The Higher Education Review

Situated in southern India, between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea of Kerala, Calicut or much famed as'Kozhikode' is filled with lush greenery & tranquil beaches and further known for its cuisine. Anyone, who visits the God's own country, Kerala, would surely agree that it is the home to a variety of landscapes. Located in this state ­ the Spice Capital of the country, Cindrebay, a designer's paradise, represents everything the world of design education needs. Envisioned and established in 2006 by design enthusiasts ­ Basant Nair and his three partners, Cindrebay offers the opportunity to ambitious students to satiate their passion for improvising and perfecting design.

Started with one-year interior designing diploma course and 9 students in its first batch, over the years, Cindrebay has successfully shaped over 8000 students' future through their plethora and distinct Interior Design and Fashion Design courses. The institute has vehemently crafted a wholesome education experience that enhance the talent while improving drawbacks in the friendliest ways possible.

Project-Based Study making Learning more Hands-On
Cindrebay has courses in three distinct fields of Interior Design, Fashion Design & Film & Animation courses. Affiliated to Bharthiar University & in Bangalore with Bangalore University, one-year Diploma and three-year BSc Degree courses are offered for Interior Design, Fashion Design & for Animation & VFx. The institute also offers short-term courses (3-6 months) for housewives/homemakers for encouraging them to start following their dreams in the field of Fashion Design and in Animation. At present,the institute is present in 9 different centers in Nagpur, Kochi, Calicut, Kannur, Trivandrum, Thodupuzha and Coimbatore including the City of Gardens, Bangalore, where they offer a four

year BVA Animation & Multimedia program under Bangalore University.

The curriculum of Cindrebay is a perfect mix of research and analysis of past and present market trends that imparts technical learning like draping, sewing, patternmaking and virtual designing required to make garments adhering to consumer behavior and expectations. "We have consciously made the curriculum following consumer behavior so that it could be altered according to market trends, where basic techniques of arts and science remain the same. We keep a track of everything ­ from curriculum to teaching on a weekly and monthly basis and update or modify the syllabus if needed," says Basant Nair, Co-Founder, Cindrebay.

Alongside their scrupulous curriculum of theoretical learning, Cindrebay provides internships and industry-based projects to the students to make them conscious about the practicality of the subject. Basant adds, "Interior designing is a project-oriented course where students learn by doing. So, during the classroom sessions, we make sure that the students get enough projects, which are reference projects, commercial projects, and residential projects. We assure that at least one Saturday of every month we have a major workshop happening with the help of some architects and designers coming from outside the city from Bangalore, Mumbai or Kerala."

"Alongside their scrupulous curriculum of theoretical learning, Cindrebay provides internships and industry-based projects to the students to make them conscious about the practicality of the subject"

There are foreigner designers too who visit and conduct workshops at Cindrebay, guide the students and expose them to best cultural, traditional and contemporary style and design practices. Moreover, the students also receive an overview of different types of architecture, advanced building materials, design technologies, and other mainframe elements of designing. The course module has been crafted perfectly so that the students can stay abreast with the changing landscape of interior and fashion designing in India.

Placement and a Dedicated Faculty Team
Cindrebay has developed a network

with many top interior and fashion design institutes and production houses across the country to ensure that its students are considered for internships and job opportunities. The institute placement cell works with students to help them land the right internship or sign up with the right company, where both internal and external campus recruitment programs happen throughout the year at various centers that help students to have greater access to the job market. The placement cell of Cindrebay also has a dedicated team that helps Cindrebay students to get their dream job. "We believe that placements shouldn't be the first thought of a student who joins Cindrebay. We also consider that finance should never be a stumbling block for talents, for which we offer scholarships and help students by arranging financial aid through bank loans. Students coming from Jammu and Kashmir, and North Eastern states of India receive a special scholarship ­ National Integration Scholarship to continue higher education," says Basant.

With design innovations and technological leaps happening around the world every day, Cindrebay is equally equipped with world-class amenities; Autodesk authorized CAD labs, design studios, fitting rooms, classes, material and reference library for future designers and aspirants. The faculty members of the institute are highly qualified, talented, experienced and focused in imparting industry based learning. With loads of teaching and practical design experience, faculty at Cindrebay stays dedicated to shaping the lives of the students and believes small batches guarantee maximum attention for every student. In order to keep the student motivated and give wings towards their dreams, students at Cindrebay get the opportunity to attend guest lectures and seminar of designers from across the world. "We are very blessed with the kind of faculty we have. Right from the director level to the bottom level everyone is content and busy here focusing on the overall development of the students" shares Basant Nair.