DCE as a Technological University will be a significant milestone to createan academic and research environment to foster scientism and engineering excellence together. The up gradation of DCE into a University is seen as a major initiative of Government of Delhi to make Delhi as the Knowledge Capital of India.
The inspiration
The inspiration for upgrading Delhi College of Engineering into a Technological University in the NCT of Delhi is derived from the fact that in the new Knowledge Age creation and dissemination of knowledge, capabilities of utilizing knowledge to cause quantum jump in quality, performance and service to industry and society and thus, creating a better tomorrow has to be the hallmark of science, engineering and technology education in India. Such an effort when encapsulated with the agile layers of scientific values, unclenching faith in research integrity and professional morality ensures growth, prosperity and happiness around the world. Such an academic environment, in fact, need to be created in the temples of higher learning, especially in the Universities and Institutions imparting professional education.
This necessitates the requisite academic and administrative autonomy. The autonomy here becomes the freedom to excel and the associated accountability ensures a much greater commitment and compliance to high academic standards. In the context of Technological Universities and Engineering Institutions, we need also to cause seamless integration of science and engineering so that we succeed in creating the power of science and the might of technology together in our institutional campuses.
Learning from the international experience it goes without saying that we need to establish future Universities in India where science and technology both could flourish together, adding strength to each others existence and contributing to the growth of interdisciplinary engineering in an environment of scientism. What we really need to do is to create institutions and academic environment which attracts the very best talent towards science & engineering education and research both in the student community as well as in the faculty. For this we need to create the synergy between science and engineering to ensure that the very best talent is drawn towards university campuses which gravitate with the excitement of science and the thrill and joy of engineering.
The National Capital for many decades has been the hub for quality education and research in its premier institutions and universities such as the IIT Delhi, AIIMS, Delhi University colleges including Delhi College of Engineering. Delhi for a long time has been also known for promotion of manufacturing and production activities in both medium and small scale sectors. It has witnessed during the last two decades a significant growth of IT and ITES industries in and around Delhi. This has caused a major shift in the emphasis on shifting the hard core engineering activity to soft sectors of the knowledge economy. We could have caused a much greater resurgence of the core engineering sector if along with human resource development; we could have undertaken technology incubation and product innovation in our institutions of higher learning.
The transformation of DCE into a technological University offers a unique opportunity to create an environment of synergetic partnership between academia and industry. DTU thus, aims to cause a major departure from the conventional system of education and research. It aspires to imbibe a culture of scientific research in its technology disciplines and technology temper in its scientific research and education. The university also aspires to provide the thrill of a corporate R&D environment with a planned focus on industrially relevant projects and technology incubation. The human resource output of DCE as DTU shall impact the growth of future engineering and technology. It will revolutionize the basis of design, systems of manufacturing and give rise to development of new materials, next generation communication technologies, information highways, growth of clean energy and environment technologies and capabilities to manage technology, businesses and enterprises in the connected economy.
The research outputs of this university shall be of high value to Indias socio-economic development and for the progress in industrially relevant science and technology. Strong linkages shall be forged between teaching and research, university and industry, and university and research laboratories.
The DTU is engaged in fostering a culture of excellence supported by learned faculty and high quality student intake, including international students. It will also have partnership with its stakeholders and will be accountable to them. It has the necessary freedom and supportive layers of autonomy to nurture excellence in teaching and research. It will be a pioneering institute having high productivity of quality scientific and technological human resource and brain ware. We wish to benefit Industry in India from the quality of our graduate out turn and cost effective technology incubation and innovative product development.
The DTU has focussed its academic and research strategy on creating the Panchamrit of Academia, Industries, R&D organization, Government and Society, thus enhancing its reach as well as its share of contribution to national economy and playing its role as a partner in progress of the society.
The Glorious Past
“70 years of Tradition of excellence in Engineering & Technology Education, Research and Innovations” Delhi College of Engineering, (initially established with the name Delhi Polytechnic) came into existence in the year 1941 to cater the needs of Indian industries for trained technical manpower with practical experience and sound theoretical knowledge. The institution was set up at historic Kashmere Gate campus as a follow up of the Wood and Abott Committee of 1938. It comprised of a multi disciplinary and multi level institution offering wide ranging programmes in engineering, technology, arts and sculpture, architecture, pharmacy and commerce. The national diploma awarded by the institution was recognized as equivalent to degree level for the purposes of employment. In 1952 the college was affiliated with University of Delhi and started formal Degree level Programmes. The department of Architecture later became the School of Planning and Architecture, now a Deemed University and Institution of National importance. The department of Arts and Sculpture became College of Arts and the departments of Chemical Technology and Textile Technology were shifted out enblock to mark beginning of the IIT Delhi at its new campus at Hauz Khas. The department of commerce was later abolished and the faculty of management studies of the University of Delhi was established by Prof. A Das Gupta, of DCE. Delhi College of Engineering is thus the mother institution of a number of national projects including IITD, SPA, College of Arts and even the famous FMS.
Till 1962, the college was under the direct control of Ministry of Education, Government of India. In 1963, the administration of the college was handed over to Delhi Administration. Delhi College of Engineering was under the administrative control of Department of Technical Education & Training, Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
For academic purposes, the college was affiliated to University of Delhi since 1952. From July 2009, the DCE has become Delhi Technological University vide Delhi act 6 of 2009.
The erstwhile DCE has functioned from its historic Kashmere Gate Campus for almost 55 years and has shifted in 1996 to its lush green sprawling campus of 164 Acres at Bawana Road, adjoining Sector-17, Rohini, Delhi-42. Its shifting to new campus as added the dimension of research and caused innovations in plenty, which has received high national and international acclaim. As a Delhi Technological University it has the desired autonomy to excel and shape itself as a world class Technological University.
Vision
To meet its vision the DTU shall be fully networked with industry, on one hand and the academic/scientific community on the other. DCE as DTU shall enter into partnerships with leading Universities and industries in India and abroad. This shall take the form of sponsored chairs by industry, adjunct faculty from world class Universities and from reputed R&D organizations, product oriented R&D and technology incubation, continuing education programmes, providing a platform for industry to conduct product training and internship for students, industrial attachment for faculty, and sabbatical in industry and so on. Similar linkages need to be developed with established centers of scientific & technological research in India.
The selected bodies or individuals shall be those who either have specialized domain/technological knowledge that this University can partner with, or can be partner in development of technology and product innovation. Visiting / adjunct faculty positions, joint research projects, joint technology development programs, renowned scholars spending their sabbaticals at DTU and industry experts joining the team DTU for education and research initiatives shall make it happen. The University shall emulate the best practices in governance and management for effective administration, management of resources, and faculty, staff and student services.
The mission of the DTU is as follows:
- Be a world class centre for education, research and innovations in S&T arena, focus on cutting edge technologies for education delivery and foster an environment of seamlessness between science and technology.
- Promote the engineering spirit of product development through effective integration of design engineering and rapid prototyping.
- Emerge as a centre for attracting the best minds both nationally and internationally, from academia and industry.
- Produce well-rounded, socially responsible, up to date, scientifically tempered, design oriented engineer and scientists capable of lifelong learning.
- Be able to address the impact of globalization on S&T education.
- Meet the need for engineers and scientists at all levels of tertiary education, UG, PG, and Doctoral levels.
- Operate DTU as a world class Knowledge Enterprise to foster student and teacher led knowledge enterprises.
