Academe-Industry Partnership Made Possible amidst Pandemic

The pandemic has changed the way offices, industries and academes do the usual activities for carrying out transactions. The academe has shifted to online, flexible learning. One of the most affected area is the partnership of academe to the industries especially for the immersion activities.

I can still recall that there was a memorandum of CHED to pull-out all OJT students from their respective host training establishments to ensure their safety. The burden of giving them supplemental activities was passed to the shoulders of their coordinators.

Indeed, the first months of pandemic had brought struggles. But, the academe has slowly adjusted to new normal. Budget have been given to ICT infrastructures to ensure that the needs of the students will be addressed. Academe efforts on continuing partnerships to industries and even establishing new linkages is made possible even its pandemic.

How is partnership made possible this time of pandemic?

It is made possible through technology. The collaboration and communications technology developments helped to establish the partnership between industries and academe. For an instance, when it was not yet pandemic, if we would like to have an industry speaker, we would invite him/her, ensure to provide accommodation, travel expenses. The students will be gathered in a conference room for the talk. But now, we can just use video conferencing technologies to make the activity possible. The accommodation and travel expenses are saved. Even speakers from the foreign countries can be invited. For the immersion, there are companies now especially in the IT industry that allows online internship since they are also doing remote jobs in the convenience of their homes. Thanks to technology, and the makers of this technology.

Aside from the technology, the other factor that made the partnership possible is the attitude, the willingness of the person to adopt to change. Even if the technology is there, but the person in-charge will not adopt to it, it will still not work. So, the attitude of the person who is doing the partnership is important. The person should be active in coordinating with industry and academe partners and thinking of different kinds of activities.

Our Experience in the Academe

I can confidently write about this topic because we have experienced this in the academe. I for one, organized a Webinar series about an IT topic and then we invite different speakers from the industry. The students are very eager to listen and learn real industry experiences from those working in the industry, because I admit, there is a difference in school and in the industry and the gap must be addressed. The industry speakers are also happy to share some of their experiences to the students. This partnership enabled us to realize that even industry immersion of faculty members will be of help for our improvement.

CONCLUSION

Academe and industry partnership is made possible by technology and the person working on the partnership. This partnership is essential for the growth of students. This partnership is also a big help to the faculty because they will also be updated of what is happening in the IT industry. Even its pandemic, there will always be a way to make things possible if there is a willpower to do things for the better.

Lead Image: Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay 

I would like to thank @immaryandmerry for sharing their school practice and I adopt it through this webinar series. It is really a big help to us.

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