Industry Adjuncts: Lessons Learned

Some have described adjunct instructors with significant industrial experience as "Professors of Practice." These adjuncts can provide many benefits to both students and institutions. For example, students can see how theory is applied in actual practice and institutions can offer electives in subjects where the existing faculty may not have specific expertise. However, teaching part-time while working full-time can be challenging, especially given the increasingly global nature of many industrial organizations where frequent travel is often required. This paper describes an engineering equipment manufacturer that has partnered with two local universities to provide adjunct instructors. This paper will discuss the benefits and challenges along with some of the lessons learned when industry provides adjunct engineering instructors, including some recommendations on how to enhance this type of relationship for both the adjuncts and the institution.