Jigme Namgyel Engineering College is working towards introducing a progressive teaching-learning pedagogy as part of the European Union (Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme) funded project ‘Strengthening Problem Based Learning (PBL) in South Asian Universities – PBL South Asia’ for which JNEC is a partner institute. The project comprises of a total of ten partners from Asia and Europe and is led by Aalto Global Impact of Aalto University, Finland.
In Bhutan, most employers continue to set work experience as one of the criteria for employment, without which, employers are reluctant to recruit new graduates. Field experience to an extent, can be achieved through the implementation of PBL in the academic curriculum.
In order to familiarize academics and relevant support staff of JNEC on PBL, a Workshop on ‘Introduction to PBL – Problem Based Learning’ was organized on 8th May 2019. The workshop began with the introduction and description of the PBL South Asia project by Dr. Andu Dukpa, Coordinator of the project in JNEC.
Ms. Srijana Gajmer, Associate Lecturer followed up next with her presentation on “Introduction to concepts of Problem Based Learning”. The presentation included topics on concepts, advantages and examples of PBL practices in Europe. The presentation also covered aspects of research works and methods of PBL, including methods for global sustainable development.
Further, Ms. Tandin Zangmo, Associate Lecturer highlighted on the PBL based student project carried out by students of Aalto University, Finland in collaboration with the students of Asian Institute of Technology and Management, Nepal in Dhungetar, a place affected by the recent earthquake of 2015. It was learnt that the student pilot project focused on restoration of the community and improving social cohesion after the devastating earthquake.
The workshop concluded with group discussions and presentations by the participants on how to best include and implement PBL into the curricula in JNEC and the Royal University of Bhutan in general. The feedback provided by the participants were encouraging and it was felt that PBL can be introduced effectively in JNEC and other sister colleges of the Royal University of Bhutan for the benefit of our students and the esteemed stakeholders.