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Read about the 2010 IEEE Vice President, Educational Activities.
Dr. Tariq S. Durrani
Tariq Durrani is a Professor in Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. He was Deputy Principal (Provost equivalent)-2000-06, with major responsibilities for University strategic developments in Computing/Information Technology infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, Staff Development and Lifelong Learning. He joined Strathclyde as a lecturer in 1976, Professor in 1982; Department Head (1990-94) of one of the largest UK EE Departments. His research interests are in Communications, Signal Processing and Technology and Higher Education Management, with over 340 publications. He has supervised some 40 PhDs, and held visiting/external appointments at Princeton, University of Southern California, Hong Kong and Sharjah (UAE).
He is Director of UK Leadership Foundation for Higher Education set up to develop talent to take up leadership and management roles at the highest levels in UK universities, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and (Board) Member Scottish Funding Council, which distributes $3.0 Billion funding annually to all Scotland universities and colleges.
RECOGNITION: He is the recipient of the IEEE AES M Barry Carlton (Honorable Mention) Award, 1974; IEEE Third Millennium Medal, 2000; IEEE Signal Processing Society Meritorious Service Award, 2000. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Royal Academy of Engineering- (the UK National Academy). In 2003 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire, by Queen Elizabeth for “services to higher education and electronics research”.
Qualifications
Tariq has provided exemplary leadership over a broad range of educational fronts, including the following:
- In his academic capacity he has been Deputy Principal University of Strathclyde (2000-06) - second to the University Principal (President) where his senior management responsibilities included oversight of Lifelong Learning (Continuing Education), Entrepreneurship, Staff Development and External Relations. As a University Senior Officer he has been involved in all aspects of university policy and strategy development. He has been responsible for the University’s Centre for Lifelong Learning, which is one of the most successful in the UK. He has developed strategic directions and delivered high level policies for the growth and success of the University.
- He is a Director of the UK Institute for System Level Integration, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and the Leadership Foundation for UK Higher Education, the last is concerned with the development of talent for leadership and management roles at the highest levels in UK universities. This Board level experience has provided a unique skill set and negotiating capacity.
- In 2005 he was appointed (Board) Member of the Scottish Funding Council, which has over all responsibility for the funding for research and teaching, and quality assessment of all Scottish universities and colleges. He is a member of the Research & Knowledge Transfer Committee, responsible for promoting and funding of Continuing Professional Development activities across Scottish Colleges and universities.
- He organized the 2005 General Convention of European Universities Rectors and Presidents that led to the ‘Glasgow Declaration’ – Strong Universities for a Strong Europe- as a follow on to the Bologna Declaration which is having a major impact on higher education in Europe. The Convention was attended by over 600 university Presidents and Rectors.
- As past President of two IEEE TAB societies, Tariq has acquired tremendous insight into the operations of the IEEE, and he has extensive knowledge of the mission and goals and organizational structure of the IEEE. Having served on EAB for some four years, including on a number of its key Committees, Tariq is well versed with the strategies and operations of EAB.
- Tariq has held leadership positions with a number of international bodies including UK IEE and IET (member of its Management Network, and past chair of Special Groups), the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Scottish National Academy- Vice President 2007-09); UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization)-Member Natural Sciences Committee- UK National Commission (2007-09).Thus he has widespread experience of working with external and international organizations, and delivering effective results.
Position Statement
The IEEE Education Activities Board (EAB) plays a seminal role in the services offered by the IEEE to members and organizations through a number of initiatives. This role can be enhanced, and the influence of EAB further extended, through the following range of initiatives:
- Build on the success of IEEE Expert Now, and exploit the opportunities offered by Xplore to provide an interesting outlet for a multiplicity of educational products developed in partnership with the IEEE societies, to meet the demands for continuing professional development. This would address both the ‘just-in-time’ training needs of engineers as required by their companies, and the ‘just-for-you’ development requirements of practicing engineers. Thus providing a timely member service.
- The downturn in the uptake of engineering by pre-college students has become an international issue, which is beginning to affect business, industry and academe that can have significant long-term consequences. Through strategic alliances with other organizations, approaches can be established to turn this around, by influencing career choices, and partnering with teachers and school career advisors.
- Working to revitalize the curriculum for electrical engineering with educational organizations such as NSF, collaborating with industry, integrating research with education, in order to meet the needs of the workforce of the 21st Century. An emerging area of interest is the integration of ‘Creativity in Engineering’. Work on this integration can have manifold advantages - help broaden the appeal of engineering in general and electrical engineering in particular appeal to pre-college students and practicing engineers, alike. The activity can be embellished by giving an international perspective, through strategic alliances with organizations in Europe and Asia.
