TThe expanse of design encompasses
every stratum of the industry. Designs form the heart and soul of every segment, be it interior, advertising, printing, textile, fashion, media, software, communications, products, engineering, etc.
Designers create beautiful colorful depictions that elevate the standard of the product or the services, making it clear, convincing, and appealing. Their artefacts capture our attention and compel us to think deeply about the message communicated. Designer products are in high demand and raise the importance of the product regardless of its size and structure. Besides making the products unique, the designers enhance the perception making it valuable in the competition.
As we dwell on the captivating aspects of the design elements, one often wonders how they did do it. What could be the secret behind these brilliant designers who have the finesse of crafting such marvelous artefacts?
Agreeing with these universal questions, we identified that the bedrocks of these expert artists are the design colleges that teach, train, and polish them in creating the best-known artists of the modern commercial world. Yes. That's precisely where the secret lies. Modern design colleges have comprehensive design curriculum that includes all the fundamentals, codes, values, ethics, industry paradigms, ways and means, and design applications too.
Gone are the days when a designer learned from the basics itself. Today's design colleges have powered the curriculum with several aspects of modern applications, technologies, aspects of permutations-combinations, innovations, and multi-dimensional creations that hone their skills and design capabilities. Right from conditioning their observation skills to building creative thinking abilities, modern design colleges prepare young talent to identify industry issues and
address them through their design solutions. They are boosting the designers much higher, from cute designs to responsible strategists who actively offer effective solutions to several industrial and worldly aspects.
Unveiling the secrets behind the magical world of design institutes, The Knowledge Review gladly brings to you its latest edition, 'Design Colleges for the year 2023', which unfolds the interesting dimensions of the various remarkable design colleges that have carved an impressive niche of their own.
As you discover the amazing and enticing aspects of these humble design abodes, you will realise that each one uncovers a different story of its own.
The deep colorful world of design colleges awaits you. Delve in.
- Anish David Best, Anish D av id
Editor-in-Chief
Pooja Bansal
Managing Editor
Anish David
Contributing Writers Madhu, Riya
Sr. Vice President BDLBDEs
Sr. Sales Manager
Ashwini Pahukar Megha Mishra Priyanka ChaudhuriVikram, Sachin
Art & Design Head and Visualiser
Technical Specialists
Rahul Shinde Digital Marketing Manager
Co-designer Paul Belin
SME-SMO Executive Circulation Manager
Renuka Kulkarni Prachi, Rajeshwari Yash Bhatt Tanaji Fartade
JANUARY, 2023
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Apparel Training and Design Centre is a dedicated Vocational Training Provider and has the largest number of directly run training centers for the Apparel Sector and is the single largest Pan- India Training Provider.
ARCH Educational Society aims to reform and transform the quality of education for design aspirants across the globe. It is equipped with cutting-edge technology and online pedagogical infrastructure to offer students premium education.
IDeA Worldwide College is India's oldest Private Design College. It is based on recent advancements allowing students to have the upper hand to secure a good place in the dynamic fashion world.
LISAA School Of Design is a centre of LISAA from France. It offers degree courses in Fashion and Textile Design, Interior and Product Design as well as Graphic and Web Design.
NICC is a one-of-its-kind Design Institute specialising in interdisciplinary cross-platform education. It has successfully been creating great careers since its inception, and alumnus positioning speaks for itself.
With eight decades of a rich legacy, RV University is set off to impart high-quality education of global standards in India. It endeavors to impart quality education to all strata of society.
Strate School of Design has been training designers of tomorrow globally for nearly 30 years. Strate’s core mission is to garner the talent of tomorrow who is solutions oriented, globally connected with the design community.
The Design Village is an interdisciplinary, industry-centric design institute. It works closely with the industry and professionals to maintain a strong focus on the real-world relevance and application of design.
Whistling Woods International is India’s premier institute for design education, founded by one of India’s leading lmmakers, Subhash Ghai. It is highly committed to ensuring its students move into the industry in creative and rewarding areas of employment.
World University of Design
The World University of Design is India's rst and only university dedicated to education in the creative domain. It provides cutting-edge, trans-disciplinary programs in the creative domain of design.
Whistling Woods International The Design Village Strate School of Design RV University's School of Design and Innovation NICC International College of Design LISAA School of Design IDeA Worldwide Design College ARCH College of Design And Business Apparel Training and Design Centre
The ins tu on aims to inspire innova on and encourage crea vity by leading from the front in the field of communica on, media and entertainment.
The domain of design is ever evolving – posing new challenges to anyone engaged in problem solving through design interventions. It is very often considered to be the oldest human activity and one of the newest professions. The practice of design, emerging from craft, and later architecture, is centred on meeting people’s needs, and engages with two broad areas of the built environment –the object, and the sign, and both are informed by the realm of visual design.
And, for visual designers, one of the best places for contemporary creative practice is the sprawling city of Mumbai – a hub for the creative industry in South Asia, and the design learning destination of Whistling Woods International (WWI) School of Design , that has been offering world-class education in the field of Visual Communication Design.
Launched in 2017, WWI School of Design has left no stone unturned in educating students and professionals with visual communication design excellence. Known nationally and globally for its Bachelor of Design Programme, the institute has a lot to offer to the creative industries worldwide. The WWI School of Design focuses on developing students into visual communication design professionals that pave the way to being an excellent medium that mirror society and propels inclusive development.
Founded on the philosophical principles of 'Learning By Doing' , the WWI School of Design enables its student to be hands-on, minds-on, and engage proactively with the community. And, simultaneously committed to its mission, this unique design school has been acknowledged among the international diaspora for the education it offers to aspiring visual communication design professionals.
Spearheading this transformation in the world of visual communication design is the Head of the Department , Mr Milindo Taid . He has been tirelessly revolutionizing strategies and innovative pedagogy to draw creativity from every student.
Lets deep dive into the WWI School of Design's journey and learn the art and craft of Visual Communication Design!
Foundation Story of Asia’s premier Film, Communication and Creative Arts Institute
Whistling Woods International is one of India's and Asia's premier institutes founded in 2006 by one of the country's leading filmmakers, Mr Subhash Ghai. While it started as a film institute, offering its flagship programme in filmmaking, over the course of its operation, Whistling Woods International has forayed into various verticals of film, communication, and creative arts education, offering a variety of courses varying in duration from one to four years.
