INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA INTERFACEINDUSTRY-ACADEMIA INTERFACE

(Case study Hospitality Institute & (Case study Hospitality Institute & Industry)Industry)

Key Observations

The changing Complexity of the Business environment has necessitated the industry and the academia to develop close links to create the synergy.

The interface between these two has led to increasing mutual dependence to ensure their better survival in their domains.

In light of this understanding academia has designed different modes of industry- academia interface (IAI).

Introduction

Universities and industry, which for long have been operating in separate domains, are rapidly coming closer to each other for creating synergies.

Constantly changing management paradigms, in response to growing complexity of the business environment.

Present times of knowledge economy, a productive interface between academia and industry is a critical requirement.

Failure to recognize each other’s role will reduce the import of interface between institutes and industry.

Potentially give rise to mismatch between demand and supply of quality manpower, which in turn can cause uneven balance in market.

Objectives

Bridge the gap between academic institutions and corporate bodies through different dimensions.

To move from this system to holistic Approach of learning models.

Developing close link between industry academic by interaction tie up programmes.

Map the gaps that exist between cultural sensitivity, industry behavioural attributes and academic Institutions.

To understand the student’s perception towards the Industry- Academia interface.

examine the different modes of the Industry- Academia interface adopted by the colleges.

To analyze the student’s perception about the benefits from modes of Industry – Academia interface.

Methodology

The primary data required for the study is gathered through the well framed questionnaire

Students pursuing bachelors degree in hospitality and hotel administration and professionals working in the industry the results of which were tabulated and according to that the preference was given to most effective

A number of questions that can be used to create synergies between the current trend and the topic of research.

The Secondary sources of data like texts, journals, newspaper and websites are also used for the study.

The most preferred mode is establishing partnership through training and internships of students. This method is a self-feeding method.

Thus increasing their placement opportunities and strengthening long term relationship between the two entities.

Review of Literature

Industry and academia interface can be described as collaborative, interactive and interdependent arrangement between academic sector and corporate entities.

Universities and industries which for long have been operating in separate domains, are rapidly inching closer to each other to create synergies.

In response to growing complexity of business environment today have necessitated these to come closer.

Industry in India is growing at the rate of 15% per year creating 2.5 lakh jobs every year a number of approximately 20000 professionals pass out from government owned IHM’s every year.

Outcome despite of having almost more than 10times more job opportunities is the incapability of the colleges to produce professionals .

Change in management paradigm of academic institutions from atomistic model to holistic model.

Growing pressure from industry to make their fresh inductees productive from day one to reduce the subsequent training costs.

The view that organizations today are looking for trained professionals and students capable of taking decisions.

Increasing interdependence between academia and industry to satisfy need for sustenance and innovation in their respective areas.

MODES OF INTERFACE

Industries nowadays start showing interest to coming to academic institutions and share their knowledge in different dimensions. A number of recommendations towards increasing and enhancing academia-industry interface, which include:

Guest lectures by industry experts Joint seminars by industry & academia for students Industrial visits Workshops & seminars by academia Project Works for the students Training programs according to industry requirements Financial & infrastructural support by industry Choosing Faculty with Industry Experience Outsourcing the subject to industry persons

Need For Redesigning the Curriculum

Design challenges for the curriculum require the academic practitioner to re-consider the rationale for the traditional curriculum and its many unquestioned assumptions about the validity of a pre-scribed learning outcomes approach, about fundamental constructive alignment of learning, teaching and assessment, about static semesters and rigid timetables, about linear learning, and about static assessment models, as tentatively illustrate in Table.

Need For Redesigning the Curriculum

Modes of Industry –Academia interface Mean

Rank Value

Guest lectures by industry experts 4.30 3

Inclusion of industry experts in syllabus designing 4.21 4

Joint seminars by industry & academia for students 3.98 7

Industrial visits 4.65 1

Workshops & seminars by academia 3.90 8

Project Works for the students 4.18 5

Research & Consultancy projects 3.58 11

Training programs according to industry requirements 4.49 2

Financial & infrastructural support by industry 4.09 6

Choosing Faculty with Industry Experience 3.85 9

Outsourcing the subject to industry persons 3.84 10

Pre-determined Learning Outcomes at unit or module level.

Alignment of curriculum content, learning activities and assessment methods.

Teaching hours, learning hours and assessment hours mathematically determined.

Static timetabling of learning progress. Semester-based calendar

HOLISTIC :Learning Contract with work as the Curriculum

Integrated and relational curriculum. Negotiated assessment activities. Scale of learning negotiable. Challenges of learning tasks determine the pace

and extent of learning. Work-place timelines dominate. Negotiated weighting of Assessment criteria

structures.

Industry Needs And Expectations

Technical & behavioural skills but a new dimension of Non-cognitive skills are also in vogue.

The competition is extensive, beyond imagination, continuous change & innovation with proactive performance abilities is the need of the hour.

Personnel who can take ownership of their job, at times beyond their role to ensure fulfilment of organizational vision.

Flexibility towards perfection & capability building more often & work is delivered from multiple locations across the world.

Good communicative ability is essential to derive work from people who may or may not be directly linked to you.

To play a passive role of a learner where they wait for instructions or directions & exhibit limited responsibility.

Academia Expectations

In academic institutions, time frame of an academician is governed by research guidance and

Academicians are oriented towards R andD activities of the industry for funds which helps them to sustain their broader research interests.

Areas of interest lie in technology development initiatives and methods related to process and design improvement.

Conclusion

The Industry-Academia Interface enhances the overall teaching-learning experience of the students perceive this interface to be of growing importance.

The active modes of the interface are the Project works which the students have to carry as a part of their curriculum, guest lectures by industry experts, who come to the students to share the real time experiences and finally the Workshops & seminars.

Academia and Industry need to take build organic relationships, with long term strategic intent contributing to growth and development of both the entities.

It is not a must that all modes of partnership are equally beneficial to every academic institution. They have to work on 'differential relationship' mechanism.

Including industry inputs has been perceived quite beneficial by colleges in improving the quality of output and making them competent of surviving in rapidly changing business environment.

References

www.nchm.nic.in www.tourism.gov.in www.ihmaurangabad.ac.in www.manipal.edu/institutions/

hotelmanagement/wgshamanipal www.ihmchandigarh.org www.cihmct.com www.hotelierindia.com www.hotelsmag.com