Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) electrical engineering professor Yaser Qudaih, 52 years old, has jumped at the chance to play the part of a student again. While on leave from his teaching position, Qudaih has sought out internship-style practical experience in the business sector.
Industry Training to Enhance Teaching
Qudaih, a Japanese citizen, is currently three weeks into his apprenticeship with Schneider Electric Company and is raving about it. "I had to get approval from the college first, and then I joined Schneider," he stated, echoing his previous assertions. Not only have I met many interesting people in business, but this experience has also improved my teaching.
This course is providing me with real-world experience. While juggling all of the research and work-related responsibilities has been a real challenge, I must admit that it has been an incredible experience. As part of my last phase of my sabbatical, I will also be traveling to France for the company.
If one wants to remain relevant in one's field, Qudaih says they must engage in lifelong learning, and this is a great way to learn new things and improve your own abilities. The gap between academics and industry is getting smaller thanks to this program, which is good news for academia. According to him, this is the program's primary goal. In the United Arab Emirates, Qudaih has spent the last five years as a member of the biggest applied higher education institution.
As part of a new program, HCT is giving professors the opportunity to spend a month on sabbatical working in a professional setting, learning about cutting-edge practices, applications, and techniques in their area. This effort is a component of that program. This sabbatical can be taken in addition to the faculty's annual leave, which is an additional perk for them.
“The concept behind this is to provide our faculty with the opportunity to enter the private sector, thereby gaining industry experience,” remarked Dr. Faisal Alayyan, President and CEO of HCT, when asked about the initiative's justification. The faculty, the private sector, and the job market can all benefit from this. The faculty members have the freedom to choose the company where they will spend two weeks or up to one month, as long as it contributes to the curriculum. In this manner, our teachers can keep up with the ever-changing industry, get practical experience, and pick up new skills. As a result, our pupils will also reap the benefits.
The importance of this program for the career advancement of faculty was reaffirmed by Dr. Luc Verburgh, Chief Academic Officer at HCT. Professors are able to get their hands dirty with state-of-the-art technology and real-world business experiences thanks to this chance. "They can then use these insights to improve their teaching methods and give their students practical knowledge, which will help them develop their applied skills," he said.
More than 92,000 students received their diplomas from HCT between 1990 and 2020, and the institution has welcomed 110 distinguished faculty members from top universities throughout the world that focus on practical training. According to Dr. Verburgh, there are additional advantages, such as improved employment practices, after everyone has the necessary expertise and is familiar with each other outside of the workplace. For instance, I learned this morning that we can now additionally make use of a specific company's laboratory facilities. Therefore, not only will our students have access to this service, but so will our faculty. These are some of the benefits of taking a year off to recharge. The sabbatical program is to blame for this. When universities and businesses collaborate, these results occur.
The impact that these sabbatical programs may have on academics and students alike is demonstrated by Qudaih's story, which highlights the need to connect academic theory with real-world industrial applications.