Since its inception, the institute has launched multiple schools under its umbrella to cover the film, communication, and creative arts space. The WWI School of Design was launched with a vision to create a stateof-the-art school that sets new standards of world-class education in Visual Communication Design. Its mission is to benchmark quality, inspire innovation, encourage creativity, and mould professional problem solving talents. It offers a four-year degree programme in Visual Communication Design.
Mr Milindo Taid expresses, "We take pride in the fact that the first few batches of students were offered jobs even before they graduated – a testimony to the high quality of professional education that the WWI School of Design focuses on, made possible largely by the exceptionally talented and committed teaching faculty."
Interestingly the teaching faculty at the institute are all active working professionals, who bring years of
experience from the creative industries to classrooms and studios. Moreover, the ratio of faculty to students is favourable to individual mentorship and in the building of positive relations and solidarity within the school. The vast network of WWI alumni ensures that students will have ongoing support and resources available to them during their programme and after graduation.
Whistling Woods International has always been very particular about students following their passion. Emphasizing about the institutes’ philosophy, Mr Milindo Taid says, "We believe in ensuring that our students graduate as industry-ready professionals. Keeping that in mind, our curriculum is designed around experiencing practice along with the theoretical aspects."
To create a state-of-the-art institution that sets new standards of world-class
education in film, communication, and creative arts.
Benchmarking quality, inspiring innovation, encouraging creativity and moulding minds, by leading from the front in the field of film, media and entertainment education.
Mr Milindo Taid, Head of the Department of WWI School of Design, being an influential personality in the industry, is also an eminent educator of design in the country. He is a former faculty member of Communication Design at the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad and also served as the Head of New Media at the same institute. He is also one of the founding members of Communication Design programme at the MIT Institute of Design, Pune.
He has taught in various design, communication, and media education organizations across India and abroad,
and guided many students on several national and international projects. He is the recipient of the prestigious Erasmus Mundus European Union scholarship for his doctoral research in the 'Ethics of Communication Practices' at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
Being such an influential design educator and consultant, he has helped and guided his students to establish independent design studios, consultancies, production houses, etc. He has also been associated with helping his students with design intervention and communication-related roles in reputed companies and organizations at both national and international levels.
WWI School of Design holds Graphic Design and Visual Design as its core element to complete the academic learning arc for the students. Along with these, the fouryear BDes programme allows the students to specialise in electives like Motion Design, Interaction Design, and Spatial/Environmental Design.
The course is curated to create futureready design thinkers, practitioners and designers with in-depth knowledge of universal design, deep ecology, and environmental perception. The course, while completing the students’ learning arc, also allows them to propose new radical ideas via the colloquium paper.
Apart from that, the visiting experts and faculty from reputed design institutes worldwide offer them a diverse and global perspective on problem solving through visual design.
The outcomes of Visual Communication Design endeavours is one of the most prominent in the design environment. The programme specialises in students undergoing fundamental design foundation inputs from the begining. The course moves towards project-based semesters culminating in a major design project under standard industry conditions in semester eight.
Talking about the programme in detail, Mr Milindo Taid shares, "Apart from rigorous inputs in the theoretical underpinnings of artistic/creative practice, the Visual Communication Design programme ensures that the hands-on, minds-on nature of design practice is well comprehended by the students – as they must apply their traditional media and digital tool skills in all creative work done within the design programme. It is a journey of constant honing fired by a quest for excellence."
He further adds, "In year 2 and 3 of the Visual Communication Design programme, an elective of Spatial Design is offered to the students, wherein, in acknowledging architecture as a 'mother discipline' in design, the thorough comprehension of elements of space, spatial narrative, and light, form and space is made possible. The courses are conducted by globally attuned faculty who are alumni from top rung design institutes in India and abroad."
The future of design educa on has to rest on the cu ng edge of the quality of work -appropriate design interven ons that meet people’s needs and enhances the quality-of-life manifold will always be in demand – our academic programme ensures that the quest for excellence is a constant.
The school succeeds when it nurtures students in an environment that prepares them for every future situation. As mentioned, the WWI School of Design is based on a similar ethos where students learn by doing. The institute encourages and engages students in proactive and productive individual and group learning activities.
To provide the students with detailed insights about how designs are done, workshops and masterclasses are conducted by professional visual communication designers from across the world.
Explaining this practical-based ethos of the WWI School of Design, Mr Milindo Taid explains, "Our students receive job offers prior to graduating from the programme – a testimony to the industry readiness and career orientation of our Visual Communication Design academic programme. The final semester degree/thesis project is executed by the student as a young design professional working under standard industry
conditions. They hit the ground running when they graduate."
Emphasizing the future of the discipline Mr Taid adds , "The future of design education is laid on the foundation of cutting edge quality of student and faculty work ,with a focus on quality-centric pedagogy."
He further notes , "Appropriate design interventions that meet people's needs and enhances the quality-of-life manifold will always be in demand –our academic programme ensures that the quest for excellence is relentless."
Moving towards the Ultimate Dream Founding WWI was always a dream for the institute's Founder and Chairman, Mr Subhash Ghai, a renowned filmmaker but a teacher at heart. Now that it has come about, the management always looks for opportunities to further build upon that initial vision. With the Mumbai campus well established, the institute is strongly looking at expansion both in terms of programme verticals and
campuses. The newest addition to the academic repertoire has been the launch of the WWI School of Sports and Esports Management.
Additionally, WWI is at various stages of establishing additional campuses both within India and outside, in partnership with governments and likeminded organizations.
Shedding some light on the institute's vision, Mr Milindo Taid adds,
"Our vision is to create an even greater state-of-the-art academic institution that sets new standards of world-class education in film, communication, and creative arts. The institution aims to inspire innovation and encourage creativity by leading from the front in the field of media and entertainment."
WWI School of Design's, "Ultimate dream is to have an institution that
hones and promotes talent from the ages 5 to 50. The institute ensures that every creative person who wishes to make a career in this dynamic industry goes through top-quality education and is successful in what they do. The institute is in negotiation with various state governments, as the endeavour is to build more such schools that aren't just a film institute but a communication, creativity and media oasis!"
