Professor of Practice Positions at IIIT-Delhi15 Views

If you are a senior industry professional who wants to move closer to academia without giving up your practical edge, the Professor of Practice positions at IIIT-Delhi are one of the most compelling options in India today. These roles are designed for distinguished practitioners who can translate real-world experience into impactful teaching, mentoring, and industry-linked research.

A Professor of Practice role involves, who is eligible, how the appointments work, how to apply, and expert tips to make your application stand out. The focus is on experienced professionals looking for industry expert teaching opportunities in Delhi and beyond.

Overview: What Is a Professor of Practice at IIIT-Delhi?

At IIIT-Delhi, a Professor of Practice is a limited-term, non-regular teaching position meant for distinguished professionals from industry, government, startups, or applied research organisations. Appointees are usually senior practitioners, either currently active or retired, who have made substantial contributions to their field and maintain strong professional networks. 

The core idea is integration: IIIT-Delhi uses the Professor of Practice category to bring practical know-how into academic programs. These faculty members:

• • Design and teach practice-oriented courses
  • Advise undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students on real-world problems
  • Help set up industry–institute collaborations and consulting assignments
  • Contribute to entrepreneurship,
    placements, and innovation activities on campus

The positions are contractual, typically up to three years, and can be full-time or part-time, depending on the role and responsibilities agreed with the Institute.

Why Professor of Practice Positions at IIIT-Delhi Matter

For the Institute, Professors of Practice are a bridge between theory and application. They strengthen curricula, bring current industry problems into classrooms, and deepen IIIT-Delhi’s engagement with companies, government agencies, and startups.

For you as an applicant, these positions offer several advantages:

• • A structured academic role without the pressures of tenure-track research metrics
  • A platform to influence future engineers, data scientists, designers, and entrepreneurs
  • Opportunities to co-create projects, case studies, and labs that reflect cutting-edge industry practices
  • A respected title at a leading research-led institute in India’s capital region

Compared with typical visiting lectureships, Professor of Practice positions at IIIT-Delhi come with clearer responsibilities, formal recognition in the faculty structure, and a stronger mandate to build long-term industry linkages.

Eligibility and Ideal Profile

Core Eligibility Criteria

According to the official Professor of Practice positions page, the eligibility is

designed around both qualifications and experience:

• • Academic degree:

    • A PhD is preferred but not mandatory.
    • The PhD requirement can be waived if the candidate has a strong academic record and substantial industry experience.

  • Industry experience:

    • Candidates without a PhD should typically have 15+ years of relevant industry experience from reputable organisations.

  • Profile and track record:

    • Senior managers or professionals of repute and eminence
    • Strong contributions to their field (projects, products, patents, policies, leadership roles)
    • Extensive network of contacts in the relevant industry or ecosystem

  • Teaching and communication:

    • Ability to bring practice-oriented teaching frameworks into the classroom
    • Good communication skills and preferably some previous teaching, mentoring, or training experience

The call specifically mentions domains such as CSE, ECE, Mathematics, Human-Centered Design (HCD), Computational Biology (CB), and Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH).

Who Should Seriously Consider Applying?

You are an ideal candidate for IIIT-Delhi Professor of Practice eligibility criteria if you:

• • Are a senior software engineer, architect, data scientist, product leader, UX specialist, policy expert, or similar professional
  • Have led teams, large projects, or business units in tech, design, consulting, public
    policy, or research-intensive organisations
  • Want to transition from full-time industry roles into academia while still drawing on your practical portfolio
  • Enjoy mentoring young professionals and can commit significant time to teaching, advising, and curriculum design

If you already collaborate with universities through guest lectures, hackathons, or joint projects, a Professor of Practice position at IIIT-Delhi can be a natural next step.

Role, Responsibilities, and Compensation

Key Responsibilities

The official guidelines outline a wide scope of work for Professors of Practice at IIIT-Delhi:

• • Design and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate courses
  • Engage in research and development activities in their domain
  • Initiate and nurture research collaborations with companies and other institutions
  • Strengthen industry–institute linkages, including consulting and joint projects
  • Support entrepreneurship, incubation, and innovation initiatives
  • Contribute to placements and career development activities for students
  • Co-guide student projects and, where applicable, thesis work

In practice, this means you will be part of the academic community, not just a “guest speaker”. You will have a defined course load or project responsibilities and will participate in departmental and institutional initiatives.

Appointment Type and Duration

Key features of the appointment include:

• • Type: Non-regular, contractual, “Professor of Practice” category
  • Duration: Typically up to three years per appointment
  • Workload: Full-time or part-time, depending on agreed responsibilities
  • Tenure: Not eligible for tenure or Academic Senate membership
  • Leave: Not eligible for sabbatical leave, but other leave as per Institute policy

These positions are explicitly not tenure-track and do not lead to permanent faculty status. They are, instead, high-impact, time-bound roles focused on bringing practice into the classroom and research ecosystem.

