CHENNAI: Anna University students will undergo more courses in communication and soft skills during the first three years of their engineering programme, from the coming academic year.

Simultaneously, it is talking to global leaders in information technology services for improving the profile of outgoing students as "I.T-enabled engineers."

These measures will enhance their employment prospects and make them more industry-ready after completing the course, says Vice-Chancellor D. Viswanathan. At present, students undergo one course in English in the first year. "We are now asking all affiliated colleges to set up communication and language laboratories to help students improve their skills in communication, group discussion, project presentation and project management and enhance their leadership capability... " Mr. Viswanathan told reporters here on Thursday.

He said the number of students being recruited had gone up from 100-150 in the last few years to several hundreds this year. "Students should be able to present themselves, make projects and present the projects as, in later life as employees, they will have to make these presentations and win orders for themselves or their companies." The next step for improving student profile would be to make all of them I.T enabled-engineers.

More measures

"We have started talks with major MNCs such as Motorola and Flextronics and invited them to participate in our endeavour to create research parks in the university. Once they do it, their officials can work in the university as adjunct faculty and our M.E and final year UG students can get six months industry training in their facility," Dr. Viswanathan said.

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