FDDI ties up with top int'l footwear design schools

India’s premier footwear design and management school Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has forged alliances with some of world’s top design and retail institutions to keep its students abreast with the latest trends and technologies in the sector.

The international footwear design institutions include ARS Sutoria of Italy and LDT Nagold of Germany.

According to an estimate, the total percentage of footwear exports in leather shipments from India is likely to increase to 65 per cent from the current 40 per cent, which means new job opportunities and openings in the sector.

“The tie-ups will result in direct teaching of our students by the faculties of these international institutions, especially ARS Sutoria,” director of FDDI campus at Fursatganj in Rae Bareli district Deepak Kumar told Business Standard.

Both the existing FDDI campuses at Noida and Fursatganj will benefit from the tie-up.

Fursatganj was the second FDDI campus after Noida and now the Union ministry of commerce is launching 4 new campuses from this academic session in Chennai, Kolkata, Rohtak (Haryana) and Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh).

FDDI is targeting to increase 1,500 students’ capacity to 5,000 in the coming years to meet the industry demand of highly-skilled middle managers and technicians. The Centre has invested over Rs 250 crore for campus development of FDDI.

India is the second largest producer of footwear after China, accounting for 14 per cent of footwear production of an estimated 14.5 billion pairs. FDDI was established to train professional manpower for the industry.

Footwear is the engine of the leather industry accounting for an export value of over $1.2 billion, holding a major share of 40 per cent in India’s total leather trade.

During 2010-11, footwear exports from India were expected to reach $4.5 billion, while the overall export of leather products would touch $7 billion, Kumar added.

FDDI conducts professional programmes in the area of retail management, footwear design, technology, management, fashion merchandising, visual merchandising, marketing, creative designing & CAD/CAM and leather goods & accessories design to name a few.

It has also started distance learning programme for professionals in collaboration with IGNOU. FDDI campuses are equipped with modern facilities and latest technologies and tools to offer its students world- class learning environment and facilities.

Uttar Pradesh is an important leather market and has two hubs in Kanpur and Agra, where FDDI is running worker level training programmes.