The Higher Education Review

Faculty members that use active and collaborative learning techniques, engaging students in experiences, emphasizing in higher-order cognitive activities in the classroom, interacting with students, challenging students academically, and enriching educational experiences have been found to report higher levels of engagement and learning at institutions. "The role of the teacher is the pivotal point in shaping the future of our country and in shaping our student community," declares Dr. T Sreenivasan, Principal, DBIT. The institute has a pool of 200 plus Professors, Associate Professors and Lecturers who have a minimum of 5 to 40 years of rich academic experience and corporate exposure. Understanding the crucial need of empowering students with their own experiences and knowledge, Don Bosco Institute of Technology (DBIT) has setup key facilities and tie-ups to facilitate higher order learning for its students. To create an engaging experience and break the monotony of the classroom, the institute invites various industry professionals and visiting faculty from other renowned institutions as resource persons who provide students with the knowledge of latest trends in the industry. "We invite visiting faculty members from various prominent institutions such as IISc in order to harness their exemplary knowledge," says Dr.T Sreenivasan. The visiting faculties are engaged with students through workshops and seminars where they can share their knowledge and experience through presentations and Q&A sessions. These sessions allow students to gain a clearer perspective of their field of study. Apart from visiting professors the institute also has a good network of companies to facilitate its students.

The vision of the institute is to impart world class technologies to the students. Accordingly the institute has partnered with Kuka

Robotics Company, Bosch-Rexroth, Siemens and FICE who have setup Centers of Excellence (CoE) in the field of Robotics, Automation, Product Life cycle Management (PLM) and Intel Intelligence Laboratories in the campus. In this manner, the companies and the institute ensure that the students have hands on understanding of latest Technologies. "We have six VTU approved research centers established in the campus. Through active collaboration between the students and faculty, approximately 60 research papers have already been published and more are in the pipeline," says Dr. Mahesh P. K., HOD Electronics and Communication, DBIT.

International Student Exchange Program at DBIT, Bangalore
DBIT has signed an MOU with MDIS (SINGAPORE) for students to get exposure to the international curriculum in Business Management and Engineering for a student exchange programme. In order to bring the world class education to the door steps of the people of the region, the college has entered into a MoU with School of Electronics & Info-Comm. Technology, ITE College West, Singapore for a Student Exchange Program. The availability of excellent world class infra structural facilities and well Qualified, experienced and committed faculty is the prime reason because of which the ITE College West, Singapore has entered into a MoU with our Institute. To complete the lifecycle of a student's educational life, DBIT established a Placement and Training department (PAT) in 2005. The department establishes contact with various organizations across several industries to determine the requirement of manpower and invites them to conduct on-campus recruitment drives. PAT has signed MoU's with Infosys Technologies for the Campus Connect Program and with SAP University Alliance to make the students of DBIT industry ready and to gain the industry exposure during the course. These programs are designed to train students and faculty in the latest technological areas of software and bridge the gap between academia and industry. The department provides various facilities to faculty, staff and students to help them achieve high levels of performance. PAT prepares students for challenging positions in the industry, including

fostering leadership qualities in them, regardless of the industry they choose to work in. The department organizes the Open Day that seeks to expose prospective engineering students to the myriad opportunities present in various engineering streams aside from organizing various induction and orientation programs for new students.

Fully aware that today's industry demands that all graduating students be ready to step on the floor from the day they leave college, PAT has taken the responsibility to mould them for the challenge during their tenure at the institute. Students are trained in various aspects of soft skills, people skills, and behavioral skills so that they can excel in their personal and professional lives irrespective of the geographic location or the type of organization they work for. The management has made attendance in the training sessions mandatory, as they believe that students will learn only when they actually attend the sessions and undergo the trainings. "There are immense opportunities for faculty and students within the institute beyond the prescribed curriculum. One needs to reach out and grab them in order to reach fruition," says Dr. Mahesh.As a testament to the Placement and Training Department's efforts, companies such as L&T, Infosys, TCS, Siemens, IBM, Microland, Accenture, Flipkart and other renown companies have recruited students from DBIT and have been extremely pleased with their performance. He adds, "For the passing out batch, the institute has conducted more than 95 placement drives and has received approximately 250 job offers for students."

Don Bosco Institute of Technology operates with the aim to foster an intellectual and ethical environment in which both skill and spirit will thrive so as to impart high quality education, training and service with an international outlook. Their vision to become a world-class centre in providing globally relevant higher education in the field of management, technology and applied science embedded with human values is one that they are working towards tirelessly. DBIT can be considered as a rising star of engineering education.