
Must-Watch Design Institute in India - 2022
In this issue, we have identified ‘10 Must-Watch Design Institutes in India’ that are creating design education for the 21st Century to equip designers with the skills and perspectives to design more inclusive, sustainable, equitable, and responsible future product systems, organisations, and societies.

The journey of ARCH College of Design and Business began in a two-room apartment space of its Founder & Director, Archana Surana’s residence.

Producing the Next Generation of Architects, Planners, & Design Thinkers
Located in Lucknow, the campus of Integral University is spread over 121 acres, with FOAPD accommodating 3,000 sq mt of the built-up area.

Building the Next Generation of Design Thinkers in Fashion Technology
KLE FAD is backed by a rich legacy of KLE Society which celebrated its centenary in 2016.

Trailblazers in the Animation and VFX Space
The college is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary colleges for Design, Animation, VFX, and Game Design.

Immersing Creativity into Education
School of Creativity has a new age tech-driven curriculum that believes in a seamless amalgamation of low tech with high tech.

Providing Excellence in Design
SGT University’s Faculty of Fashion and Design (FFAD) has become the country’s pioneering School of Fashion Education.

Discerning the Need for Design
Strate Design School is a preferred choice for international and national students owing to its French pedagogy of learning, world-class faculty and mentorship.

Delivering Excellence in Design Education
Mumbai-based Whistling Woods International (WWI) is a brainchild of multi-talented and critically acclaimed filmmaker, Mr. Subhash Ghai.

Providing a Sound Design Foundation to Students
Under its umbrella, WUD provides multiple undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across disciplines like Architecture, Design, Fashion, Communication, Visual arts, Performing Arts & Business.

Pankaj Sharma, President, The Lexicon Group of Institutes and Chairman & MD, Pune Mirror and Mutifit
An eminent educationist, entrepreneur, institution-builder, and philanthropist, Mr. Pankaj Sharma started his journey early in his life with humble beginnings.

Dr. Rahul Joshi, Head of School of Petroleum Engineering, MIT – World Peace University
Dr. Rahul Joshi is presently working as Assistant Professor and Head, School of Petroleum Engineering, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune, Maharashtra, India.

Anjani B Kuumar, Head HR, MX Media
Anjani B Kuumar has been an extremely successful global HR and business professional with a unique blend of corporate and entrepreneurial experience.

Ankit Arora, Founding Director, Saarthi Education
Ankit has worked in the non-prot education sector for almost a decade.

Alex George, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ITLH
Alex M George is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of ITLH, an incubator for learners who want to attain proficiency in Digital Design & Coding skills.

Mohammed Mohtashim, Founder and Managing Director, Tutorials Point
Mohammed Mohtashim is an MCA from AMU(Aligarh) and a Project Management Professional.

Narasimha Jayakumar, Managing Director, India, Brainly
Narasimha is responsible for driving the India business for Brainly and to build world-class EdTech products for the Indian market.

Aashay Mishra, Co-Founder and COO, PrepInsta
Aashay Mishra is the Co-founder and COO of PrepInsta, one of the fastest-growing placement enhancement skill companies in India.
TRENDING THIS WEEK
Students power design of Flinders new solar racing car with REDARC technology
A team of international and domestic student engineers at Flinders University are incorporating innovative solar and battery technologies into a new design…
The Design Village (TDV) Collaborate with Coffee Brand ARAKU
The Design Village (TDV) noida collaborated with originators of ARAKU speciality coffee brand to set up an unique cafe experience. Envisioned as…
EDITOR'S PICK
Upward and Onward: The Uprise of the Hospitality Sector
Why are High School Students Doing Research?
Keys to Business (and Education) Success from Design Thinking
The Value of Online Learning: Why Universities Should Continue to Offer a Remote Learning Service
ACADEMIC
How SOAS Fellowship Added Value to Academic Upliftment
Dr Mohammad Tarikul Islam, an expert on local government, sustainable rural development, grassroots political participation, climate diplomacy, and foreign relations of Bangladesh…
Enterprise Innovation in the Digital Age – Leadership Challenges
Relevance of an MBA in the Era of AI
INDUSTRY
Ivy Leagues Are Not Just For Class Toppers; Know How to Find Your Way In
Rahul Subramaniam went to high school in Fremont, California. He received perfect SAT scores and got into every Ivy-League college to which…
Why do Higher Education Institutions Need to Focus on Curriculum 4.0?
Top 6 Enterprising Careers for Finance and Accounting Professionals
STUDENTS
The Ultimate Student Guide 2022 to Studying Hospitality Management
Shrey Anand is a global citizen of Indian lineage, enrolled in EHL’s Bachelor programme for International Hospitality Management in Lausanne, Switzerland. His…
The Long and Winding Road to Embarking on A Career in Semiconductors
While You Await the Text Message, Pick Up a Book