Compensation and Benefits

The official page notes that compensation is equivalent to that of a Professor in the visiting faculty consolidated scale, defined periodically by the Board.

In simple terms:

• • Full-time Professors of Practice receive a consolidated pay comparable to full-time visiting professors.
  • Part-time appointees receive proportionate compensation based on their expected weekly engagement.
  • Additional allowances may be approved by the Director in special cases.

However, these positions do not carry eligibility for campus housing, and the usual tenure-track benefits such as sabbatical leave do not apply.

How to Apply for Professor of Practice Positions at IIIT-Delhi

The Institute treats this as a rolling advertisement. Positions remain open until filled, and applications are typically reviewed once each semester.

A practical step-by-step approach is:

1. 1. Study the official guidelines
      Read the full Professor of Practice positions page on the IIIT-Delhi website to understand the latest terms, departments, and expectations.
   2. Prepare a detailed, impact-focused resume
      Highlight:
      • • Key roles and employers
        • Major projects and products
        • Industry awards and recognitions
        • Evidence of mentoring, teaching, or training
   3. Draft a focused covering note
      The guidelines specifically ask for a note describing how you can add value to the Institute and listing areas where you can contribute (courses, labs, industry collaborations, entrepreneurship, etc.).
   4. Apply through the prescribed process
      The official page mentions online registration and document upload. In addition, qualified applicants may send their application by email to the Dean (Faculty) at [email protected] with the subject line:

“Professor of Practice Position in CSE/ ECE/ Math/ HCD/ CB/ SSH”.

1. Wait for shortlisting and interaction
   • Only shortlisted candidates are contacted.
   • Selection is through a Faculty Selection Committee, which includes at least two industry experts.
   • The joining date is finalised by mutual agreement.

Remember that incomplete applications are not considered, and canvassing can lead to disqualification.

Expert Tips and Common Mistakes

Tips to Strengthen Your Application

• • Show “translation”, not just titles
    Go beyond designations. Explain how you converted ideas into products, platforms, policies, or startups that affected customers, citizens, or businesses.
  • Align with IIIT-Delhi’s strengths
    Study existing departments and research groups. Propose courses or labs that complement, not duplicate, what is already offered.
  • Highlight teaching readiness
    Include prior teaching, corporate training, MOOCs, or workshop experience. Attach sample syllabi or topic outlines where possible.
  • Emphasise networks and collaborations
    Mention companies, government bodies, or international partners you could bring into joint projects or internships.
  • Stay realistic about workload
    Although the policy allows part-time appointments, the Professor of Practice page clearly states that selected candidates are expected to engage fully with institutional activities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• • Submitting a generic industry CV without any academic orientation
  • Ignoring IIIT-Delhi’s focus areas and proposing unrelated courses
  • Underestimating the time commitment for teaching and mentoring
  • Failing to articulate how students will benefit from your experience

Conclusion

The Professor of Practice positions at IIIT-Delhi offer a rare opportunity for senior professionals to shape the next generation of technologists, designers, and researchers while staying rooted in real-world impact. These roles combine structured academic responsibilities with the freedom to design practice-driven courses, initiate collaborations, and advise ambitious students.

If you have deep industry experience, a strong professional reputation, and a genuine interest in teaching and mentoring, this pathway is worth serious consideration. Start by reviewing the official guidelines, mapping how your expertise aligns with IIIT-Delhi’s departments, and preparing a targeted application that highlights your impact and networks.

For the latest updates, always rely on the official IIIT-Delhi website and consider bookmarking the careers page so you can track future calls and related non-regular faculty opportunities.

Summary Table

Feature	Details
Program Name	Professor of Practice Positions – Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi)
Host Country	India
Funded By	Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (State University established by Govt. of NCT of Delhi)
Duration	Limited-term contractual appointment, typically up to 3 years
Study Mode	On-campus faculty role; full-time or part-time engagement depending on appointment terms
Eligibility	Distinguished professionals, usually senior managers or experts, preferably with a PhD or at least 15 years of relevant industry experience and a strong track record
Financial Support	Consolidated compensation comparable to a Professor in the visiting faculty scale; part-time roles paid proportionately; additional allowances may be approved in specific cases
Fields of Study	CSE, ECE, Mathematics, Human-Centered Design (HCD), Computational Biology (CB), Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH)
Deadline	Rolling; positions remain open until filled, with applications reviewed once each semester
Official Website	Click here

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