Ÿ Over 3400+ alumni successfully graduated from WWI to date, with over 90% gainfully employed at several leading M&E organiza ons in India and globally.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal joined the On-Set Virtual Produc on (OSVP) ini a ve undertaken by the Society for Mo on Pictures & Television Engineers (SMPTE). The ini a ve is a first-of-its-kind Rapid Industry Solu on (RIS) ac vity structured to lay down best prac ces for tackling the complexi es of emerging technologies.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal is honoured to be a member of the VR/AR Associa on.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal has been recognised for its Enterprise Applica ons in the Educa on category at the Digital Technology Senate Awards 2021, hosted by The Indian Express Group.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal has associated with Mumbai Metro Rail Corpora on for an industry-academia collabora on to further the cause of Emerging Media content and Cinema c Virtual Reality.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal has been acknowledged and awarded as the Top Anima on Ins tute with Best Infrastructure in India by Image Planet at India’s Top Anima on Educa on Ins tutes Award, 2019.
Ÿ The ins tute was also awarded Excellence in Crea ve & Performing Arts at the 6th FICCI Higher Educa on Excellence Awards 2019.
Ÿ Ranked amongst the top 10 film schools in the world by The Hollywood Reporter.
Ÿ Whistling Woods Interna onal is rated among the ‘Top Ins tutes of Influence’ globally by Forbes India.
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Airman's Odyssey
AAs the French author- aristocratAntoine de Saint-Exupéry speaks about perfection in design; his view can be contemplated and related by every design enthusiast and practitioner. Design has always been an integral part of the Human
endeavour to acquire mastery over physical forms. While Design as an element is a ruling factor for all major global industries, its genuinity still lies in simplicity and the innate sense of aesthetical understanding of the designer.
To be an educator and excel at a prolific design college that acknowledges the challenge takes immense skill and understanding of the Art of Design.
The Knowledge Review takes immense pride in unveiling the story of one of the most prominent colleges of Design, the eminent NICC International College of Design . In an exclusive interview, we spoke with FounderDirector , Dr Akash K Rose about the college's journey, its unique yet predominant teaching methodologies, and impeccable results over more than 15 years. Following are some excerpts from the interview.
Kindly walk us through NICC's journey from its inception to being a prominent design college for aspiring designers.
NICC's dedicated 10,000 sq.ft. building was planned in 2002 and completed in 2004. NICC International College of Design is a member-affiliate of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA), and the granting of this affiliation in March 2005 was simultaneous with the formal launch of NICC's International teaching programs. Successful high-level placements and international appreciation of NICC graduates (including winning a prestigious full scholarship in Packaging Design to IED Milan) led to NICC being considered an aspirational destination for Design students.
State the motto, vision, mission and core values of NICC.
"Career-Oriented Interdisciplinary Education" is the guiding principle of NICC's pedagogic system.
Core Values can be summarised as: "Focused individual attention, encouragement of creativity, one-onone nurturing of directional ambition and talent."
An essential foundation which empowers this approach is the limitation of class sizes to not more than 18 students per class.
Kindly introduce yourself to our readers and briefly describe your journey with NICC.
I, Dr Akash K. Rose, am an alumnus of the eminent college of Medicine, A.I.I.M.S. New Delhi. I have always been passionate about Engineering and General Sciences. Thus, when a Fellowship in Physiology - Biophysics was offered, I won one of the two seats available for the program. Here, my colleague and I successfully developed a prototype low-cost E.C.G. machine with locally available components, winning the appreciation of the then Minister for Health. With this foundation in Biomedical Engineering, I was appointed to be a member of the Development Team, Committee on Science and Technology in Developing
Countries, and subsequently successfully developed technologies for Govt. of India Ministry of Defence as a Consultant Scientist.
I have also been a consultant at the Vizag Steel Plant Laser Digitizing Annexe and in automation for several corporates. I have also developed unique products ranging from electrical to electronic to electromechanical for numerous clients and have patents/patents pending on his inventions. In the late nineteen eighties, I became an authorised Guide to B.E. Electronics Final Year students studying at colleges affiliated with Chennai University and have never stopped teaching since then. In addition, I am well-known and a respected photographer. This achievement led to NICC being selected as Canon's Pro Centre in Karnataka and currently to Nikon's choice of NICC as its only Equipment Partner Institution.
As an author-photographer, I have illustrated and published a series of nine detailed Photo-Technique articles in Better Photography, a Tata Donelly publication at the time. The interdisciplinary knowledge of Technology that I absorbed in Design and related subjects led to being an External Examiner to Govt. of India's National Institute of Design (NID) P.G.
'Career-Oriented Interdisciplinary Education' is the guiding principle of NICC's pedagogic system.
Campus, Gandhi Nagar / Ahmedabad for seven years - 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 (M.Des.) for the Department of New Media Design (NMD).
I currently teach Product Design, EV Design, Alternative Energy, Automation, AI and Advanced Digital Imaging at NICC.
What are the course objectives and expected learning outcomes for the
students at NICC?
The Course Objectives at NICC align with the objectives of Govt. of India's New Education Policy - especially regarding Multidisciplinary Learning. NICC is one of the few Institutions in India offering programs guided by UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Learning outcomes are specifically:
1) Interdisciplinary Cross-Platform awareness leads to unmatched creative team member competence in conceptual and skillset application.
2) Instant career readiness to enable immediate integration into the industry without the need for extensive training and orientation by the industry.
3) International-Standard Design knowledge and skillsets in keeping with the Bologna Convention's goal of establishing uniformity of Design curricula globally.
4) NICC is the first Indian institution to adopt the internationally increasingly important S.T.E.A.M. concept of integrating the arts (A) into the S.T.E.M. educational root. This leads to Design-Driven Innovation in multiple diverse fields.
Has e-learning enhanced the education facilities offered by NICC for the students?
Yes, it was of great importance during the various pandemic-induced restrictions. NICC continued without a break! We delivered quality teaching online throughout the period. However, online teaching of a multi-disciplinary field such as Design can only be a supportive exercise and does not replace the need for hands-on laboratory and field work as well as the team-building and co-operative skills necessary to be a successful Design professional.
What are the unique programs introduced to develop the necessary artistic skills in students?