PES College of Pharmacy: Shaping All-Rounded Pharma Professionals
September 5, 2019
STUDY ABROAD
What Makes Queensland One of the Preferred Study Abroad Destinations?
Remya is currently leading the International Education & Training for Study Queensland, the specific arm of Trade & Investment Queensland which exclusively…
SA’s first 5-week intensive program for university entry
In a South Australian first, Flinders University is piloting an intensive 5-week Foundation Studies program which guarantees entry into 30 undergraduate degrees…

How to Make a Career in Architecture
November 26, 2020

3 Ways to Make Science Engaging and Fun for Students
November 10, 2020

Persona 4.0: A Quantum Leap in Education Outcomes
October 14, 2020

The Future of Higher Education in the UAE
October 14, 2020

Channelizing the Power of Collective Action for A Social Good
September 30, 2020

Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education
April 29, 2020

Entrepreneurship: The Art of Learning from Mistakes
February 10, 2020

Importance of Teaching Life Skills in Classrooms
December 2, 2019
BOOKS & REVIEWS
60 Clear-Cut Ideas That Make Handling Crises and Career Setbacks Easier
If the last two years have taught humanity anything, it’s that life isn’t easy. “But everything in life … everything … can be…
RECOGNITIONS
10 Must-Watch Design Institutes in India
Design education was one of the toughest to teach during the pandemic times, as it involved a lot of practical learning. However, the institutes have…
10 Must-Watch Business Schools in India
Today, b-schools in India are looking at aligning their goals with the school’s mission and scrutinizing their purpose, and deciding their contribution to the development…
10 Must-Watch Universities in India – 2022
The higher education system in India has grown in a remarkable way to become one of the largest systems of its kind in the world.…
10 Must-Watch Universities and Colleges in Canada for Indian Students – 2022
Quality education at an affordable price is the tagline of Canadian universities and colleges. In addition to that, excellent quality of life, immense post-study work,…
10 Most Inspiring Leaders in Education -2022
The past two years have been extremely challenging for the global education system. During this time, we spoke to the administrators and academicians of prestigious…
Advisory Board
Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD, MBA, MPhil, MCom, LLB.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Varughese K. John, has got more than 35 years of teaching and research experience in the domain of commerce and management. Currently, he is a full-time faculty member of the Graduate School of eLearning (MS Program in Management and Ph.D. Program in eLM), Assumption University of Thailand. Also, he is a visiting professor of another university in Vietnam and also an adjudicator of Ph.D. dissertations of many other Universities. His specializations are financial management, banking, and managerial accounting. He did his Ph. D. on ‘Non-performing Assets of Indian commercial banks'. He has got a number of publications in world class journals and used to publish research articles in the daily ‘Bangkok Post'. He has contributed many research papers in the international conferences in Australia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and India - has been honored with the best paper presentation award in IPN Conferences, 2018 at Perth, Australia. He started his teaching career in the year 1983 in the colleges under the management of Malankara Syrian Catholic colleges in Kerala, India and eventually became the Principal of Pazhassiraja College, Pulpally, Wayanad, Kerala during the period 2011 to 2015. He served as a member of the Faculty of Commerce, University of Kerala for three years (2004-2007). He got industrial experience by serving in different companies in the middle-east. His educational qualifications include – Ph.D., MBA, M.Phil., M.Com. and LL.B.
Dr. Hans A. Andrews Ed.D.
Dr. Hans Andrews is Distinguished Fellow in Community College Leadership and former President of Olney Central College in Illinois. He was also a Dean of Instruction and Vice President of Community and Student Services at two other community colleges in Illinois and Michigan and was an adjunct faculty member at Illinois State University. Hans is credited for starting the first dual-credit program between a community college and secondary school in the United States. He also served as the national community college spokesperson on teacher evaluation and recognition for outstanding teachers. His seven books and many of his 130 journal publications have highlighted recognition, evaluation, and dual-credit. Hans has been a contributor of articles to the Higher Education Digest on numerous occasions. His professional career started out as a secondary school teacher of business and as a school counselor. His Doctorate in Counseling Psychology is from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His Masters Degree and Baccalaureate degrees are from Michigan State University and Central Michigan University respectively.
Dr. Kuldeep Nagi,Ph.D,MBA,BSc.
