with the new roles that are being offered by companies?

“Internships, industrial visits, talks and seminars are accessible to students from campus”

It is very important to educate students on what the industry is like. Internship programs are a good way to connect the students with business. We believe that the relationship between academia and industry is not just technology donor and recipient relationship. In contrast, it is collaborative and interactive. Industry collaborative cells in campus are very active in collaborating with industries in terms of MoUs, and guest lectures. Students are also offered a paid internship that helps them acquire the skills that new roles demand.

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating the new program in curriculum?

“Competency and quality of curriculum is a great challenge faced by us”

Recent years, we seen a paradigm shift in the education with more focus on competency based curriculum. Offering alternatives to traditional courses itself is a big challenge for convincing the students and parents. Another challenge is to ensure rigor and quality of the competency based curriculum. Other difficulty is on standardizing the mechanisms in which competencies or skills are assessed.

What are the key factors that are being considered while adding a new course in MLR Institute of Technology?

“Trends in industry demand, and relevant information to improve students' skills”

The first and foremost for a new course is the impetus from trends in the industry demand. Apart from that, we consider if the course extends the skills and knowledge achieved in an existing course. Looking at the potential impact would be decided if it can be offered as a full course or elective.

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What are the new Internships or Projects that are being planned for students?

“Industry relevant projects are planned by students on campus nowadays”

To reach out the needs of industry requirements, we are extending our arms to collaborate with leading companies. Also, we gather experts’ suggestions and meet the current challenges. We have inhouse industry excellence centers which help the students in multi-dimensional.