- With the downturn in industry, it has become evident that engineers require continuing professional development through certification programs to maintain and enhance their knowledge base and professional experience and expertise. In this context the initiative taken by the Communications Society (ComSoc) on Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies Certification training is worth emulating.
- Quality of education and the learning experience in universities and colleges has become a world-wide concern, of the learners and the stake-holders including accrediting bodies. Extending internationally, the accreditation procedures and quality assurance processes promoted by the IEEE would reap rich rewards for EAB, extending its influence further afield. Here, my contacts in Regions 8-10 would be particularly useful, as well as partnering with other national bodies. In this context an International Conference under the aegis of the EAB, which brings together international experts and decision makers, would provide a platform for the exchange of experiences, and best practice, and assist with benchmarking accreditation procedures and quality, and promote the standards set by the IEEE.
- Promoting the public understanding of technology in partnership with TAB societies and MSA, and other organizations such as media companies and popular journals.
- Seeking external patronage from organizations to support the EAB Awards Program. I have had the good fortune of being instrumental in the establishment of two IEEE Medals, the Jack Kilby Medal and the IEEE/RSE Wolfson Maxwell Medal. This experience would be useful in achieving the above objective.
IEEE activities
IEEE Activities:( M '82,SM '86, F '89)
Tariq has been active as an IEEE volunteer for several years. He has served on most of the main Boards of the IEEE.
EAB: Member–at-large (2002-05) Chair Awards & Recognition Committee (2004-05) with oversight responsibility for all EAB Awards; Member EAB Strategic Planning committee (2002-03) and EAB Finance Committee (2001-02).
TAB: He was President IEEE Engineering Management Society (2006-07); President IEEE Signal Processing Society (1994-95); Chair TAB Periodicals Council (1996-97) with oversight responsibility for all IEEE Transactions, Journals, Magazines and Newsletters; (Founding) Chair Periodicals Review Committee (1998-99); Member TAB Management Committee (1996-97), the TAB N&A Committee (1998-99); Member TAB Society Review Committee (2004-07).
PSPB: Vice Chair PSPB (1996-97); Member-at-large PSPB (2001-02) and (2008-10); Member Editorial Board of IEEE Spectrum (2002-04);
Awards Board: Member Awards Board (2003-05 and 2006-08); Member Awards & Recognition Committee (2004-05); Member IEEE Edison Medal Committee (1995-97), Jack Kilby Signal Processing Medal Committee (1996-99 and 2006-09); IEEE/RSE Wolfson James Clerk Maxwell Medal Committee (2006-08); IEEE Medal of Honor Committee (2006-08). As President of IEEE Signal Processing Society he negotiated the establishment of the Jack S Kilby Signal Processing Medal and secured funding from Texas Instruments (TI) for the Medal. Working with the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy of Sciences & Letters, obtained funding for the establishment of the first ever joint IEEE/RSE Maxwell Medal (2006).
Region 8: Vice Chair Technical Activities for IEEE Region 8 (2003-04). Member Industry Relations Committee (2003-04); Member Chapter Chair Coordination Committee (2007-08). Chair IEEE Region 8 Conference Coordination Committee (2001-02).
IEEE Conference Committee: Member (2008-9).
Tariq has extensive experience of organizing large scale IEEE international conferences and other events, with overall responsibilities for all aspects of conference management and organization, each of these events has made a substantial surplus for their sponsors, including ICC-007 for ComSoc, IEMC-2002 for the Engineering Management Society, ICASSP ’89 for the Signal Processing Society, and many others.
Major accomplishments
Besides delivering on the above activity, the following accomplishments for IEEE are worth noting:
- As President of IEEE Signal Processing Society negotiated the establishment of the Jack S Kilby Signal Processing Medal and secured funding from Texas Instruments (TI) for the Medal in 1995.
- As President of IEEE Signal Processing Society, raised funds and negotiated the establishment of the IEEE Jack Kilby Signal Processing Medal in 1995, introduced the highly successful IEEE Signal Processing Letters.
- As Chair of the TAB Periodicals Council established the TAB Periodicals Review Committee and was its Founding Chair (1998-99).
- As Vice Chair Technical Activities for Region 8 – introduced the Section Review Program to assess performance of IEEE Sections in terms of member services, local activities, financial reporting and self evaluation (2003-04).
- As President IEEE Engineering Management Society, in 2007 oversaw the successful transition of Society to IEEE Technology Management Council, to provide technology management activities, support and services across most major TAB societies.
- As Member of IEEE Awards Board, working with the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy of Sciences & Letters, obtained funding for the Medal from Wolfson Microelectronics, to establish first ever joint IEEE/RSE James Clerk Maxwell Medal (2006).