Assistant Professor Dr. Kuldeep Nagi is the Program Director of Ph.D in eLearning Methodology for Graduate School of eLearning (GSeL) at Assumption University, Thailand. He was born and educated in India but matured and flourished in Seattle, WA, USA. He is an American citizen and recipient of Fulbright Fellowship Award-2006 in USA to work at Assumption University, Thailand. While working in Seattle Community College District (SCCD) in USA, he also received Dan Evans Award for Excellence in Teaching. He spent the prime of his life working at various institutions of Higher Education based in Seattle, WA, USA. After joining Assumption University in Thailand in 2006 he has written more than 3 dozen papers for international conferences, proceedings and journals. In addition to working as a Director of the Ph.D. program, he is also working as Managing Editor of Monthly eNewsletter called [email protected], Managing Editor of AU-eJournal of Interdisciplinary Research http://www.ejir.au.edu/, Member-Editorial Board- ABAC Journal. Dr. Kuldeep is a writer columnist for the NATION and BANGKOKPOST, daily newspapers published in Bangkok.
Mr. Dean E. Hoke, M.S, B.A
Dean Hoke is Co-Founder of Edu Alliance, a higher education consulting firm founded in the United Arab Emirates in 2014. In 2017 Edu Alliance opened a North American office in Bloomington, Indiana, where he serves as Managing Partner. Higher education institutions have engaged the company in nine countries ranging from market and program evaluation to strategic planning to executive search. He has led numerous initiatives that have created innovation & positive change in the higher education & non-profit sector. Dean, since 1974, has worked in the higher education and broadcasting industry, serving in senior leadership roles specializing in marketing, communications, partnerships & online learning. In 1998 he co-founded The Connected Learning Network, a full-service online learning company. In 2008-17 he lived in the United Arab Emirates, serving in senior positions at Higher Colleges of Technology & Khalifa University before co-founding Edu Alliance in 2014. He is actively engaged in advisory & consulting projects in international education, branding, business intelligence, and online learning leading projects in the United States, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He has presented and written on higher education, leadership, and community. Dean is currently an Advisory Board member for Franklin University School of Education and a board member of the American Association of University Administrators. Dean has a Master’s degree from the University of Louisville and a Certificate in Executive Management from the Wharton School of Business.
Shanthi Rajan (MSHRM, FHEA, AMCILT)
Shanthi Rajan is a senior HR professional with 17 years of HR corporate experience and has worked predominantly in MNCs handling senior HR roles. She moved to academia in 2009 and has taught in many reputed international universities namely University of Wollongong, London School of Economics, Middlesex and University of Bolton’s campuses in Ras Al Khaimah, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. She currently works as the Director, Institution Development for the University of Stirling, RAK Campus, UAE. She holds a Master degree with specialization in Strategic Human Resources Management from the University of Wollongong, and is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in Emotional Intelligence from University of Bolton, UK. Her core areas of specialization and research interest includes Strategic HRM, OB, Leadership and Emotional Intelligence. She is an affiliate member of CILT (UK) and a Fellow of Higher Education Academy (UK). She is a certified S+EI coach from the Institute for Social and Emotional Intelligence (ISEI), Denver, Colorado and also certified in using Positive Psychology for coaching S+EI. She has completed her Postgraduate certification (PGCert) in teaching and learning from University of Bolton (UK) and also completed her Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Derek Bok Centre for Teaching and Learning, Harvard.
Major General (Rtd.) Dr. Sunil Chandra, VSM (Vishishta Seva Medal), Ph.D, M. Phil, MA, M.Ed, PGBDA
Major General (Rtd.) Dr. Sunil Chandra is dynamic result oriented professional with vast experience of Military Service having served in Operational Areas and important Army and Tri-Services Training Establishments. He has served as Managing Director of Army Welfare Education Society that is associated with the Army School, Professional colleges, Training of teachers and Faculty development. He has also served as the Head of the Army Educational Corps - responsible for Training & Management of Human Resource Development of Indian Army and personnel of friendly foreign countries. Dr. Sunil Chandra is an expert in Project Management, System monitoring, Academic Administration and Operations including HR, Training & communication, data management, documentation and Facility Management. He holds a PhD in International Relations (Conflict Management) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU); PG DBA from Symbiosis Pune; MA (History), M. Ed, M.Phil . Additional core competencies in Team Building, Skill Development, Innovation, Curriculum Development, Academic audit, Military Music and Foreign Languages. Dr. Sunil was responsible for Educational Training of sizable troops of Indian Army from School to Post Graduate level. He is person with holistic experience in the areas of Educational Administration and Management, Faculty Training, Development and Distance Learning. He was the Technical Advisor to Institute For Defence Orientation. Believing in networking and philanthropy, he is humane & reachable.
