DSK Supinfocom is evaluating opportunities for closer ties with automobile manufacturers in India and Europe in order to provide exposure to students in cutting edge technology and tools as well as a challenging environment for pursuing designing as a profession.
The Pune campus, located near Fursungi off NH 9 and spread over 20 acre complete with all international amenities, is being shaped up as a centre of excellence within Supinfocom global network with several students from France andother parts of Europe pursuing their training here.
The infrastructure and tools available at DSK Supinfocom is on par with that available at Supinfocom’s design school in Paris, France. The company is focussed on imparting training in three verticals:transportation design, industrial design and digital design. Transportation designing is focussed on a wide range of transportation solutions. 'One of the key issues we focus upon is to in grain a sense of proportion in our students. A designer, as opposed to anartist, has to be concerned about reaching out or touching maximum number of people through his/her concepts. The design needs to be practical and commercially viable solution, explains Principal, Headof studies, DSK Supinfocom Intern at ional Campus, Philippe Vahe. DSK Supinfocom is offering an international curriculum, which is organised on the practical mode of teaching with extensive student and faculty interaction. It offers courses on professional lines in animation, game designand industrial design with broad verticals.
The school is a result of collaboration between the DSK Group and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of North De France(CCINDF). The French institute functions under the brand name of Supinfocom for animation, Supinfogame for game design and production management, and International School of Design(ISD) for industrial design.‘We are attempting to address the need of local and global companies in automobile and other manufacturing sectors. Global companies are seeking local design talent for better implementation of local taste and culture in product design while companies based in India are looking for students with global experience and discipline,’ said Vahe. He added that many design schools have faculty members who have never worked as professional designers, DSK’s major differentiation is predominantly practical orientation imparted by design professionals. Already, students from DSKSupinfocom are pursuing internship at BMW, Daimler and Citroenin transportation design. It has established a network of leading designers in global epicentres of designing including Paris, Munich,Detroit, Rome among other locations.Typically, OEMs prefer towork with Indian designers in headquarters before enrolling designers in local manufacturing or R&D units around the world including India. ‘One does not typically see path breaking car design concepts churned out byany automobile company in a matter of weeks or months. Car maker like Audi overhauled and rejiggedits design process and ideas morethan two decades ago and are just beginning to see the result of theoverhaul,’ added Vahe.Transportation designing as a specialised field is veering towards environmental friendly designs with focus on better quality interiors and styling inspired by local culture and tastes. The stakes are high for success or failure for the industrial and transportation designer. Students have to be flexible in order to accept change and be prepared for newer tools and solutions in designing concepts.This global exposure comes at a cost, which may be termedsteep by Indian standards but Vahe insists that the value driven approach of the school speaks for itself in terms of placement and demand for admission among budding designers.
'How many design schools can you think of which can coordinate professional designers to oversee student projects and offer internship opportunities for students in leading automobile and engineering companies around the world?' he asked. The school offers a five-year integrated course commencing after typical ten plus two pattern of school education in India. Thus total cost of education could range from 36 to 40 lakh per student. Currently around 170 students are undergoing their undergraduate training in design from DSK's Pune campus, of which around 40 percent are pursuing transportation design as their specialisation. The academics are controlled by the French Institute to maintain the same quality standards of education followed in France. All the trainers recruited by them are full time trainers from France and Europe.
The trainers are not academicians but possess Industry rich experience. Companies also opt for direct involvement in the school through undertaking masterclasses/ workshops. The names of some companies who have engaged with the school include Pininfarina, Renault, Tata Motors UK, BMW, Bentley and Volvo.
