The tight-jacketed Indian education system has undergone massive changes in recent years. Today, students confidently turn towards new disciples such as design and consider career options over traditional streams like engineering, medicine, and generic management.
World Design University (WUD) is India’s first university dedicated to education in the creative domain. It aims at educating talented Indian youth to not just represent India on the global design map but also help India emerge as a strong manufacturer in the world of quality products and designs. “I believe it is high time the Indian Education System ensured alignment of the curriculum at professional universities to emerging industrial needs, and through WUD, we are striving to achieve this very goal,” says Prof (Dr.) Sanjay Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, WUD.
A Myriad of Programmes
Under its umbrella, WUD provides multiple undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across disciplines like Architecture, Design, Fashion, Communication, Visual arts, Performing Arts & Business.
Furthermore, new courses have been introduced to keep up with the techno age. These include Computer Science & Design, UX & Interaction Design, Animation & Gaming, Fashion Communication, Product Design, Interior Design, Transportation Design, AI and Design Thinking, Service Design, Applied Arts, Digital Drawing & Illustration.
Educators Illuminating the Path of Students’ Success
WUD has appointed an exceptional in-house staff who have years of teaching experience, subject expertise, and unique teaching methodology. These faculty members are alumni of prestigious national and international institutions like University of Arts London, FIT NewYork, Demontfort University, Academy of Art San Francisco, NABA Italy, IIT Delhi, IIT Mumbai, NID, NIFT, College of Art Delhi, SPA Delhi, TVB Delhi, Shantiniketan, and MSU Baroda.
“We also have an Advisory Board whose members include an impressive array of professionals from all domains always illuminating the paths of students of WUD with their varied experience and mentoring,” adds Dr. Gupta.
Joining Hands with Global Universities & Institutions
WUD understands the need for collaborations with international universities & institutions. Students, in turn, get the opportunity to interact and form bonds with their counterparts, gain industry insights from the leaders, and open the door to numerous career paths. WUD’s collaborators include the University of Reading, Winchester, Huddersfield, Berkeley, ENSAIT, Academie Charpentier, Vancouver Film School, Emily Carr, Utrecht, UDEM, UPEAP, Oxford Brookes University. WUD is also a member of various industry organizations such as FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), ADI (Association of Designers of India); CUMULUS (International Association of Universities & Colleges of Art, Design & Media), giving it access to alliances with over 250-member institutions across 54 countries; VRARA (The global VR/AR Association); The CollegeBoard – India Global Alliance, organizer of SAT & PSAT exams, etc.
Additionally, WUD’s academic staff stays in touch with industry peers and institutional leaders, enabling students to leverage opportunities to showcase their acquired skills. Likewise, multiple MoUs have been signed with leading educational institutions across the globe to facilitate a constant exchange of students, scholars, and research topics on every subject. In the last three years, fifteen students went on a semester exchange program with these universities. Dr. Sanjay says, “We are fortunate that some extremely impressive brand names have opened their doors to our graduates to pursue their careers and learn from.”
Seminars, expert talks, hands-on workshops, and conferences are arranged at regular intervals with collaborators and partner institutions. These events allow students to extend their knowledge base, gain real-life industry insights, understand entrepreneurial mindset, and more.
Unlocking the Creative Potential of Students
Creativity is inherently the central dogma of WUD’s foundation as a design-focused university. Students are motivated to develop outside-the-box innovations and ideas, be it product design, service design, or absolutely anything. Similarly, hands-on learning and skill development of students are given extreme importance. “We conduct specialized workshops in performing arts, visual arts, architecture, etc., to advance their approach towards design as a fulfilling career that they would have. The laboratories at WUD are open at all times for students to ideate and strategize any new ideas that are sprouting in their minds,” shares Dr. Gupta. He further credits WUD’s faculty members who share a similar ethos for creativity and innovation as their students and are always ready to assist them.
Students of WUD are also encouraged to participate in numerous competitions such as Toycathon, conducted by the Government of India in association with various ministries, design contests organized by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the D’source Corona Design Challenge organized by IIT Bombay, etc. to name a few which they have won too! Impressive and noteworthy!
Scholarships & Job Opportunities
WUD offers generous on-admission scholarships to economically weaker yet bright students. These scholarships are based on merit, but special-purpose scholarships include Wards of Defence Personnel, Wards of Serving Teachers, Daughter’s Privilege, Sports (National Representation), Performing Arts (National Representation), and Single Parent-Child. In the ongoing academic year, nearly 7 crores worth of scholarships were granted.
Dr. Gupta reveals about campus selections and placement initiatives, “Our students find immediate placements in MNCs and admissions in global universities for their masters.” The placements till 2021 were 92%, with the remaining opting for higher education and incubation. For 2022, pre-placement offers are already streaming in, with the top package so far being 24 LPA. Some of the MNCs visiting WUD’s campus include Amazon, Whirlpool, KPMG, Capgemini, Benetton, Human Factors International, Pepperfry, AJIO, Max Fashion (Landmark Group), Milton, Kangaroo, Cognizant, TATA Class edge, Studio Lotus, JLL, EX2 India and over 100 other companies.
Campus Diaries
WUD provides spacious, air-conditioned, wi-fi, semi-furnished hostel rooms with attached baths for its students. A specially designed kitchen, hygienic conscious dining area, and healthy meal plans are maintained by the appointed caterers. Besides these, laundry services, daily needs, and health clinics are set up on the campus. WUD campus is also a center of intellectual activities such as art shows, seminars on famous architects, designers, performers, etc.
Over and above, Dr. Gupta and his team at WUD believe in the holistic development of students. As a result, the institute strongly encourages its students to actively participate in various clubs viz Film Club, Reading Club, Sports Club, Performing Arts Club, etc. Moreover, WUD organizes literary, cultural, and social events such as sports meets, annual fest, etc., to forge stronger bonds, encourage healthy competition, and bring out their latent talent in these activities. During CULT, WUD’s annual fest, students from all over India come to participate, showcase their talent, and aim to win the event. At all levels, be it the healthy campus environment, a multitude of activities, basic necessities, or mentors, WUD has covered all grounds for its students’ well-being and overall development.
Awards & Recognitions
Although a young University, WUD has been recognized by ASSOCHAM India as the Most Emerging University; has been ranked 2nd among the ‘Top 10 Private Universities’ in Professional Education; has won the CSR Times Awards for ‘Best Startup in Education Category’; bagged the Most Emerging Higher Education Institute title at IDA Design Education Awards and has consistently been awarded Excellence in Design Education Award at the World Education Summit since 2019. These awards and recognitions depict WUD’s upward growth trajectory and emergence as one of the Must-Watch Design Institutes in India in a short span of years.
For More Info: https://worlduniversityofdesign.ac.in/