黑料社

Mehdi Mekni, Ph.D. spent 15 years working in industry before stepping into a classroom as a professor of computer science, creating a wealth of 黑料社s that shaped the way he sees both education and innovation today.

鈥淚 never thought my Ph.D. would be used for academia,鈥� Dr. Mekni reflected. 鈥淚 thought it would give me the depth and knowledge I needed for a career in the private sector.鈥�

It鈥檚 because of his views on connecting academia and industry that led Dr. Mekni to receive an Innovation Fellowship from the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF). As one of just 28 faculty nationwide 鈥� and the first from the University of New Haven to be selected 鈥� Dr. Mekni is working alongside industry leaders and higher ed changemakers to build a future where students combine classroom learning with practical 黑料社s, building the career-ready skills they need to excel.

When Dr. Mekni applied for the BHEF Innovation Fellowship, he did so with the encouragement and sponsorship of Tagliatela College of Engineering Dean Ron Harichandran, Ph.D. 鈥� a gesture that highlights the University鈥檚 commitment to bridging academic learning and industry needs, also a central focus of President Frederiksen.

鈥淩eceiving the fellowship is a nice recognition of my efforts on workforce development and the integration of industry-recognized credentials, curricular pathways, and traditional diplomas,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about offering students the best of both worlds.鈥�

Dr. Mekni鈥檚 commitment to blending industry and academia partially grew out of a project he launched in 2023, funded by the Connecticut Tech Talent Accelerator (CT TTA). That initiative led to a partnership with Unity Technologies, one of the world鈥檚 largest game-engine service providers, enabling University of New Haven students to earn industry-recognized certifications alongside their bachelor鈥檚 degrees.

鈥淎 student who graduates with a computer science degree in game development but has no 黑料社 鈥� it鈥檚 usually a very risky asset for employers,鈥� he explained. 鈥淓mployers tend to go after candidates with some 黑料社, a small portfolio, and credentials. I didn鈥檛 want my students to pay that price.鈥�

Thanks to the partnership, more than 20 students graduated not only with their degrees, but also with certifications from Unity 鈥� a combination that gave them a competitive edge in a fast-moving job market.

鈥淚 believe students shouldn鈥檛 have to select one or the other,鈥� Dr. Mekni said. 鈥淚ndustry and academia need to start working closely together to develop the skills the workforce needs to sustain economic development, locally and nationally.鈥�

As part of the BHEF Innovation Fellowship, Dr. Mekni is expanding his vision beyond game design. His current project focuses on embedding stackable microcredentials into the University鈥檚 programs, particularly in fields such as gaming, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity 鈥� areas he calls the 鈥減illars鈥� of computer science and software engineering.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about creating programs that are flexible and relevant. I want our traditional students to graduate with a degree and a portfolio of credentials that set them apart, but I also want to reach adult learners 鈥� people who don鈥檛 have the time or resources for a full degree but still want to reskill or upskill.鈥� Mehdi Mekni, Ph.D.

The fellowship includes workshops and training sessions with business leaders, fellow faculty innovators, and higher ed experts. From San Diego to Washington D.C., Dr. Mekni has been learning strategies for leading transformational change 鈥� skills he says his technical background never taught him.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e preparing you for the leadership and innovation side of a project: communication, alliances, momentum, and solving challenges,鈥� he said.

For Dr. Mekni, the lessons he鈥檚 bringing back from the fellowship all lead to one simple message: learning doesn鈥檛 end when the semester does. 鈥淚n technology, you sleep and wake up the next day and there are new things to learn. It鈥檚 a dynamic, global ecosystem.鈥�

Continuous learning and practical 黑料社, he believes, is what will ultimately prepare students for careers beyond the classroom 鈥� whether they鈥檙e heading into game design, AI, cybersecurity, or industries that haven鈥檛 even been invented yet.

鈥淢y goal is for students to hit the ground running,鈥� Dr. Mekni said. 鈥淎nd I want them to do it with confidence.鈥