Design and animation institute planned in Pune

In a bid to tap more than 80,000 jobs that would come to Indians through outsourcing in animation, gaming and industrial design sectors over next three to four years, the France-based Chamber of Commerce and Valenciennois (CCIV) has joined hands with Pune-based DSK Group to launch the International Institute of Industrial Design, Gaming and Animation in Pune.

The institute will work on parallel lines to CCIV schools to develop designers and animators who can meet the demands of the fast-paced design industry.

CCIV runs three schools in France namely, Iinstitut Supérieur de Design (ISD), Supinfogame and Supinfocom, which are considered to be the top-most design schools in the world.

Searching for the right talent to develop designers, CCIV decided to enter Indian education circles and tied up with DSK International Institute of Industrial Design, Gaming and Animation.

The institute, located along the Pune-Hyderabad national highway in Phursungi village, around 20 kilometres away from Pune, will conduct a two-year-long fundamental course and a three-year-long advanced course in all three disciplines. Globally renowned designers and animators will train the students at the institute.

"DSK Group and CCIV have set up the campus on 20 acre land as per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The total investments that have gone into this project are worth Rs 200 crore," said Ashok Kolaskar, managing director, DSK International Institute of Industrial Design, Gaming and Animation.

"The outsourcing business is not just about information technology. In fact, the number of jobs outsourced to India is increasing in fields such as animation, gaming and industrial designing. Unfortunately, the Indian academic system does not train students in these interesting disciplines. Our school will prepare students to explore and utilise opportunities in these three sectors," Kolaskar added.

Kolaskar, a bio-informatics scientist and former vice-chancellor of Pune, pointed out that India is probably the best talent hub for global designing industry.

"We are developing this institute on the lines of IITs and IIMs. After completion of the course, Commission Nationale de Certification Professionnelle (CNCP), France, will issue its certificate to all students. This certification is considered to be the best in the business globally," he added.

The institute will follow the curriculum, selection procedure and teaching methodologies from its parent institution. The first batch of students will join the institute from August this year and an entrance test for the same has been planned in June.