NIFT to rope in global experts

Moving another step closer to its global aspirations, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) would soon for the first time be hiring international fashion experts as faculty and subject mentors.

NIFT, which is on a drive to establish its brand name in national and international fashion circles, would also be tying up with a host of top corporates in the fashion and design industry.

NIFT, which has so far relied on faculty from India barring a few guest lectures from experts abroad would now be inviting faculty for longer durations under a 'fellowship' programme.

The international faculty members or 'fellows' would be attached to students majoring in the stream that they have expertise in. While durations of stay for each fellow would depend on individuals, the programme is likely to begin before the next academic year.

"We have just created a new international affairs office in New Delhi and creating more international collaborations, establishing the fellowship programme and ensuring more student-exchange programmes would be the immediate focus of NIFT, " Gauri Kumar, director-general, NIFT, told Business Standard.

This year, around 26 fashion institutes have offered 65 live seats to students of NIFT following which 15 students from the institute left for student-exchange programmes for the first time.

In the next semester, 15-20 students from abroad would be spending a semester at NIFT, which is a first for the institute. To accommodate the new international tie ups, the institute is also in the process of modifying its existing curriculum.

In the last one year, NIFT signed MoUs with 19 international universities including University of Arts- London, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology- Australia, Hogskolan Boras (University College of Boras, Sweden), Birmingham Institute of Arts & Design, Birmingham-UK, Domus Academy, Italy, and The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)-US.

Recently, Raymond, the textile and apparel major, signed an MoU with NIFT to have an access to its design inputs and offered talent scholarships to six students from the institute.

Following the agreement, NIFT is planning more such MoUs with corporates in the near future.

"We are close to signing two MoUs with top corporates which will be finalised in a week or two. The corporates will provide fabrics and materials for the students and also contribute for research and development in collaboration with students of NIFT, " added Kumar.