In the First Year, a strong foundation is built in Art theory and Visual Design. Students create Graphics with a sound understanding of Art Movements, Current Trends, Colour theory, Colour Science and Applied Graphic Design. They also have entire projects devoted to creating Dioramas and other art installations to polish their artistic perception and develop their creative perception and skills of expression across multiple media.
Are there any special programs that allow the student to have global exposure?
All our U.G. and P.G. Twinning Programs incorporate standard degree education via direct enrollment in govt. universities combined with parallel International-Syllabus
Professional Diplomas (approved by the State Government). These programs use a curriculum closely in synchronisation with over 400 elite design colleges worldwide, which are our sister institutions via the ELIA network. Thus, the curriculum is truly up-to-date and genuinely international.
How do you help your students prepare for their careers in the future? Additionally, where do you see the future of education as we advance, and how is NICC preparing for it?
NICC takes a unique direction in crafting its curriculum for all courses. Conventional education syllabuses are based on academic classifications intended to lead to certain professions. In contrast, NICC's approach is first to understand what the global academic fraternity's extensive research indicates and to acknowledge the requirements of today's Industries. Our curriculum is constantly tailored to create graduates
Dr Akash K Rose Founder-Director, NICC International College of Designwho are a precise fit for mid-to-highlevel industry careers and who are career-ready from the very first day, thus eliminating the endemic problem of producing graduates who are not employable.
Please mention NICC's most notable achievements, accolades, accreditations, and awards.
NICC's most notable achievement is the record of Placement of its Graduates in coveted positions in top industries, including Byju's, Tata Elxsi, Xiaomi, Google, Nikon and many others. We are also very glad to note that many of our students have applied for and been accepted instantly for
Higher Education at elite institutions in the U.K., Italy, Canada and other premium academic destinations.
In addition, we are proud to say that NICC students' work has been widely recognised, and appreciative articles on their work have been published in the mainstream Press - TOI, The Indian Express, Bangalore Mirror, and Deccan Chronicle. Internationally, NICC is the first Indian institution to be accepted as a member-affiliate of The European League of Instituts of The Arts (Netherlands / Holland). Further, NICC is the first and only institution to be chosen as an equipment partner by Nikon. NICC was chosen "Institute of The Year 2020" - Design & Visual Arts by Academic Insights Magazine.
How do you envision the future of NICC going forward?
NICC is deepening its ties across the globe in terms of Design Education and has been offered collaboration with eminent Universities in the U.K. This initiative is ongoing. We intend to keep pace with evolving technologies such as EV development, Alternative Energy, Socially-Conscious Design, Green and Sustainable Design and to broaden the scope of our Graduates even further across the globe.
A strong foundation is built in Art theory and Visual Design.
Asia Education Conclave in partnership with Asian College of Teachers presented the prestigious Asian Education Awards celebrating the remarkable educators and educational institutions that provide students unparalleled education and encourage an ecosystem of innovation. The grand th awards ceremony was held on 12 November, 2022 at Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel in Thailand.
Asian Education Awards has been conceptualized and created by Dr Sanjib Chakraborty, an entrepreneur, educational advisor and L&D training expert & President, Asia Education Conclave and administered by Ms Bidisha Das, Event Director, Asia Education Conclave. The event collected plenty of accolades as it celebrated the remarkable contribution of educators and other professionals of the education sector throughout Asia. Setting the benchmark of excellence and bringing into limelight the performance and achievements of not only teachers, trainers and educational leaders but also those organizations which strive endlessly towards creating a better tomorrow.
The glittering awards ceremony witnessed the assembly of 200 educators from different corners of the globe who gathered to meet and exchange innovative ideas and views stimulating meaningful discussion, and building lifelong connections. This event provided a great opportunity for the participants to make new acquaintances, network with global experts in education and facilitate valuable partnerships.
The event was graced by notable academicians, visionary edupreneurs and world class public speakers. The Chief Guest at the event was Dr Margaret Davitt Maughan, a senior educator from the United States with more than 35 years of experience in classrooms, curriculum development and interdisciplinary studies.
The Guests of Honour were Dr Kuldeep Agarwal, a seasoned educationist/teacher educator having 37 years of experience in the field of education and Prof. Dr Edward Roy Krishnan, Directeur Général at the European International University –Paris and Associate Provost at the California Metropolitan University (CMU) – California.
Apart from them, the event witnessed the presence of Assistant Prof. Dr Ake Choonhachatrachai, a former District Councillor - Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and currently serving as an Associate Dean - Online Learning Program and Business Innovation at Stamford International University.
The lucky winners of Asian Education Awards 2022 are: -
Ÿ Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Delhi, IndiaProfessor of the Year
Ÿ Dr Mala Sengupta, Kolkata, IndiaExcellence in English Teaching
Ÿ Anubhav English Classes, IndiaInnovation & Creativity in English Language Learning
Ÿ The Leap Kidz Preschool, IndiaBest Preschool
Ÿ Mr Pranjyoti Saikia, Bangkok, Thailand - Excellence in Science Teaching
Ÿ Ms Simran Ballani, Bangalore, India - Outstanding Contribution in Education
Ÿ Ms Tarveen Kaur, Mumbai, IndiaCorporate Trainer of the Year
Ÿ Faculty of Architecture, Dr.MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai, India - Excellence in Academics
Ÿ Faculty of Architecture, Dr.MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai - Excellence in Pedagogy
Ÿ Dr Hemali Pradip Joshi, Mumbai, India - Innovation in Education
Ÿ Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Uttarakhand, IndiaBest Emerging University
Ÿ Mr Chung Thien Shiong, Steven, Malaysia - Best Music Teacher of the Year
Ÿ Mr Gary Sim Poh Chen, MalaysiaBest English Teacher of the Year
Ÿ Ms Mansi Srivastava, IndonesiaBest Preschool Leader
Ÿ Dr Vinjamuri Venkata Ravindra, Dubai, UAE - Edupreneur of the Year
Ÿ Dr Vinjamuri Venkata Ravindra, Dubai, UAE - Innovation in Education
Ÿ Dr Vellayutham A/L Balakrishnan, Malaysia - Excellence in Special Education Teaching
Ÿ Nizamia Andalusia Kindergarten, Indonesia - Best Preschool
Ÿ Nizamia Andalusia School, Indonesia - Excellence in COVID19 Innovations
Ÿ Pink Tower Childcare Centre, Malaysia - Excellence in Pedagogy
Ÿ Ms Ponnu Felix, Mumbai, IndiaExcellence in English Teaching
Ÿ It's Humanity Foundation (IHF), Bangladesh - Best Social Project towards Education
Ÿ BBP MUSIC, ThailandExcellence in Music Education
Ÿ zSpace Limited, Bangladesh - Best Skill Development Centre
Ÿ Ms.Ichhya Malla, NepalCorporate Trainer of the Year
Ÿ Dr Bennete Fernandes, Mangalore, India - Outstanding Contribution in Education
Ÿ Thakur Ramnarayan Public School, Mumbai, India - Best Upcoming ICSE School
Ÿ Mr Riovan Styx Roring, Indonesia - Lecturer of the Year
Ÿ Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education, Sikkim, India - Best Innovative Open School Board in India.
