Abstract:

The role of industry in academia has continued to evolve and change throughout the history of higher education ranging from targeted workforce development to industry-focused student experiences such as collaborative projects, internship positions, guest speakers, and field trips. When considering the reach of industry into the curriculum, administrators must ask themselves if the goal of education is to prepare students for future careers, to broaden students’ minds, or if there is a way to accomplish both goals. If career preparation is a primary goal, are traditional academics in the best position to develop and deliver curriculum? Many industries are evolving at a rapid pace and full time academics can not be expected to provide classroom materials that cover historical context, theory, modern practice, up-and-coming trends, industry best practices, and more in a single semester. This paper follows an ongoing study of the practice of employing Industry Expert Adjuncts (IEAs) as instructors in higher education departments and considers it from the perspective of administration and programmatic goals. By maintaining a full time position outside of academia while teaching a class, IEAs are in a unique position to expose students to timely industry insights in their coursework. Through conversations with administrators at different levels and across several programs, we explore the advantages and challenges of this approach to industry collaborations in the classroom.

Keywords:

Industry, career preparation, Industry Expert Adjuncts, adjuncts, administration, curriculum.