The New Education Policy (NEP) 2022 placed special emphasis on the introduction of new advanced syllabus in areas such as coding and artificial intelligence in educational institutions. In addition, the focus is on offering courses in as many regional languages as possible. However, finding teachers with sufficient academic qualifications and industry experience to teach such subjects is a difficult task. Hence, the professor of practice concept applied in Hyderabad’s Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) can provide a remedy.
Referring to JNTU’s initiative, Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, the chairman of the University Grants Commission, said that “more universities should take advantage of this to provide enriching mentoring to the students.”
Appointing practical professors at universities is a welcome move. More universities should take advantage of this to provide enriching mentoring to the students.https://t.co/L8pIkkpMWr— Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) November 25, 2022
The practice professor idea first came into the spotlight in August this year when the UGC approved draft guidelines for involving them in higher education institutions. Under this concept, which JNTU will introduce starting this academic year, colleges can appoint leading professionals in relevant fields as faculty members, with the mandatory Ph.D. clause. The decision applies to colleges under JNTU that offer Engineering, Pharmacy, MBA, and MCA courses.
Read | UGC is asking universities to adopt ‘Professors of Practice’ guidelines
In accordance with UGC guidelines, JNTU requires professionals to have at least 15 years of service/experience in their profession to be eligible to become a practice professor. Such positions would not be open to those in the teaching profession. The guidelines also state that such professors can only be appointed to 10 percent of the sanctioned posts. They may remain in office for a maximum of three years.
Speaking to Telangana Today, Prof. M. Manzoor Hussain, the Registrar of JNTU-Hyderabad said, “For courses like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Science, it is difficult to find faculty members. It was therefore decided to introduce the Professor of Practice, which would allow institutions to hire industry experts as lecturers.
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