An inclusive global community aiming at bringing the world's most influential minds in education together, to learn from each other, innovate and amplify the impact – Asia Education Conclave provides the platform to the teaching community who create learning opportunities for all, by manifesting new ideas and pushing the boundaries of innovative thinking. Asian Education Awards is committed to teaching excellence and honouring teachers, educational leaders and institutions to help build a better future.
AArt is the purest form of expression. And it is quite safe to say that art is in everything that one can ever imagine. It is not only a pleasant sight to the eyes but also invokes the genius in the creator and the viewer. The best thing about art is it does not like to stay in a place. It moves with the flow and time, adapting to every change and involving all aspects.
In the technical world, art has found its place in some of the complex technologies which have led to the formation of various forms of design courses.
Today, numerous schools teach design, and one of these schools stands out is RV University's School of Design & Innovation (SDI) . One of the best places to graduate from, it evolves one as a leader and excels at education for design, teaching its students the value of art.
Curious to know more about the institution?
Let's dive deep into the instrumental story of RV University and learn more about the institution.
SDI's Design Venture
RV University's esteemed faculty includes passionate minds from across the world who inspire, educate, motivate, and encourage young students to go and change the world. Backed by the 80-year rich legacy of RV Educational Institutions, it commenced operations in 2021 as a new-age, tech-driven, global university that imparts high-quality, liberal education with an interdisciplinary curriculum.
The university, and the school, are a part of the Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Educational Institutions (RVEI). The organization took root in 1940 and is a
Iden fy significant contemporary problems, inculcate cri cal thinking, and cri que conven onal solu ons to arrive at crea ve solu ons through collabora ve team efforts.
world of educational institutions with a mission to 'Go, change the world'. It has more than 20 institutions and educates more than 20000 students, and the institution focuses on creating and spreading knowledge.
The School of Design & Innovation (SDI) is one of the core schools established along with the commencement of operations of RV University in the year 2021, driven by a vision to become 'The Go-To Design
School' for aspiring design students in India. Its mission is to create designers of the future who are creative problem solvers with not just humans at the centre, but life systems of the world as the central theme.
While RV University's mission is to strive for excellence in teaching, research, capacity building, and community engagement, and build a reputation in the academic world as a
thought leader in various disciplines, and benchmark against top universities of the world.
It aims to create a vibrant and diverse community with faculty members and students hailing from different parts of the country and the world. It exposes students to the best of theory and practice and creates a diverse talent pool of informed, self-driven, empathetic and inclusive problem solvers.
It also enables people from all sections of society to access affordable and quality education in all spheres of knowledge, including Arts, Humanities, Basic Sciences, Technology and Management, Teacher Education, Health Sciences as well as Legal Studies.
The Dean of School of Design and Innovation, RV University, Prof. Vinay Mundada, has been associated with SDI since its beginning as Professor and Founding Dean. He has over 35 years of extensive, varied academic
and professional experience in the fields of electronic product design and development, product ergonomics, human interface design, and prototype development. He served as the previous Dean of FLAME University's School of Design in Pune. For 11 years, he served as the Director of the Symbiosis Institute of Design Pune, and launched the nation’s first undergraduate design programme (B. Des - Bachelor of Design), which the UGC accredited.
Shortly after beginning his professional career, he worked as a freelance designer. He then spent the next 16
years in various positions with the Centre for Electronics Design and Technology (CEDT), Aurangabad (now National Institute of Electronics and Information TechnologyNIELIT), an organization that specializes in the design and development of electronic products. He was instrumental in launching the M.Tech program in Electronic Design and Technology at CEDT and contributed to Electronic Product Design and Development and Corporate Training activities.
Prof. Mundada received his Master of Design (M. Des) in industrial design
(Product Design) from the IDC School of Design, IIT-Bombay. He is a production engineer from VJTI Mumbai. User-centred design, humancomputer interaction, product interface design, design for manufacturing, design for end-of-life, and crafts are some areas in which he is particularly interested in researching. He provides experience in developing and designing goods and systems.
He is a professional member of the Association of Designers (ADI) of India, Bengaluru Chapter.
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs in five academic disciplines, namely, the School of Liberal Arts and Science, School of Design and Innovation, School of Business, School of Economics, and School of Computer Science and Engineering. It has partnerships and collaborations with over 45 reputed foreign universities, institutions, and companies.
The School of Design & Innovation
offers a Master of Design program in User Experience Design (UXD) and Communication Design (CD), Bachelor of Design programs in User Experience Design (UXD), Product Design (PD), Communication Design (CD) and Spatial and Interior Design (SD). The school has plans to expand and offer more master’s programs, modular certificate programs, and industry consulting as it grows and expands.
Design education has come a long way in India. And yet, it has a long way to go. It offers great synergy, as the India
Design Policy and the New Education Policy set the stage for a new wave of design education and contributing to satisfying the voracious appetite for young designers in the Indian industry.
SDI strikes to create a mark in the design education ecosystem and intellectual quality. It has a strong founding team of faculty members drawn both from Industry and Academia, bringing together a synergy of knowledge and application. This reflects how the courses are designed and delivered. The school draws from the best methodologies from various models and is creating an environment where knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge application will co-exist and inspire each other.
The pedagogy is based on a combination of theory and practice, with a conspicuous leaning towards practice. All learning is demonstrated through application in an assignment, guided by faculty. A culture of doing rather than just stating is adopted in the institution. A demonstration of this could be seen through the academic year – exhibitions and presentations of work done.
