One of the stalls that was ceaselessly subjected to inquiries at The New Indian Express’ Indian Education fair 2018 in Dubai was that of Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr Preetham Kumar, Deputy Registrar — Academics (Technical) and Diana Britto, Deputy Director, International Admissions were busy throughout the two-day fair held at Grand Excelsior Hotel, Deira. However, we borrowed some of their time to talk about the academy, their alumni network and their aspirations for the future. Excerpts:
How has the experience of participating in the fair been?
We thought the response was excellent on both days. Many students and parents came to us and we were more than happy to provide them with information. Some of them were unsure as to what they should pursue, so we helped streamline their thoughts and tell them what subjects they could opt for. Most inquiries that we received were for MBBS, Engineering, Computer Science and Management.
But do engineering students really have no jobs in present times?
As far as our students are concerned, 80 per cent of them have a job in the seventh semester itself, when it comes to engineering students, thanks to the companies who visit the campus to hire students. By the eight semester, they bag internships as well.
So, how does an institute ensure that students are employable?
What we do is, we update our curriculum as per the latest needs of the industry. If one doesn’t do so, then the students might not get jobs, but if one walks with the industry, there is no dearth of job prospects at all.
When it comes to hostels, parents want discipline and students want freedom. Where does your academy stand on this?
We certainly follow discipline. Students are expected to come back to the hostel on time unless they have permission to work on projects that they are passionate about. Also, we feel that the care that is given by our faculty is unique. We treat students like our own children, after all, parents give us that responsibility. We see to it that students maintain discipline.
That’s nice to hear. What do you think makes the students of Manipal different?
Firstly, we are a global university as we get students from 60 different countries, so we have imbibed best practices from their countries. And our curriculum is regularly updated to meet the needs of industry and academia. Also, before anyone could think about entrepreneurship, Manipal was already nurturing it. An innovative and forward-thinking approach helped us in developing a curriculum which is very forward and future-oriented. In everything we do, we lend a human touch. We look at community-oriented programmes that help us serve the community better. So, when you come to Manipal, you become a part of the Manipal culture, you imbibe it and then carry it forward.
It’s well known that your alumni network is vast.
Yes, we have a vast network of alumni. We have several alumni who are doing well in various positions across the globe. Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer of Nokia Rajeev Suri and Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna are just a few of our alumni. We also consider their feedback in terms of the needs of the industry and modify our curriculum accordingly. We also encourage them to interact with present students and give them an insight into future prospects.
And what about the faculty?
We have a continuously evolving faculty. There is an assessment of the faculty’s performance at the end of every year. The faculty is provided with opportunities to improve themselves, be it attending different conferences, applying for fellowships abroad or for training programmes. The university also facilitates the process by giving financial assistance and these things motivate the faculty to do better. Another motivating factor for the faulty is the students themselves. When our students come up with good quality questions, it keeps us on our toes. We feel responsible to prepare them for the future and ensure that they become life-long learners.
Anything else you would like to say about the academy?
Manipal is a place for learning, a place where you want to make your life. You would get to do several things other than academics. If you are a student thinking of joining Manipal, look at facilities we offer, not just studies, utilise these facilities to the best of your ability and ensure that they add value to the time you spend here.
For more on them, click on manipal.edu
