The Process of Bringing Excellence in Engineering Education by Nurturing and Engaging High Performing Faculty Teams

Abstract

In a globalized and knowledge-based economy engineering institutes need high performing, intrinsically motivated, and outstanding faculty team members who have to concentrate on establishing interdisciplinary research programs leading to Ph.D. degrees, global publications, establishing multidisciplinary postgraduate programs, developing outstanding instructional packages, bidding for global consultancy projects under International Development Agencies, and offering services to diverse global faculty members. However, most of the affiliated institutes don’t enjoy administrative, financial, and academic autonomy. Under these tough environments, the educational administrators have to nurture excellent faculty teams and motivate them to undertake complex projects and problems to solve, develop diverse global participants programs, and bid for research and development projects under various International Development Agencies. This research work centers on the feedback of 255 faculty members on the process of achieving excellence through setting goals, creating an academic eco for excellence, counseling, coaching, mentoring, supporting, collaborating, sharing in the resources, inquiring about the development process, and resolving all bottlenecks and resistance. The educational administrators have to follow appreciative inquiry, recognize the outstanding contributions of the high-performing faculty teams, and reward them. This will create an environment for many other faculty teams to follow the best path for creating excellence. Ultimately, the colleges can reach excellence and their contribution and accomplishment will be rewarded. Further research on this transformation process is suggested.