CHENNAI: From taking printouts of mark sheets, and scrolling past myriad websites to scanning college prospectuses, students find themselves at the start line of a rat race. The competition for finding a ‘perfect’ college is anxiety-inducing. It is June and the college hunt is officially on. Science? Law? Media? Arts: With vast courses and juggling choices, days are spent discussing institutional amenities and potential placement with family.
Three decades ago, UK-based Nunzio Quacquarelli found himself anxious and in a similar dilemma hoping to earn a master’s degree. Without the technology of today’s age at his fingertips, he chose the University of Pennsylvania. Later, as a student, Nunzio started Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking — a project to help perturbed students find data about universities across the world. Hence, the first edition of the World University Ranking came out in 2004. The parameters for the ranking focuses on ‘excellence in research, producing truly employable graduates, a commitment to high-quality teaching and a focus on internationalisation’, he cites in his blog.
Since then, ranking metrics have evolved and so have the universities. In its 20th edition, published on June 5, around 1,498 entries were recorded, across the world. Coming home, Anna University was the only varsity from Tamil Nadu on the list, ranking 383. In 2018, the university found itself in the 651-700 ranking range. “It is a proud moment for everyone associated with the University as we enhance in all academic spheres. From curriculum and teaching to learning and research publications,” says S Arulchelvan, associate professor and HoD of Media Sciences at Anna University.
Research ranking
Additional indicators introduced for the upcoming academic year 2024-25 include sustainability, employment outcomes, and international research network for ranking. Talking about what the different research centres in the University is doing, R Velraj, vice chancellor (VC) of Anna University, says societal relevant research work on climate change, energy, ocean management, water resources, biotechnology, and crystal growth, has made an impact. These research citations have earned the institute 100 points in the ‘citation per faculty’ parameter.
Tendral Rajagopal, an alumna of the university and now a research scholar, shares, “The criteria to be a research scholar in Anna University is very hard to crack, making the standards of PhD here very high,” she says. For a scholar to graduate, the person has to have an article — a subpart of the thesis — published in international publications. “This way, scholars get international exposure. And even during the research process, AU has a written exam, one-on-one interview with the committee, and the topic of choice discussion with a guide, which is very similar in other international institutes,” she explains.
The vice chancellor affirms that the researchers at these centres collaborate with universities in Japan, Germany, and other leading research institutes, resulting in a high international research network. For this, faculty members with global connections are appointed as assistant directors handling one country each. Eight professors are responsible for connecting with these countries to attract students. The parameters also include ‘international student ratio’ with a 5% weightage. Around 75 foreign students are joining the educational institute this session. Similarly, a 5% weightage is given to ‘employment outcomes’. Working towards this, a curriculum amendment was made in 2023, wherein a student completes “core engineering in four semesters”. K Shanmuga Sundaram, professor and director of the Centre for University Industry Collaboration, says, “Completing the core engineering in four semesters, a student between his/her fifth and seventh semesters is exposed to other minors and verticals in their discipline.”
The eighth semester is dedicated to internships “so that the student is exposed to industry standards and could choose among the various options,” he says, adding, “Students should see this as a career and not a job because the students are trained for ‘one person for one definite job’.”
Climbing the ladder
Additionally, a career guidance forum was initiated by the alumni of the university in 2023. “Bosses — previously graduated from the institute — to identify the right talent for next positions, come back to AU as they know the standards here,” says Shanmuga. The institute also helps the graduates be entrepreneurs, or pursue higher education or government exams.
One such student, Madhan Kumar, who was still doing his graduation bagged a job as a documentary maker. “At AU, a holistic approach is followed. With theoretical and practical knowledge, extracurricular activities were equally balanced. I completed an Electronic Media course from the varsity and the staff were industry experts. A reporter from BBC was my staff and with him comes his on-ground experience, making his teaching inspirational,” he comments. Working on the QS-prescribed parameters with an objective ‘to constantly raise the quality of engineering education thereby to produce a superior human resource to match rapid technological developments’, the staff members of Anna University believe that they would reach the top 100 in four years, focussing on gaining more points in other listed criteria.
A vast curriculum
Teachers bring in a curriculum that meets “the regional needs, market demand, and technology development,” shares professor Arulchelvan. The syllabus is upgraded and the students get advanced textbooks, opportunities, and exposure, which promotes future sustainability. One of the latest additions was AI in Media Studies in 2023.