Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted a delegation Friday, June 7 from JSS Science and Technology University located in Mysuru, India. The JSS visitors included Vice Chancellor B.G. Sangameshwara, Engineering and Technology Dean T.N. Nagabhushan and B.S. Harish, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Information Science and Engineering.
SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook, PhD, and Director of University-Community Initiatives Gireesh Gupchup, PhD, visited JSS in 2017, where they signed a letter of engagement. This reciprocal visit served to launch formal discussions about specific areas of collaboration involving student and faculty exchange within the SIUE School of Engineering (SOE).
“Partnerships such as this are important on many levels,” Pembrook said. “They provide avenues for students to visit campuses around the world, and experience other cultures, languages and methodologies. From a faculty perspective, partnerships such as these provide wonderful opportunities for collaboration on research and exploration of alternative approaches to curricula and pedagogy. For SIUE, these partnerships are an important part of fulfilling our United Nations designation as a ‘world university.’”
Other SIUE participants included Gupchup, International Affairs Executive Director Mary Weishaar, PhD, SOE Dean Cem Karacal, PhD, SOE Associate Dean Chris Gordon, PhD, Professor and Program Director of Industrial Engineering Sohyung Cho, PhD, Professor and Graduate Program Director of Mechanical Engineering Jeff Darabi, PhD, and Lead Immigration Specialist Amy Nusser.
“JSS students could benefit from participating in SIUE’s integrative studies in engineering management master’s program, along with the accelerated master’s program in industrial engineering,” Weishaar said. “A partnership in construction management is also being explored.”
The JSS visitors were particularly impressed by SIUE engineering students applying theory through hands-on projects. They were also impressed with the SOE’s outstanding engineering labs and Fowler Student Design Center, as well as SIUE’s beautiful greenspace.
SIUE has had an agreement with JSS since 2012 that involves SIUE School of Pharmacy student and faculty exchanges, teaching and research exchanges, and assisting with arranging clinical services. JSS is a comprehensive system incorporating 350 educational institutions.
Photo (L-R): SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook, JSS Engineering and Technology Dean T.N. Nagabhushan, JSS Associate Professor B.S. Harish and JSS Vice Chancellor B.G. Sangameshwara.