The Industrial Advisory meeting and Alumni Advisory Panel meeting were organized by the IEEE Brac University student branch in collaboration with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Brac University on 27 August 2023. This gathering drew representatives from esteemed companies and notable alumni, setting the stage for engaging discussions that would not only benefit students but also propel the field of engineering forward. This event also demonstrated the delegates’ dedication to advancing education and industry collaboration.

This meeting marked a pivotal moment where a distinguished group of visitors and esteemed faculty woven a tapestry of innovative ideas, valuable feedback, and visionary suggestions. In response to the dynamic vision of Professor Dr. AKM Abul Malek Azad and the Max group, there was a resounding demand for a boot camp to increase the course’s impact, highlighting the need for immersive, hands-on learning. The Dean lent his influential voice to this discourse, championing practicality and the active engagement of industry players in preparing students for final projects, notably advocating a transition from conventional cardboard models to cutting-edge technology. With an underlying theme of interdisciplinary collaboration permeating the conversation, participants, including the Dean, ardently advocated for enhancing the educational experience through interdisciplinary synergy. This symposium incorporated a broad spectrum of feedback, from the imperative forging stronger industry connections to the meticulous planning of market research preceding FYDP initiatives and the vital need for uninterrupted laboratory access. Diverse course proposals, ranging from HR and communication to cutting-edge disciplines, sparked a lively discussion. Proponents of the concept of expert series courses for specialized knowledge were ardent. The significance of increasing female representation in the discipline was a recurring theme throughout the discussion. The transformative effect of boot camps on students’ presentation skills was lauded, with a recurring emphasis on communication clarity. In addition, the symposium highlighted the responsibility of universities to provide students with foundational and industry-relevant knowledge and skills. It was considered essential to facilitate crucial connections between students and industries in fields such as solar energy, renewables, machine learning, radio communication, transmission, and VLSI. Lastly, the potential for part-time lecturers to gain knowledge through partnerships, as exemplified by EWU, was explored. Indicative of an unwavering commitment to all-inclusive professional development, the Dean outlined ambitious plans to organize exclusive employment fairs catered to engineers. In conclusion, this meeting was a melting pot of transformative ideas, highlighted by an unwavering commitment to enhancing education and nurturing seamless collaboration between academia and industry. The event aimed to discuss the course’s development and solicit feedback from distinguished guests.

During this meeting, distinguished guests and faculty provided a variety of constructive feedback and insightful suggestions. Notably, Professor Dr. AKM Abdul Malek Azad and the Max team proposed a training camp to supplement the course, emphasizing the need for experiential, hands-on learning. This was supplemented by the Dean’s endorsement of practicality, which advocated the engagement of businesses to prepare students for final projects, with a particular emphasis on the transition from traditional cardboard models to 3D printing. Several attendees, including the Dean, emphasized the enrichment of the learning experience through joint seminars with other disciplines. Interdisciplinarity was a recurring theme. In addition, Shaila, the CEO of GP, praised students for their communication abilities but urged them to strengthen their engineering fundamentals. A special emphasis was placed on enhancing the participation and engagement of female students. The responses spanned a broad spectrum, including a request for increased industry connections, meticulous market research preceding FYDP projects, and uninterrupted laboratory access – especially germane for analogue design and VLSI-related courses. According to consensus, students must acquire proficiency with software tools such as Cadence for VLSI. HR and communication, battery energy storage systems, the design of EV chargers, GIS GIS switchgear, 4IR automation, and calibration and testing were among the novel course suggestions that reverberated throughout the discussion. It was also proposed to provide students with specialized knowledge by introducing expert series courses. A prevailing theme highlighted the importance of bolstering female representation in the field, with a suggested target of 30-40% female participation. It was acknowledged that boot camps have a transformative effect on students’ presentation skills, with a resounding emphasis on communication clarity. Furthermore, there was a collective acknowledgement of universities’ responsibility to equip students with foundational knowledge and industry-relevant skills. Facilitating crucial connections between students and industries in fields such as solar energy, renewables, machine learning, radio communication, transmission, and VLSI was deemed essential.

In a promising revelation, Dr. Arshad M. Chowdhury, the Dean of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, disclosed plans to organize engineering-specific employment fairs. This ambitious initiative underscores the institution’s unwavering commitment to comprehensive professional development, fostering symbiotic collaboration between academia and industry.The Industrial Advisory and Alumni Advisory Panel Meeting was a melting pot of transformative ideas, fueled by an unwavering commitment to enhancing education and nurturing seamless collaboration between academia and industry. It stands as a testament to the continuous pursuit of excellence in engineering education.