Community Engagement - An Invaluable Tool To Enhance Student Skills

Abstract

The engineering curriculum provides the student with a sound base in the core fundamental aspects of the programme, but several workplace skills like empathy, team working, creative problem solving, innovation, adaptability, agility and so on are not formally provided. However engineering colleges can impart these skill innovatively through Value Added Courses and students projects. A Tier-II undergraduate institute in a metropolis has been promoting projects on sustainability and community development to provide opportunities for its students to imbibe the lateral skills mentioned above. The institute has been following a well defined process, which includes field studies, design thinking, creative problem solving, with very encouraging and commendable results. The process begins in the second year of engineering and terminates with the final year project.This paper discusses through two projects undertaken by the students, the process followed. The lessons learnt are invaluable to the students as they learn to apply their knowledge to real life problems. The institute gets greater visibility and recognition and the community benefits through better understanding of its problems.