Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has launched a Masters in Design (MDes) programme for the 2021-2022 academic session.
Jamia Milla vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar flagged off the new course in a virtual inauguration-cum-orientation ceremony on November 30. Jamia Millia pro-vice-chancellor Tasneem Fatma and registrar Nazim Husain Jafri were also present at the event.
The new course will be offered under the university’s newly launched Department of Design and Innovation.
Akhtar said that over the last hundred years, Jamia has become a leader in providing accessible and affordable quality education and emerged as one of the most progressive educational institutions in India.
“One thing that sets us apart is our commitment to delivering the best experiential education and staying abreast with the changing trends in pedagogy, technology and innovation. The department of design will not just lead in its approach to education, teaching and learning but attract the best talent from both industry and academia,” Akhtar said.
The Department of Design and Innovation will offer MDes to its students although there are plans for graduate studies and research degrees in future. The department’s current areas of focus are product design, interaction design, and communication design. The idea for creating a new department is rooted in providing experiential learning to the students while also preparing them for the future of jobs in India.
The department and the new course have been inaugurated with two core priorities — inculcating a culture and practice of critical design thinking in the workers of tomorrow and building future leaders and entrepreneurs having a strong foundation in design innovation with abilities to undertake research and translate new ideas into tangible actions.
“The department has been established to creatively address the growing demand for design professionals & innovators in the country; design professionals who can build and create a business with purpose and address this wide gap; design professionals who can think on their feet and come up with out-of-the-box creative solutions well suited to a country of 1.4 billion people with vast inequalities,” said Farhat Basir Khan, who led the establishment of the department.