Dean/Director - Applied Engineering

Job Title: Dean/Director – Applied Engineering

Institution: A Leading Private University

Location: South India

Reporting to: Vice Chancellor / Pro Vice Chancellor (Academics)

Role Overview

The Dean – Applied Engineering will provide strategic and academic leadership to the School of Applied Engineering in a private university environment. The role focuses on building industry-relevant, application-oriented engineering programs that drive student employability, institutional reputation, and sustainable growth.

The Dean will be responsible for academic excellence, faculty capability, industry partnerships, accreditation, admissions support, and strong placement outcomes, while contributing actively to the university’s overall growth agenda.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Strategy & Program Growth

• Define and execute the academic and business strategy for Applied Engineering programs.
• Design and launch industry-aligned undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive programs.
• Ensure curricula are application-driven, skill-focused, and benchmarked with leading global institutions.
• Drive innovation in teaching models, labs, certifications, and experiential learning.

Faculty Leadership & Academic Governance

• Build and lead a strong faculty team with a balance of academic depth and industry exposure.
• Set clear performance expectations aligned with teaching quality, research, and industry engagement.
• Strengthen academic governance, assessment standards, and outcome-based education.
• Mentor senior faculty and develop future academic leaders.

Industry Partnerships & Employability

• Establish strategic partnerships with industry, startups, and research organizations.
• Enable live projects, internships, industry certifications, and guest faculty models.
• Work closely with the placement team to ensure strong and consistent student outcomes.
• Position the school as an industry-preferred talent partner.

Research, Innovation & Revenue Enablement

• Promote applied research, consultancy, executive education, and industry-funded projects.
• Support innovation labs, incubation, patents, and commercialization initiatives.
• Contribute to revenue generation through industry programs and sponsored research.

Accreditation, Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Lead accreditation and ranking initiatives (NBA, NAAC, NIRF, ABET, QS, etc.).
• Ensure compliance with UGC, AICTE, and statutory bodies.
• Drive continuous improvement through data, audits, and academic reviews.

Admissions Support & Brand Building

• Support admissions through academic positioning, counselling inputs, and outreach.
• Act as the academic face of the school in marketing, rankings, and public forums.
• Build a strong employer and academic brand for Applied Engineering.

Eligibility & Experience

• PhD in Engineering or a closely related discipline (mandatory).
• 15–20 years of experience in higher education, with at least 5 years in senior academic leadership roles.
• Experience in private universities or autonomous institutions preferred.
• Strong understanding of outcome-driven education, accreditation, and rankings.
• Proven ability to engage industry and contribute to growth and revenue initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership with execution mindset
• Industry networking and partnership building
• Academic governance and regulatory knowledge
• Business orientation within an academic framework
• Strong stakeholder communication

What This Role Offers

• High autonomy and decision-making authority
• Opportunity to build and scale applied engineering programs
• Direct impact on student outcomes, placements, and university growth
• Visibility as a key academic leader within the university ecosystem