Dr. Venus M. Alboruto, PhD
Dr. Venus is an innovative science teacher from Surigao City National High School. She finished Bachelor in Secondary Education, major in General Science, at St. Paul University Surigao as Magna cum Laude. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Science Teaching and Doctorate Degree in Educational Management from the same university. She has been teaching for 17 years and her innovative approach to teaching has been recognized by several regional, national, and international education authorities. She has won a number of awards for her work, including DOST-SEI Most Innovative Practice in Managing Large Classes, Finalist, Ki Hajar Dewantara Award for Best Science Teacher in Southeast Asia, 2016, one of the top 50 Finalists in Varkey Foundation’s Global teacher Prize 2019, and honoree of Bato Balani’s The Many Faces of the Teacher 2019. Her work is influencing teaching across the region. She has been invited to share her materials and expertise to train other teachers in their use both in the Philippines and further afield. Alboruto also presents at conferences and provides training to equip others in her field to achieve similar success.
Dr Ajay Shukla, Ph.D, MBA, BE.
Dr. Ajay has the unique distinction of bringing several global universities and institutions to the UAE such as University of Birmingham (UK), Babson College (Boston US), Inscape Education Group (South Africa) etc. through his efforts in building the market landscape knowledge, business case and supporting the local licensing, accreditation, institutional set-up and operations. He supported the establishment and growth of international student enrollments at several universities in UAE including SP Jain Institute of Business Management, Manipal Institute, Amity University, University of South Wales, Heriot Watts University, Hult International Business School, Ajman University, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Middlesex University Dubai to name a few. Dr. Ajay has built his credentials with regulators and education investors through his high quality authoritative and ethically sound work and understanding of transnational higher education deeply. Prior to his current role, Ajay served as the CEO for one of UAEs leading higher education holding company with a significant investment from the world largest private education provider, GEMS Education/Varkey Group. During his 29-year career, he has worked in direct-to-consumer business as well as B2B businesses at leadership level roles. In his early career at American Express (1989-2001), he was the head of marketing and business development for the consumer card business in India and was a significant contributor to launching a locally billed card business in India. He was awarded the Chairman’s Award for Quality for this contribution. Ajay was the founder Vice President of ABN AMRO Bank Credit Cards (2011-2004) where he built the bank’s credit card business in India from scratch to become one of the top multinational credit cards brands within two years of the launch. He has also headed Reader’s Digest (2004-2005) business in India as CEO. He was recognized by the Indian media industry as the ‘Best Media Marketer of the Year’ At McGraw-Hill Education (2005-2014) Ajay led the digital transformation of the business. For his efforts in growing the McGraw-Hill business, he was chosen from over 10,000 employees and awarded the company’s highest individual honor Excellence in Leadership Award. Ajay is passionate about education and the impact this sector has on society and economies. He is an Engineering graduate from the renowned Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and a top-ranked from one of India’s leading business schools – Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi University. He has received the prestigious National Talent Scholarship (NTS) from the Indian government throughout his secondary school and college education. Ajay serves on the advisory board of mediciinstitute.org India’s think tank for mission-focused governance. He has served as a trustee on the board of National Book Trust of India, for three years, to promote literacy and reading as a Ministry of Human Resources development nominee. Ajay has also advised National Skills Development Corporation of India to transform skills training for the youth. He was also the general secretary of the Association of Publishers in India (API) and intellectual property and copyright committee at American Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, MBA, B.Com
Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, Senior GM, Panasonic is a business leader and has over 25 years of experience the FGCG & Consumer Electronics industry. Sreedhar, an alumna of IIM Ahmedabad also held key positions in LG Electronics, Dometic, The Hindu and the Tata Group. Sreedhar also runs a charity through BMR Trust to offer "Bright Morning Rise" to the needy and suffering. He is also the author of Amazon Bestselling book “Moment of Signal”. Mr. Sreedhar was recently invited to speak in IIT Delhi & IIM Ahmedabad. An inspiring story, in true slum dog millionaire style: from street vendor to waiter, milk delivery boy to door-to-door salesman, and eventually General Manager at Panasonic Corporation, Sreedhar Bevara is a life study on how embracing your moments of signals can help you realize your full leadership potential. He grew from the bottom to find himself at the top. Learn his secrets and become the leader you truly are. He emphasizes, 'the best way to excel is not to follow the signals, but to find them for yourself'. He is passionate about the "leadership within us" and has spoken on the topic to world-class names in the region. Living currently in the vibrant city of Dubai, Sreedhar travels extensively and is obsessed with fitness.
Mr. Amulya Sah, PGD PM & IR, PG Diploma in PM&IR (XISS Ranchi)
Amulya is heading HR as Sr. Director for the Mobile R&D Lab of Samsung with 2200+ employee. Leading 56-member team (25 core HR members). He is transformative HR leader with over 20 Years of experience in setting up new teams, offices and supporting multi business (Mfg, Services, FMCG, R&D) in multi geographical location. (India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Dubai). Amulya is an experienced change agent with strong track record in scaling businesses and supporting organisational restructuring and growth. His expertise includes: Digitization facilitator for HR Systems and Processes, Architect for employee friendly policies and great work place & Diversity champion
Dr. Khyati Shetty
A recipient of the GCC Education Leaders Award-2019, Top 100 Global Training and Development Minds-2018, Global Training and Leadership Award-2017, GCC Women Leaders Award-2017 and the former Dean of Curtin University, Dr.Khyati Shetty comes with 15+ years of experience working in the corporate and academia. She is also an Executive Coach and Innovation Facilitator and is currently based out of Canada and serves as the campus Director of Focus College. She started her career in the area of Corporate Strategy, market potential estimation, product development and branding. Her passion for transforming individuals led her to flourish by working with high potential leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and has conducted over 300+ workshops in 10+ countries. She has also been working as a talent and leadership consultant for Government bodies in Nigeria, Ghana, Dubai and Mauritius. Khyati is a Certified Co-Active coach (CPCC) from CTI, USA, A Professional Co-active coach from the Coach Training Institute, USA, and a certified Psychometric Test Professional (CPTP) accredited assessor by CAMI and SFHEA (UK). She holds a degree in MBA (Marketing), Post Graduate Degree in Human Resource Management and a Doctorate in Brand Personality Congruence. Her research interests are in the areas of Strategic Marketing, Brand Personality and Women’s Entrepreneurship and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and delivered conference papers in leading higher education journals. She also regularly contributes to Forbes and CNBC.
Dr. Manoj Varghese,Ph.D, MS, MBA, BE.
Dr. Manoj Varghese is a senior technology, education technology & innovation leader with over two decades of international experience. He is an EdTech researcher with strong knowledge of BYOD, STEM Education & 21st century learning skills. Manoj travelled over 40 countries and keep exploring. As Sr. Director at Connecta Education Ltd, Manoj leads consultancy, innovation initiatives, business strategy&strategic partnerships with schools, colleges and partners. Connecta Education is a global education innovation company focusing on School&College Audit, Consulting & Advisory, Technology Advisory and Consulting, Web Portals, Conferences, Summits & Workshops. Multinational consulting team associated with Connecta Education has over 200 man years of proven international education experience with the world’s leading organisations. Manoj worked as Sr. Director-Innovation, Strategy&Partnerships(consultancy) at Consilience earlier, where he led innovation initiatives, business strategy&strategic partnerships. Manoj was the Global Director – Technology&Risk Management at GEMS Education(World's largest private school operator) leading the Technology Strategy, Executive Strategic Planning, Technology Governance, Compliance, Security, Risk&Audit for 250+ GEMS' global and partner schools, and related businesses in 10 countries. As a Project Director at GEMS, Manoj led all aspects of Pre-Operational ICT for over 45 new International School projects in North America, UK, Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, Singapore, Malaysia&China, and two prestigious Higher Education projects for its university campuses in Dubai. He was the Project Director of GEMS’ SAP ERP project, where SAP S/4 HANA was implemented over 180 schools integrated with School Management System. He was the Architect of GEMS proprietary ERP, VLE&School Bus Management Systems. Manoj is an IT Engineering Graduate, has completed the MBA program in Systems and has an MS and PhD in E-Learning Methodology.