Our annual events acts as a platform for students to showcase their team management skills, says Assistant Professor

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Assistant Professor at IIFT Bangalore - Indian Institute of Fashion Technology Bhavya Rani talks about the involvement of industry experts in designing the curriculum. She also elaborates on the aim of all faculty members which is to boosts confidence among students. Bhavya is an MSc degree holder in Apparel and Technology Management. She has over six years of experience in academia.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What are the salient features of teaching methodology adopted by your college? How does this differ from others?

A: Our teaching methodology is completely interactive, and student-oriented which helps students to understand the concepts in a better way. It includes

• We follow the integrated learning process approach. We conduct regular workshops and guest lectures facilitated by design experts, and independent research projects based on the topic of student choice for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This boosts a lot of confidence in them.
• We enable design thinking concepts in students to become successful in the fashion field. It is important to have knowledge about the trends and understanding of the design concept. Along with the blend of two, we put out expert skills in the learning process. Students brainstorm and come up with creative and innovative ideas which also arouses curiosity in them to do better

Q: How are you preparing your students to be industry-ready?

A: Our institute provides a lot of opportunities for students. As a part of the curriculum, we organise frequent industrial visits for all semester students which gives a lot of practical exposure in terms of understanding the process concept in a better manner.

We do conduct annual event FASHIONITE at IIFT driven by students. This acts as a platform for students to showcase their team management and leadership skills.

We also provide international internship opportunities for students to make them understand the international market and trends in the fashion field. During the internship, students come across various design sessions and projects by experienced design experts. It makes students feel more confident and industry-ready.

Q: What qualities you are looking for in student applicants? What qualities do they need to do well in your course?

A: Fashion is a creative world and is all about being innovative. We are always in search of students who have zeal towards fashion and follow the same in the real world. Then only, they can contribute their involvement in the learning process.

The curriculum demands active participation in various events on campus and off-campus, projects and other activities. Being in the world of Fashion, it is important to learn and experience processes practically.

Q: How do you ensure that your course curriculum is up to date and meets industry requirement?

A: We believe in continuous improvement of academic activities. We are having subject experts who are having a decade of experience in the fashion industry. We always believe in staying updated with the latest trends and knowledge, because we are in a professional field to carve students to industry standards. We also organise regular guest lectures, seminars facilitated by prominent design experts for students give opportunities to faculty to attend national conferences which will help them to stay abreast of latest practices in the field of fashion from professionals.

Q: Is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science and entrepreneurship? How? Could you cite some examples of these?

A: Yes, we are receptive to innovation, technology and science. Not just students, but we as management and faculty also brainstorm to figure out initiatives that can enhance students’ creativity. We always think of ways to make the classroom session more interactive and informative. Hence, we use case studies, projects and various research-related tasks for students to explore their capability. The idea is to create curiosity amongst students so they think, innovate, create and feel confident. This way, we also encourage entrepreneurship skills in them.