Crucial to integrate GenAl into disciplines like chemistry or biology

As the landscape of technology continues to evolve, transcending geographical boundaries, one key avenue that has played a pivotal role in preparing India's tech-savvy professionals is the collaboration with foreign universities.

- Aanchal Ghatak

We are delving into the current landscape of global tech education and highlighting the key evolution in tech courses over the years with Dr. Yannis Yortsos, Dean of USC Viterbi School of Engineering, and Dr. Gaurav Sukhatme, Fletcher Jones Chair in Computer Science and Executive Vice Dean at the University of Southern California. Excerpts from an interview:

Could you elaborate on the current landscape of global tech education and highlight the key evolution in tech courses over the years?

Dr. Yannis: Al, particularly GenAI, is becoming increasingly integral in various industries, prompting USC and other institutions to adapt their engineering undergraduate programs' curricula. This initiative, predating the introduction of GPT, aims to equip graduating engineers with advanced computing tools crucial for industry success. The ongoing revolution in industries, from communications to chemical engineering, underscores the importance of this adaptation. While there's a notable increase in students studying computer science, it's crucial to integrate this knowledge with other disciplines like chemistry or biology. USC is restructuring its curricula, including master's programs, to foster this integration and facilitate fruitful outcomes by applying computing advances to diverse fields.

With USC's presence in India, are there any plans to establish a school there?

Dr. Yannis: We have partnerships with several institutions, including one with IISC in Bangalore dating back to 2006. We're evaluating various options such as physical presence, dual degrees, partnerships, and exchange student programs. These decisions require approval from the entire university as USC currently lacks a physical presence in any country.