Mission

The aims of the Mechatronics Engineering Industrial Advisory Board (MCEIAB) are to provide an independent, expert review and critique of the academic activities of the Program in such a way that improves the quality of teaching, research and services. In addition to that, it will enhance the visibility of the Program in the engineering community.

Board Terms of Reference

The Board will accomplish its mission by carrying out the following functions:

1. Review the program educational objectives to ensure that they meet the industrial needs as well as ABET Engineering Criteria.
2. Evaluate strengths, merits, and weaknesses of the current curriculum in the context of the Department mission and program educational objectives.
3. Provide recommendations on all matters related to the curriculum to improve the relationship between academic and professional practices.
4. Review student performances relative to the program outcomes from an industrial point of view and propose strategies for continuous improvement of the program.
5. Help in identifying opportunities for student’s involvement in research and capstone projects.
6. Review the Program activities and plans related to research, consultancy, and short courses and make recommendations.
7. Help in identifying opportunities for faculty research and development.
8. Help in soliciting funds for scholarships and endowments.
9. Help in placing students for the working experience program.
10. Provide assistance towards the review of student work and the collection of assessment data.
11. Enhance the visibility of the Program in the engineering community

Process

The process is consistent with the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) regulations. In the event of a conflict between this process and the SQU regulations, the provisions of the SQU regulations will prevail.

Membership:
MCEIAB shall consist of a maximum of seventeen (17) voting members, members from external organizations and three members form the MCE Program including the Chair and Co-Chair of the Program. These members are recommended by the Steering Committee and approved by the University - Administration. It should be comprised of noted professionals who hold leadership positions in their respective organizations. Qualifications include preferably a degree in Mechatronics/Electrical/Computer/Mechanical Engineering, rich professional experience, knowledge of current industrial needs and practices, and a strong desire to help improve the Mechatronics Engineering Program at Sultan Qaboos University.
Membership appointments are for renewable three-year terms and may be renewed subject to the commitment and involvement in activities and meetings. The Steering Committee, through the office of the College of Engineering Dean, selects and invites individuals to join the Board and extends notice of release based on the MCEAB decisions. Candidates may be recommended by the Steering Committee members as well as by other sources. The members shall provide adequate representation from the major organizations that employ our students as well as other Program stakeholders. However, Board membership shall not be limited to graduates of the Program, but may include individuals who are or can be active in their support to the Program.
The officers of the Advisory Board will be Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The Chair of the Board will be the Chair of the Steering Committee while the Vice Chair shall be from the industry elected by the members of the MCEIAB at the Fall meeting of each year. The Secretary of the Board shall be a faculty of the Program. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board and serve as a spokesperson for the Board. The Vice Chair shall perform all the functions of the Chair in his/her absence or other duties as assigned by the Chair.
No remuneration for participation is given and members or their sponsoring organizations are encouraged to cover any travel and loading expenses associated with board activities.

Committees:
In order to ensure the active participation of all members of the MCEIAB, committees are formed to perform certain major functions related to the mission of the Board. All members are encouraged to participate on at least one committee with opportunity to rotate to other committees based on committee needs and individual interests. The committees are formed for one year and are expected to report their activities at the next MCEIAB meeting.

An MCEIAB member will chair each committee. Faculty members will be assigned to the different committees and a faculty contact focal point will be designated for each committee to coordinate related Program activities. Additionally, MCEIAB members may be invited to serve as specialists on committees as the needs arise. The following three committees will have specified roles and responsibilities, in keeping with the mission of the MCEIAB. The number and types of committees may change as different needs arise.

• Curriculum and Accreditation Committee:

This committee is responsible for:

1. Reviewing the educational objectives of MCE program as well as recommending suitable educational outcomes and indicators.
2. Proposing strategies for establishing smart classes and updating labs in such a way that they meet the needs of the profession in Oman.
3. Helping in establishing all the processes required to attain ABET accreditation.
4. Soliciting sample industrial materials for use in course work such as drawings, case studies, and final year and design projects.

• Industry Outreach Committee:

This committee is responsible for:

1. Identifying opportunities for student research, Final year projects and faculty research, and development.
2. Helping in placing students for working experience program
3. Helping in promoting the visibility of the Program in the engineering community though the promotion of faculty consultancy, and short courses.

•  Sponsorship and Endowments Committee:

This committee is responsible for helping generating funds for scholarships, hosting conferences, procuring gifts and awards (including equipment), and endowments to support program and faculty development.

Meetings:
Regular meetings of the MCEIAB shall be held twice (2) a year on the SQU campus, normally in September and March. The Chair in consultation with MCEIAB members will decide the date of the meetings. The Fall meeting will be designated as the Annual Meeting of the MCEIAB. The annual meetings are for general reporting, assessment, and planning. Moreover, additional meetings or visits are also arranged for interviewing students, mentoring, and for project evaluation and assessment. The Chair may also call special meetings at any time. A simple majority of the members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum.

Minutes Reporting:
The Chair and the Secretary of the Advisory Board are responsible for preparing the minutes of the meetings of the Board and highlighting action items for members of the Board and the chair. The Chair of any established committee is responsible for preparing the minutes of their activities and highlighting their suggested action items for members of the Board and the Chair. The secretary will submit to the Chair the minutes within seven (7) days after the last meeting, for revision and comments. The secretary will furnish electronic copies of final version of minutes to all members of the board within fourteen (14) days, for comments on the minutes. In case of no comments received by the members within two (2) weeks, the minutes will be considered as approved. The Chair will make available hard copies of the final version of the minutes, to the MCEIAB members, Dean, and Deputy Vice President for Academic Affairs and Community Service within 30 days before the next meeting. As required, the Chair will arrange for the Board members to meet with the Dean, and high –level University Administrators.

Name	Affiliation	Position
Dr. Ashraf Shikdar	MIE	Chair
Dr. Adel Gastli	ECE	Internal Member
Dr. Hadj Bourdoucen	ECE	Secretary