Collaboration and Co-creation are focus areas with continuous teamwork encouraged. The Minors and Electives are designed to encourage interdisciplinary synergy—not just within SDI but also within other schools of RVU—the School of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Business, and School of Economics are some of the schools collaborated with.
With deliberate intent, themes like UN's Sustainable Development Goals or Digital Platforms as Project are chosen to ensure that the students get
Set the stage for diversity at all levels and aspects (Gender, Na onal Origin, Religious, Linguis c, Cultural and others) while also focusing on social commitment and community engagement.
experience in real-world problemsolving. The school brings in industry leaders and thought leaders for guest lectures and jury panellists to ensure students get insights and perspectives from practising leaders.
'Metamorph 2022' was the first student exhibition to be launched in the university, which has been an eyeopener and trendsetter. It has given the students a platform to showcase their work and gain valuable confidence. It is one of the first events that will become an ongoing series and part of the SDI culture.
SDI is also guided by a set of attributes that they want to develop in their students apart from academic knowledge. These attributes will help the students to navigate the world with confidence and clarity. This includes ethical, lifelong learning, reflective thinking, creative confidence, selfdisciplined and driven, entrepreneurial, environmentally sensitive, and world view. Every aspect of academic life is interwoven with these attributes and
endeavours to create individuals with these qualities.
All this, eventually, focuses on the mission of creating designers who are creative problem solvers. Careful structuring of the courses ensures that they can be effective designers both in a corporate environment or in entrepreneurial pursuits. The course design ensures the students build a body of work that will help them position themselves as designers in a corporate environment or will help them have the confidence to go out in the world and create solutions on their own.
The institution also provides transport, hostel, cafeteria, medical facilities, wi-fi and clean surroundings, multimedia projectors, high-speed broadband internet-equipped classrooms, reprographic facilities, with an enviable infrastructure encouraging sports.
SDI is in the process of establishing academic tie-ups with universities
abroad that will open a world of opportunities for higher education, research, and career opportunities. SDI is also creating an ecosystem of collaboration with several corporates that will enable both internships during the academic programs and career opportunities after the programs. The collaboration will also create a consulting avenue to keep the faculty in touch with the industry trends
All this, eventually, focuses on the mission of creating designers who are creative problem solvers. Ample structuring of the courses ensures that they can be effective designers both in a corporate environment or in entrepreneurial pursuits. The course design ensures the students build a body of work that will help them position themselves as designers in a corporate environment or will help them have the confidence to go out in the world and create a solution on their own.
"So many people have great ideas, yet they never come to fruition; innovation is a combination of ideas and hard work…What you create with what you have learned is imperative in this process." - George Couros.
AAs George C. stated above, design is a creative problemsolving process that is used to create new products and services to enhance our quality of life. Design is strongly focused on identifying user and market demands, in contrast to the expressionist approach of art, and is, therefore, a process-centric exercise to generate fresh and original solutions.
The advancement of design education in India during the last two decades suggests that it will remain a significant factor in the expansion of the nation in the years to come. Due to the country's growing need for skilled designers and the importance of design in influencing the economy, society, and cultural development of the nation, design education will be even more crucial in India by 2023.
With the development of technology, there will be a greater need in the future for qualified designers, making design education crucial to India's future. Many Indians' lives have already been significantly impacted by design education because it has given them the information and skills they need to improve their standard of life
and bring about genuine, long-lasting change.
Profitability is driven by design, and today, talented designers are in high demand throughout the world's top businesses. This demonstrated unequivocally that design is a tool for corporate growth and profitability rather than merely being about aesthetics.
Let's dive in and learn more about it!
Design used to be associated with sketching and drawing, which are the purview of artists. Later, it became perplexed by artists and craftsmen. But design has dismantled these limitations. Future developers will need to recognize and understand components of planning, economics, legal, communications, marketing, and business abilities in addition to learning problem-solving and creative exploration. Designers have evolved into future developers.
In other words, design education teaches students to think differently across academic disciplines, recognize their responsibility as solution-makers for a variety of novel social, political, and economic realities, and understand their power to influence and disrupt the world around them.
The design education market in India will be very appealing in the coming years due to rising awareness of the value of design education, increased willingness to investigate and pursue alternative vocations, and increased spending propensity.
Design universities are becoming acknowledged by businesses as incubators and academic partners. The industry wishes to support specialized initiatives and actively involve design schools in research for new goods and value chains. India's design education is about to undergo a significant upheaval.
India's design industry is expanding, and according to an AISHE survey, there will be a need for more than 60,000 designers by 2020 to fill positions in a market with a potential value of Rs. 1888.32 billion. To lead the industry and find answers to issues like sustainability, smart cities, etc., we need designers.
Educating the next generation of students about design awareness and sensitivity is crucial. Making design a required component of the curriculum, considering the many opportunities provided by design, creating a supportive academic atmosphere, and incorporating technology into the
curriculum will all contribute to preparing students for the workplace.
In light of our times, young children should be exposed to unique learning opportunities. We can evolve because of the early start. Fulfilling both corporate and student standards in the process. We can develop designers who can integrate design for concerns in business, technology, sociology, and aesthetics by introducing the design in a holistic, multi-disciplinary way.
The new position of design requires far more specialized multidisciplinary skills than those of a strictly visual and technical curriculum, making it hard. All of this suggests that design education ought to be ready to meet these requirements.
In a nutshell,
The demand for designers must be met by an exponential increase in the number of qualified designers due to the size of the market. For design to have an impact on the overall economy of our nation, it needs to be promoted as a mainstream industry rather than a value-added service.
Design is often considered the purest form of art! While talking about design and art, everyone imagines the sculptures, fine arts, paintings, drawings, profound architecture and many other ancient art forms.
st But in the 21-century, do you really remember the ancient art forms? It is not like that they are not worthy of our attention; modern art has escalated quickly to everybody's attention.
In today's modern generation, everyone acing the advanced art forms like graphic designing, animations, visual designing, product designing and many other designs or arts. As the modern art form has been adopting technological advancements, it helps the professionals to ace their skills through the use of the technology.
Although no artist becomes an expert without proper guidance and knowledge, similarly to enhance the budding artists' skills, many institutes and universities provide design-based education in various specialisations.
