– Article by Sheetal Sohoni.
Saintgits College of Engineering is located in Kottayam district in Kerala. Saintgits joined IUCEE as a consortium member institution of IUCEE in January 2017. The institution started in the year 2002, and is affiliated to APJ Abul Kalam Technological University. Saingits College of Engineering is approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and 5 Engineering programs of the institutions are NBA accredited. The institution offers 9 under- graduate programs, 8 postgraduate programs, and a PhD program. Saingits is the only institution to offer degrees in robotics and food technology in Kerala.
Even though Saingits is an affiliated institution, it has lots of flexibility in terms of running and managing the institution. The institution believes in the philosophy of creating an effective teaching and learning environment for all stakeholders. The institution is home to 2,800 students and 257 faculty members. About 90% of students are from the state of Kerala, 5% are NRI students (mostly from Middle Eastern Region), and 5% from across India. The institution has recently recruited 45 new faculty members. To improve students’ learning experience and to provide individualized attention, the institution has adopted a ratio of 1:11 (one faculty per 11 students).
Saintgits College of Engineering has also established a department of communication to improve students’ communication and presentation skills. The college has also developed a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneur- ship to inculcate creative thinking among students. The institution hosts an annual engineering project exhibition called “Shristi”. The event is sponsored by National Instruments. To help students learns through active learning and hands on experience, the institution is using industry-standard tools by Mathworks, National Instruments, Quanser, and Bloomberg Labs.
Mr. George Punnoose, Executive Chairman and Secretary of Saingits College of Engineering, believes that, “Changes can be made at the micro level, but the initiation should come from top”. Dr. Punnoose is an avid learn- er, and is always on a lookout of trying and learning new things. He is a keen observer and has tried to adapt and adopt new teaching and learning techniques in the institution. Under his able guidance, 3 faculty members have so far completed IIEECP certification, 32 faculty have completed Phase I of the certification, and 32 have completed Phase II.
As per Mr. Punnoose’s suggestion, to bridge the gap between industry requirement and educational curriculum, the institution has created a sabbatical leave with payment program for the faculty members. Through this, the faculty gets a chance to work in industry for a period of 6 months to 1 year. It is a great initiative that helps faculty members to redesign their curriculum, along with getting industry experience.
IUCEE team extends their best wishes to Saingits College of Engineering. We hope that you will continue with helping and spreading the message of improving engineering education ecosystem in India.