SRM University-AP organised a workshop on “Interactive Learning” to acquaint faculty with the evolving dynamics of teaching and learning, and the state-of-the-art pedagogical approaches. The two-day workshop was held on July 21 & 27, 2022 under the auspices of Prof Ranjit Thapa, Associate Dean in charge (Sciences), School of Engineering and Sciences. Faculty members from different schools attended the sessions and exchanged views on alternative methodologies to unravel the different facets of learning.

Prof T Raghunathan, Associate Dean in charge (Engineering), School of Engineering and Sciences, addressed the gathering and expounded his ideas on teaching. “Teaching encompasses the features of arts and science necessitating a teacher to don the roles of an artist and scientist”, he stated. It is the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of learning that a teacher should shed light on, according to Prof Raghunathan, to awaken students to their passion and lead a life of purpose.

Prof B V Babu, Dean- School of Engineering and Sciences, interacted with the faculty and spoke on the responsibility of a teacher in a university. He specified the diverse opportunities the university provides to its student community, such as research, placements, and entrepreneurship, and how teachers can contribute to enhancing the performance of students in different arenas. Unlike the conventional understanding, today’s teachers are bound to perform multiple roles to fulfil their obligation.

The session was presided over by Dr Karthik Rajendran, Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, Department of Environmental Science. He rendered an engaging talk on active learning, encouraging the teachers to take up an amicable approach in classrooms and skilfully guide students through the learning process. Flipped classes, project-based learning, and peer learning are some of the interesting techniques that teachers can put to practice.

Dr Satya Pramod Jammy, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, presented a session on different types of assessments that can be carried out to test the understanding of the students. He further elucidated the goals of assessment and how it should be aligned with meeting the practical requirements of the course rather than making students reproduce the content. He listed out the various assessment patterns followed at SRM-AP to ensure the learning caters to the all-round development of the student.

In the latter half of the workshop, Dr V M Manikandan, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, delivered a talk on the learning management system used at the university, its features and clarified doubts on how the application can be availed to make teaching and learning a full-fledged activity. Dr Balaguruprasad Narayanan, Associate Professor from the Department of Teaching and Learning Centre wrapped up the workshop with an extended session on outcome-based learning.

SRM University-AP conducted the first-ever three-day leadership workshop with the theme Alignment 360 to help individuals at the university align their values, goals, and behaviours holistically. 57 leadership team members from academic, non-academic, top management and the President’s office participated in the event held from March 17 to 19, 2023, at Riviera Beach Resort, Chirala. The workshop aimed to enable individuals and teams to clarify their core values and goals and develop an action plan to align their behaviour and decision-making with these values and goals.

Honourable Pro-Chancellor of SRM University-AP, Dr P Sathyanarayanan, expressed how glad he is over the workshop’s theme and put forth his vision and mission to locate SRM University-AP as the number one higher education institution in the upcoming years. Prof. Manoj K Arora, Vice Chancellor of SRM University-AP, kick-started the workshop by welcoming all and introducing the purpose of the workshop. He gave the task to the leadership team to formulate the next five years’ Strategic Goals and Operational goals.

The programme covered various aspects of alignment, including personal values, organisational culture, communication, leadership, and strategy. Through interactive exercises, discussions, and self-reflection, participants learn how to identify their values and goals, assess their current alignment, and develop strategies to improve alignment. The ultimate goal was to help individuals and organisations become more effective and efficient by aligning their behaviour with their core values and goals. By creating a shared understanding of values and goals, teams can work together more cohesively and make decisions that are consistent with their overarching mission and purpose. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity, better morale, and improved outcomes.

Mr Chand and Mr Harish from Hum Consulting conducted the workshop and kept the audience enthralled and involved through various activities. Team building, Leadership roles, Target achievements, Conflict management and other activities were completed. The workshop concluded with a gala dinner and entertainment evening at the beach with the theme, Unwinding by the sea.