Apart from the various other institutes, the Strate School of Design provides a unique platform for the students to
polish their artistic skills in the school and build an innovative world. As the primary motive of the school is to 'make the world more Simple + Just+ Beautiful'
Moreover, Strate also provides oneyear internships to their students to provide them with industrial knowledge and has partnered with over forty industries. It is also ranked in the top 60 design schools in the world. The institute aims 'to create the future legends who can bring innovation in an organization as well as in the universe'.
While conversing with The Knowledge Review , Thomas Dal , the Dean of Strate School of Design , shared the institute's incredible journey since its
Our design ends with environmentally sustainable, potable and also provide a new dimension to suffice human and societal development.
inception and highlighted its future vision and mission.
After getting an overview of the institute, let the readers recognise the detailed information about the Strate School of Design.
In 1993, the Strate School of Design was established with the singular vision of creating a revolution in the world through designing and imparting world-class design education for aspiring designers across the globe.
Strate is now the leading French design institute in the world, setting up the bar high for other design schools. To deliver an unmatched design learning experience, Strate has set up state-ofthe-art design labs worldwide with a
unique pedagogy and mentorship from the best in the design industry.
Strate`s futuristic plan is to expand its campus abroad, especially in Singapore and Bangalore, benefiting from its state recognition and professional network.
While mentioning the story of the institute, Thomas Dal says, "The decision to call ourselves 'Strate' reflects our focus on clarity, simplicity, sound impact, and an international perspective. The subtitle 'School of Design' clearly affirms our mission, that we are a school of design. The school's motto reveals our desire to 'make the world more simple, just, and beautiful' and reiterates the fundamentally humanist approach of the school."
Strate School of Design received recognition from the French th government on 7 December 2015, after closely monitoring the level of pedagogy, research, social policy, administration and management of the Strate School which was published in th BOESR on 7 December 2015.
Over the years, Strate has set new milestones. In a span of 23 years of its operation, we grew from 18 students to 600 students and introduced four design courses (Transportation Design, Communications Design, Product Design, and Interaction Design).
Strate School of Design was launched in India, Bangalore to elevate the design standards prevalent among the students of the country and provide them with international quality training, live projects, internships and placements so that they can make a mark in the design industry globally.
The institute has been doing great since it is led by Thomas Dal. After
emphazising the institute's journey, let's dive into the person behind the success.
Thomas graduated from ISD (Institut Superieur du Design) France in 1999, then he joined TREVES, a French automotive manufacturer as Head of Innovation and Design (Europe) for Treves . In 2008, he took the challenge to start the DSK –ISD Rubika school of design in Pune. After running this school successfully for three years, he shifted back to France to be the Head of Innovation and Design for Decathlon – Newfeel .
Along with his career in both transportation and product design, Thomas ran his own design consultancy and gained experience in space, graphics, and design through working with multi-national companies.
From the time Thomas Dal joined Strate School of Design, Bangalore, as a Dean, under his leadership, the school has seen a steady rise in acceptance of design students. Bringing more than 20 years of design experience, he ensures that students inculcate the skills and outlook he has learnt in the industry.
He has been instrumental in setting up the design labs and bringing worldclass design education standards to students. He has continuously monitored the pedagogy, growth and learnings of students. Also, their live projects along with this, he also looks after those students should receive industry exposure during their course.
According to him, a holistic approach, curiosity for technology and social fields ensure the success of solving most of the challenges of tomorrow. He also ensured that the school has
everything in terms of mentorship, labs, exposure, projects, and many other learning opportunities that can help students fully realise their potential to be a top designers in the industry.
Thomas Dal always focused on the futuristic approach of the institute and worked hard to retain the institute's vision, mission, and core values.
While stating about the institute's vision, mission, and core values, Thomas Dal asserts, "Strate School was built with the simple motto of making the world simple+just+beautiful by training students to employ design as a problem-solving tool for the world. Our design ends with environmentally sustainable, potable and also provide a new dimension to suffice human and societal development."
Giving a more insightful view of the futuristic vision and their beliefs, he
adds, "Our views, beliefs and vision can be summed up in few words mentioned below:
Ÿ Design is the only option!
Ÿ No innovation without design!
Ÿ Design is about humanism!
Ÿ Think about the future!"
Strate has set up an agency, H5, in France. It helped them to display the status of the school's project to assist it in its international outlook and create a new, unique image to identity for the institute. With H5, the institute created a bridge between its stakeholders and existing students and established a new visual grammar for design.
After knowing Strate's vision, mission, and core values, Thomas Dal highlights the performance indicator of the courses provided at the institute.
While cascading the institute's learning standards and positive outcomes of the benchmarks, Thomas Dal mentions ,
"The objectives of all our courses is to impart the core visual, creative, technical, and analytical skills in students, along with knowledge of materials, technologies, manufacturing processes, trends, and advanced working knowledge of the future and current trends, so that students can design advanced and innovative products, concepts and designs."
Although communicating about the technology, the institute also adopted the E-learning platform during the pandemic, and since then, Strate saw positive impacts of the new learning system.
Thomas DalDean, Strate School of Design
We believe that if one can draw out their design, one can easily design.
aspects of the studies by holding the continuous virtual classes, and we are shifting the design practicals to digital mode. Not only that, E-facilities greatly improved our interaction design training and workshops along with helping us rope in crème de la crème from top design firms in the world for enlightening our students on changing trends in design in the industry."
With the considerable outcomes of the institute's benchmark, Thomas Dal asserts that the institute does imply the E-learning platform, and meanwhile, he marks its positive impact on the institute and postulates, "Yes, E-learning efficient, especially during and after the pandemic, when we ensured that students don't miss any
An impactful educational institute, it has various eccentric programs catering to the student's artistic skills. The details about the programs are elaborated ahead.
The programs are the lighter, which ignites the artistic fire in the students of
the Strate School of Design. The institute provides the programs like transportation design, interaction design, communications design, and product design.
All these design programs inculcate artistic skills in the students so that they can represent, structure, draw, model, sculpt, and represent flat and 3D designs, along with visual designs through sketches and models for different products, digital objects, automobiles, and many other products.
While ushering about the unique programs of the institute, Thomas Dal asserts, "The first and second year of all the programs are strictly dedicated to developing the necessary artistic skills. We believe that if one can draw out their design, one can easily design."
