Campus hiring can help students stand out in the job market and add to their professional experience, says Dr Rai

Dr Sunil Rai, Vice-Chancellor, UPES Dehradun, discusses the proactive steps undertaken by the university to help students prepare for a better tomorrow in an interview with Shiksha.com. University of Petroleum and Energy Studies [UPES] seeks to provide leaders to each field through a variety of specialised courses given across numerous domains, with the goal of producing greater employment and growth opportunities. UPES has collaborated with industry leaders to develop a cutting-edge, dynamic curriculum that meets the needs of the industry. These partners provide a variety of possibilities for students to become industry-ready, such as live projects, internships, and workshops.

Dr Rai is an ex-Naval officer and a distinguished academician. He has held several leadership profiles across institutions such as Vice-Chancellor of The MIT Arts Design & Technology University, Pune, Director on Board of Maharashtra IT Corporation, Government of Maharashtra, etc.

Read the complete interview below.

Q: What are the three things that your university is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition?

A: UPES offers specialised undergraduate and postgraduate courses with an industry-focused curriculum in the field of Engineering, Business, Law, Health Sciences, Modern Media, Design and Computer Sciences.

• UPES has a robust team of research-oriented faculty who encourage students to come up with innovative ideas for problem-solving. It is one of the first universities to provide around 100 courses being taught by international faculty. We have also partnered with some of the premier institutes of learning such as the University of Law, the University of Canada West, the University of Europe for Applied Science, and the Institute of Technology & Innovation.
• Further, we are providing access to the best and most knowledgeable teachers and scholars from across the world through co-teaching. They come from top international institutes such as the University of Oxford, Yale University, Kings College London, Stanford University, Berkeley, University of California, and The University of Texas at Austin.
• UPES offers excellent industry exposure to its students. We have collaborated with pioneers in the industry and corporates such as IBM, Xebia, Tata Cisco, Tata Power, L&T and many more. Students get access to courses that are co-created and co-delivered with these industry partners.
• UPES’ efforts to bridge the academia-industry gap continued even during this time with online masterclasses being conducted by the industry experts. Further, their collaboration with Coursera has given students access to more than 3900 global courses.
• UPES’ high-quality placements bring a range of benefits and positive impacts, both in terms of academic performance and employability skills. This year too, despite the pandemic, undergraduate and postgraduate students from the School of Engineering, School of Computer Science, School of Business, School of Design, and School of Law received over 2,500 offers from more than 480 companies.

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry-ready?

A: Dialogue between industry and academia has long been encouraged to bridge the gap between what the former wants, and what the latter teaches. This is why industry-ready skills have been at the heart of UPES’ philosophy. Having a strong industry connection has helped students in staying abreast of the paradigm shifts in the volatile and competitive times that we live in.

UPES has partnered with industry pioneers to build a new-age dynamic curriculum that aligns with the requirements of the field. We also have eminent industry luminaries such as Senior Director, PwC India, Anurag Garg; Chief Designer, Tata Elxsi, Narendra Ghate; Senior Director, HR, Flipkart, Prajakta Kanaglekar; former Supreme Court Judge Justice Swatantar Kumar, on our advisory board across different schools.

We have been hosting a number of stalwarts across domains to provide our students with insights straight from the industry. Some names include Anima Patil-Sabale, Orion Spacecraft Simulations Lab Manager, NASA Johnson Space Centre;  Anubha Bhonsle, Former Executive Editor of CNN-News 18; Nina Sabnani, filmmaker, artist, and storyteller; Lubinisha Saha, Head of Legal and Compliance, Airbus; Dr. Ravi Margasahayam, Global Space Ambassador, NASA; and Dr. K. Sivan, Secretary and ex-officio chairman, ISRO and Space Commission.

Our Career Services Team creates a strong support system for our students. They work relentlessly to strengthen our industry connections. This is why over 2,150 students secured internships at reputed organisations. Industry visits also enhance the experiential learning experience of our students.

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to get top grades in your institution?

A: Students should dive deep into their chosen areas of interest. They should develop an understanding of the different and broader facets of the subject, which can help them identify their career goals. Our students should have the zeal to explore their niche and become world-class leaders in their chosen fields.

While academic parameters are essential, participating in co-curricular activities brings about holistic development in students and furthers their career prospects. These activities, such as sports and cultural clubs, are an extension of formal academic education and help students think beyond the books.

Students, through their journey at UPES, should imbibe skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, time and stress management, and cultural competency.  They should be adaptable and empathetic so that they become active members of the workforce and society when they move out of the institution.

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni?

A: Campus hiring helps students get noticed in the job market and is a valuable addition to their professional experience. Keeping the current situation in mind, we are making a series of interventions, such as holding webinars with industry experts, mock interviews to ensure that the student is comfortable during the actual placement drive, besides training them on their domain and soft skills. We have not left any stone unturned to ensure that students have a job before they graduate.

The university not only helps students in final placements, but also ensures that the pre-final-year students have industry exposure through internships on live projects under the guidance of industry mentors in online mode. 

UPES organises a 15-day Employability Boot Camp for its final year students. Through insightful workshops, seminars, and training programs, this camp prepares students to face professional challenges and grow in their job. Additionally, it gives students comprehensive training, equips them with life skills, cognitive and metacognitive skills, oral and written communication skills, competencies to build a resume and social media profiles, personal branding, and mock interviews.  

Owing to our commitment to support the alumni in all aspects of their professional life, UPES is offering a 35% discount on tuition fees for all post-graduate courses. This is applicable for alumni who have completed graduation from UPES and wish to pursue post-graduate courses at UPES or any other academic partner institution.  

Besides successfully meeting the targets of maximum placements over the years, UPES has been offering special placement assistance to alumni. UPES acts as a bridge between the recruiter and alumni. UPES also supports in upskilling, building portfolios, and enhancing the resume.   

Additionally, UPES has launched an initiative called ‘Sahyog’ that aims to provide help and support to the family of alumni by creating region-wise WhatsApp groups. Currently, there are more than 350 alumni across 20 cities supporting this initiative and saving the lives of people in need.  

UPES has been focussing on developing a world-class pool of young and talented professionals with relevant ‘real-world’ education and ‘on-the-job’ exposure. This year again, for the fifth year in a row, UPES School of Computer Science and School of Design have achieved 100% placements. UPES students have been placed across various Indian and global corporations, start-ups and unicorns. The highest pay package for the year 2021 is 27 LPA from UPES School of Business.