‘Empathy is the essence of leadership’ says Dr. K. Satyanarayana

Interview by Kritika Gupta

Dr. K. Satyanarayana is currently the Professor and HOD, Department of Mechanical Engineering at VVIT, Guntur. His education qualification includes SSC, DME, AMIE, M.Tech and Ph.D. He holds a total experience of over 18 years in the education industry.

Prof. K.Satyanarayana has guided 4 M.Tech projects, authored 2 books and published 3 of his research papers in international journals. With this, he has conducted 2 FDPs and has received NBA accreditation for the department.

Experience in the education industry

I began my career in the education industry in 2000. Blessed with opportunities to work with determined and motivated personalities, made me realise that I am working towards changing the thinking of students and shaping their future. All of this will, in turn, transform society and make it better.

Strategies followed to improve students’ performance at VVIT

We have created an immersive environment for students to use learning activities which leads to the intended outcomes. An excellent blend of experienced and enthusiastic youth is used to identify the gap between the required and current performance and the reasons behind it.

Methods such as peer teaching, counselling the students, as well as interaction with parents and conducting remedial classes, are also used to improve the condition. Cultural clubs and sporting activities are also used to unlock the potential, which infuses confidence to progress in curricular activities too.

Personality of students at VVIT

Students at our institute are a mixture of academic geniuses with an excellent record of extracurricular activities. Some students have exceptional skills in terms of communication, leadership, Problem-solving etc.

Prof. Satyanarayana’s take on the most important debates in this field

Currently, outcome-based education (OBE) has set academic benchmarks and has increased institutional accountability. With this, rapid changes in the technology domain and fast-changing and escalating industry needs and expectations are additions to this.

Methods used to help students excel in ME dept.

A few strategies that I use for advanced learners are as follows:

• Project-based learning.
• Encouraging them to build prototypes of complicated and crucial technical concepts,
• Motivating them to do advanced learning in the same course or other industry related globally accepted certification courses to fill their quest for knowledge
• Aiding them to take the open challenges in the technology related to that course and research for solutions
• Guiding them to solve exercises from reference books.
• Actuating them to present seminars on the typical concepts, for sharpening their presentation skills
• Using/employing them to act as peer tutors, to teach their associated peer learners, where the expressive, explanatory, descriptive and preparatory skills are sharpened.
• Imparting Innovation, novelty and design thinking in the advanced learners may launch them early into higher platforms in the industry.

Challenges faced as a HOD in VVIT

As a HOD, the only challenge that I have faced is to create a balance between several activities and focus on all true essential academics. Apart from this, no other problem has remained unsolved for me.

Curriculum emphasizes upon the comprehensive development of students

Our curriculum is prescribed by the JNTUK, and we have very little flexibility to deviate from it. However, the University curriculum itself is on par with the industry requirements and standards.

VVIT in general and ME, in particular, emphasizes the comprehensive development of its students. So, we have incorporated several additional co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that help them to shine.

VVIT emphasizes upon the comprehensive development of its students

Here are a few practices to reckon:

• Skill Development through Add-on courses on Design, Optimization, Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Robotics in Siemens and Dassault 3D experience centres in our college.
• Training and Placement finishing school
• Clubs for recreation and personality development
• Workshops / Seminars / Symposia / Short-Term Learning Programs / Summer Internships etc. conducted with an objective to inculcate the industry standards to the students will serve the purpose
• Guest Lectures by the successful Industry people will instil the de facto standards of industry into the students
• Participation in Hackathons, Project Expos’, Tech-events etc. will impact the needed standards
• Traditional Teaching-Learning Pedagogy with an addendum of innovative techniques will sure enhance the bachelors with the necessary graduate attributes
• Internships at top-rated industry/institutes and industrial tours
• Feedback via Internal Quality Assurance Committee from students on resources is a continuous practice that helps to ensure the quality of teaching-learning and availability, the usefulness of resources.
• Community Service through NSS and NCC.

How does Prof. Satyanarayana ensure the quality of education is getting delivered?

We have IQAC working with a regimental mission to ensure quality in every process of the institute and to take corrective measures if it deviates from the quality targets set by the chef-de-management-people of the institute.

A list of a few processes that are followed to ensure quality education is here.

• Auditing infrastructural resources
• Auditing academic teaching-learning activities
• Auditing the Assessment methods and evaluation strategies
• Assessing and training the students in industry-relevant skills
• Sampling Feedback at periodic intervals and taking corrective measures
• Giving awareness among all stakeholders about the quality and its fruits

We at VVIT, especially take care of the following issues:

• Admission policy
• Infrastructure maintenance
• Recruiting and maintaining faculty quality in terms of qualification and credentials
• Comprehensive teaching-learning methodologies
• Continuous monitoring of student performance
• Balancing the industry-institute gaps

Ways used to establish a healthy relation with the students

A healthy relationship must be created between a Teacher and Student as per the ideal scenario. In this millennial education system, it is possible if every teacher treats every student as their ward.

• I believe in bridging the teacher-student gap through the celebration of important national and international events like Teacher’s Day, Yoga Day, and Resolution Day etc.
• I follow a policy to meet students in small groups either as counselees of a particular faculty counsellor or a group of similarly interested people.
• An amicable relationship with students will give them confidence.
• A more patient approach is needed for differently abled students, to usher in fruitful changes.
• Frequent and constant communication with the alumni students via social media and other means,

• Enquiring their whereabouts
• Knowing their successes
• Wishing their achievements
• Suggesting and analysing the right path for them when they are in a dilemma.

It’s all my way of establishing a relationship with the students even after they leave the institute.

Leadership philosophy and style

Empathy is the essence of leadership. My motto in teaching-learning is to assist the students as they desire. However, according to the situation, a participatory leadership style/authoritarian style is adopted. So, my leadership style is a Situational/Hybrid style.

After taking orders from my Head-of-Institution, I exercise on creating clearly defined roles. I allow all my staff and students to know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange for completing these tasks. It allows me to offer a great deal of supervision and direction if it is needed.

Suggestions to the students

• I want to suggest the youth and aspiring engineers to read autobiographies of successful people to set their goals.
• Take up engineering study by choice.
• Constant practice with a zeal to achieve your goal will make you successful
• “Smart work” should be the mantra of your study of engineering.

Present day youth are adept in technology usage and social networking. I wish they succeed very quickly if they come to engineering, because “users when turning into builders, can make miracles.”