We conduct field, market and industrial visits to assist students in gaining practical knowledge, says INSD Professor

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, one of the design faculty members at INSD Kandivali - International School of Design, Padmalatha Rao talks at length about the Pattern & Garment Construction and Textile subjects. She elaborates on the course curriculum, which is designed in collaboration with the industry experts to help students stay at par with the industry requirements. Also, she discusses about the blended pedagogy that aims at facilitating students with proper practical exposure to easily adapt to the corporate culture once they graduate.

Read the complete interview below:

Q: What are the salient features of the teaching methodology adopted by INSD Kandivali? How does it differ from others?

A: The subjects that I take care of at INSD Kandivali are Pattern Making and Garment Construction, Textiles, History of Costumes and Merchandising. All these subjects require an equal amount of theory as well as practical exposure. For instance, History of Costumes and Merchandising can only be understood through theory sessions but can not be experienced. On the contrary, Pattern Making, Garment Construction and Textiles are subjects that require extensive practical exposure. Our pedagogy boils down to applied learning concepts where students practice the concepts learned in class which also gives them the scope to innovate. We also try to make the theory sessions as interactive as possible with the help of presentations. This blended teaching method molds our students in all perspectives making them bold and confident. All teaching staff is well experienced and experts in their relative fields.

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

A: Pattern Making and Garment Construction is an expansive subject that is essential to learn for every fashion student. All practicals such as Fabric Testing, Dying Printing and Stitching gradually prepare students to start-up business after course completion. The institute regularly conducts market surveys and industrial visits that make our students industry-ready. This market survey includes fabric research which gives them knowledge about all specifications about fabrics such as market names, cost, latest designs and textures. This also helps students to source fabrics and accessories for garments.

The placements department at INSD Kandivali also works actively to bring internship, live projects and challenging placement opportunities to students to help them become industry-ready.

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

A: During the admission process, the only quality we focus on in student applicants is their interest in opting for Fashion as a career. They should be keen and sincere about the work assignments along with the passion to innovate and develop. We don’t expect students to have prior knowledge of the domain but what we expect from them is to be dedicated and focused throughout the curriculum.

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

A: The course curriculum is well designed in collaboration with industry experts and eminent leaders. We invite them regularly to understand the latest trends and advancements in the industry so as to incorporate them into the curriculum. Also, a lot of our faculty members have industrial experience which acts as an added advantage for our students.

The assignments and live projects are assigned to the students accordingly in line with the industrial requirements.

Q: Is your INSD Kandivali receptive to innovations, technology, science and entrepreneurship? How? Could you cite examples of these?

A: Our institute is receptive to innovation and technology. As mentioned earlier we conduct field visits, market visits and industrial visits which assist students to have practical and latest knowledge of the trends. Our faculty keep on experimenting with the pedagogy. There is no predefined teaching methodology but it keeps on getting modified as per the requirements.