With regards to the unique programs to inculcate artistic skills in students, the institute also provides some special programs which provide global platforms to the students.
The institute does have industry expert faculty members for the masterclasses, and Strate also organises the workshops in which they aim to help the students to stay updated with the changing trends in the design industry.
Contrary to other colleges, the school kept one year for the internship and live projects. Every year the institute provides the opportunity for students to gain industrial experience on the current design trends in the industry.
The school believes that if the students are not taught the demanded trend by the industry in current times and trained on such aspects, the design education is incomplete. Similarly, maximum industry exposure is planned
with the help of 40+ industry partnerships.
All the faculties are drawn from the industry having long working experience for the sole reason that they can impart the practical application part of the design in the industry and equip students with the latest skills and knowledge.
After acknowledging all the programs which provide the global platform to the institute's students, Thomas Dal also enlightens us with the strategy through which the institute makes their pupils' future ready.
Strate ensures that the right skills, knowledge, training, industry experience and mentorship have been provided by the best people from the design industry. So that students don't just have a good future and bag excellent offers from the industry but are also potent enough to start a design revolution in whichever niche they are working.
Sliding down more details about the future education system and preparing the students for it, Thomas Dal notes, "We aim to create nothing less than legends who can deliver masterpieces and initiate design innovations in their organizations. We have kept a blend of Indian and International faculty for the same reason and organise regular masterclasses and training them by top design experts coming from firms like Rimac Buggati, Sodexo, Pininfarina and many renowned firms."
All the approaches of the institute have led it towards successive achievements. Let's know more about the massive achievements of the institute.
After a long interaction with Thomas Dal about the institute, he also emphazises on the awards, accolades, and accreditation of the Strate. Having said that, he also says, "Strate received recognition from the French Government. Strate was ranked as one of the top 60 design schools in the world by Businessweek. The school was ranked among the top 50 design schools in the world by Domus Magazine."
Divulging more about the school's achievements, he enumerates further and postulates, "Owing to its quality, Strate was able to form robust industry partnerships with more than 40+ companies, notably Decathlon, Volkswagen, Carrefour, Loreal and many esteemed firms. It entered into a partnership with Jain University. We have set up a flourishing, fully equipped campus (over 3000 square metres) in 2010 for design training. Who's who of the design world imparts masterclasses and training to our students."
Although the institute shares all its accomplishments since its inception,
the readers are curious to learn more about the prestigious institute's future vision to achieve success in the design education sector.
While piloting all the necessary details about the Strate School of Design, Thomas Dal also shared the futuristic educational approach saying, "We believe Strate School of Design is the most happening phenomena that it is going to transform the standard of design education in India. We believe that we would be raising the designers of India in a manner that they start creating landmark designs for cars, for different products, for multiple other structures and establish themselves as legends in the world."
Further, he notes that, "We have still not seen that level of design consciousness in India. Strate School of design is going to rapidly expand its bases globally, with success being attained in each country. Basically, we aim for a status that when students and industry think about design innovations in the world, the first name that should come to their mind should be of Strate School of Design."
IIn the dynamic and unpredictable
environments in which we work, even the most carefully crafted solutions can have a short shelf life. When we accept that our work is impermanent and our problem-solving abilities are limited, our goal can shift from delivering complete solutions to developing tools that empower our users to design for themselves adaptively.
Design has become an increasingly important tool in the modern world, with problem-solving at the heart of its applications. Design education has become a necessary component of the education landscape, providing students with the skills to develop creative solutions to the everyday problems they face. Through this approach, students are encouraged to think critically and become agents of change in their communities.
Design education is a collaborative process, with students developing the skills to solve problems through a range of creative approaches. By providing students with a structured and supportive environment in which to explore their creative potential, design education can
be used to empower students to become the problem-solvers of tomorrow.
This figure has several versions, which is a reflection of the variety of ways the method can be used. It usually starts with empathy and lasts for several months. Immersing ourselves in a particular setting helps us get to know a group of individuals by assisting us comprehend their jobs, problems, and motivations.
Let's delve right in and learn more!
Anarchy and Competence of Problemsolving
Unhindered assurance in our capacity to address prominent problems methodically can emerge some pretty grand notions. While it is simple to mock their hubris now, at the time, it was a logical outcome of an ever-increasing belief that science can solve any problem, no matter how huge. They failed to take into consideration the butterfly effect, a phenomenon that is today a cornerstone of the discipline of chaos theory.
The butterfly effect is a concept that refers to the inherent instability that
develops in intricately coupled systems. It takes its name from a wellknown example of the idea: a butterfly flapping its wings and causing slight air disturbances on one side of the world today can result in a storm on the other tomorrow. According to studies, the butterfly effect has an impact on many aspects of society, including politics, economics, and fashion trends.
Always take into account Jakob's Law, which essentially states that users spend more time on other websites than on yours. They won't see it as an exciting opportunity to learn something new if you ask them to do a task or engage with information differently from how they are used to doing it. They'll harbor resentment.
The learning curve can be difficult and frustrating to climb. Even while it is feasible to enhance or even replace current patterns, it takes a lot of work. Consistent and predictable patterns among tools promote harmony between experiences in a world full of uncertainty.
As an expert in your given domain, one may have differing views about how specific tasks should be carried out based on research as an authority in your field, and you may have a sincere desire to include these best practices in your product. It might be effective to incorporate rules and guidelines
straight into the workflow if you have established trust with your users.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that it is merely advice. The user-designer is aware of when these best practices should be followed and when they shouldn't. While we should generally limit the number of options available to our users, we should always aim for flexibility.
Given that they are frequently creating solutions for themselves, their designer selves naturally relate to and comprehend their user selves' issues. But in other instances, they are creating whole different persons. In certain circumstances, we can seek for approaches to encourage people to think like designers and cultivate user empathy.
We can assist in preparing our consumers for unforeseen changes by implementing the fundamental concepts of unlocking value, utilizing established patterns, understanding the individual's need for flexibility, and fostering empathy in our product design.
Ultimately, the goal of the entire procedure is to address an issue. Of course, this is not a novel goal, and those of us with 'Designer' in our job titles are not the only ones who have it. It should free us from our own biases and experiences, allowing us to consider fresh ideas and shed light on new viewpoints.
