Chandrasekhar Ramaiah is currently serving as the Principal at Asian Institute of Design, Bangalore. He is an academician and researcher having a passion for teaching and incorporating innovative practices and has 22+ years of experience in teaching and administration in India and abroad. Specialized in higher education, he has 20 research publications in International Conferences and Journals as well. 

Asian Institute of Design

What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

“Guiding the youth in realising their dreams”

I feel young being with the youngsters and always feel proud when our students achieve and bring laurels to the college and the country at large. As Albert Einstein famously stated “Education is not the learning of facts but training of the minds”, I believe in inspiring minds to transform the society and education is the only way through which it can be achieved. Thus, I feel immensely proud to be associated with this profession and contribute to the welfare of the youth.

How would you describe your leadership style?

“Collaborative and exponential teamwork”

Leadership in academia is more about taking the entire team into confidence, ensuring that the voices of all the stakeholders are heard and realizing the organisational goals. In line with this, I believe in transformational and transactional leadership. At Asian Institute of Design, we constantly endeavour to meet the organisational goals, also simultaneously ensuring every staff member’s individual growth on the journey. The relationship is that of productivity, equality and empathy.

What can an inbound student gain from studying here in your institute?

“Standard approaches and pedagogy for quality learning”

We at AID emphasize on student-led learning ensuring holistic development with strong focus on employability skills. The graduate attributes are an integral part of student learning which focus not only on their professional competency but also on their contribution to the immediate society. Our pedagogical approach focuses on inquisitive and deep learning, and there is hardly any scope for rote learning here. Having partnered in the European Union projects, we keep an internationalised approach in terms of quality assurance and student experience.

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How does the curriculum of AID ensure the best practice of industry?

“Extensive industrial exposure and regular syllabus evaluation”

Our courses are designed keeping in view the best practices in the relevant industries. We connect our faculty and students with our globally present industry partners through various modes like interactive webinars, competitions and expos, and also internships. Our faculties are mostly drawn from reputed industries who mentor our students to adopt the best practices quickly and deliver their best. Our curriculum is developed in consultation with industries and academia through focus groups which ensures the accuracy and relevance of the programme. The entire process is guided by our strong internal quality assurance mechanisms.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the institute are?

“Managing the overall functions and repute”

My role is more about but not limited to academic management. My role requires me to take all round responsibility of the strategic planning, college management, liaising with the affiliating university and international partners. I also take over leading funded projects globally, and also fulfil our commitments to the students and other stakeholders for a better future for both - the Institute and the students. 

What do you think should be the AID’s top priority over the next 10 years?

“Empowering students and increasing employability”

Our priority right from the time of our inception has been strengthening our students academically and also employability skills wise. In the next 10 years, we intend to achieve the goal of making each student a reckonable force in their chosen industry and also responsible citizens contributing towards the larger good of the society. In the next couple of years, we aim to stand tall as one of the pioneering providers of multidisciplinary education as well. 

What would you like people to know about your AID they may not know?

“A diverse population and best practices being offered”

AID was the first dedicated institution in India that was established to meet the Gaming and Animation industry requirements. We believe in empowering youth through quality education and ethical practices. We are not just limited to the Art and Design industry, but also have arched out to technology and management. We inspire minds to realise their dreams and equip them well enough to achieve the same. We are a progressive multidisciplinary college and we take pride in the diversity of the student pool with us. Apart from students from Pan India including remote, background villages, we have had students from Gulf and African countries, Bolivia, France and Spain to mention a few.

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What are some of the biggest challenges you see for higher education for AID?

“Effectively upcoming with hybrid model and NEP 2020”

Higher education in India is changing rapidly in terms of the quality of programmes offered and also competition from global institutions. Online education flourished during the recent pandemic and students were exposed to the opportunity of studying with reputed institutions from any corner of the world. So, including online/hybrid learning in its in-house Learning Management System that could help students get the same experience as offline learning is the present challenge. Apart from this, the new education policy has laid emphasis on multidisciplinary courses and it’s high time that all the institutions focused in that direction. AID is already moving in that direction.