FICCI FLO, under the leadership of 43rd National President, Ms. Puja Garg, hosted an insightful webinar, titled “Designing Futures: Unlocking Learning Pathways with World University of Design,” to discuss e-Campus initiative for artisans and aspiring women entrepreneurs at the grassroots level. The initiative, held in collaboration with World University of Design (WUD), equips the participants with design education through online courses, which work on boosting skills, such as problem solving and creative thinking.
The webinar is a part of national initiative FLO Textile, Handloom & Handicraft, led by Initiative Head, Varuna Anand, and Co-Lead, Ambar Pariddi Sahai. Ms. Puja Garg started the session on a positive note by sharing the vision of FICCI FLO and WUD towards combining heritage and innovation for building sustainable opportunities for women textile entrepreneurs. She highlighted FLO’s commitment towards creating an inclusive and empowering future for women artisans and self-help groups in India.
Whether designing products, visuals, or spaces, every artisan or entrepreneur in India needs proper knowledge about design and innovation in order to boost their creativity, critical thinking, and create an impact. World University of Design is a UGC recognized university, which offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across design, architecture, fashion, visual arts, performing arts, and emerging creative disciplines.
Speakers from the Webinar:
- Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor of World University of Design
- Professor. John Varghese, World University of Design
- Professor Anshika Aggarwal, World University of Design
- Professor Aparna Gawande, World University of Design
- Professor Abhinav Gupta, World University of Design
The speakers led an informational webinar where they talked about the benefits and the approach behind the courses under the e-Campus initiative. WUD has built three online courses, under the guidance of experienced WUD faculty, to upskill aspiring women entrepreneurs, artisans, and self-help groups in the creative domain.
Mastering Branding, Colour for Design and Business, and Mending and Upcycling are the online courses under the e-Campus initiative, which enhances the professional and entrepreneurial capabilities of the participants, especially Indian women artisans.
Key Highlights Of Courses Under eCampus
- As a part of e-campus initiative, the Mastering Branding course focuses on teaching grassroots-level entrepreneurs about personal branding and product branding with key elements including logo development, digital identity management, and social media presence. Led by professors Aparna Gavande and Dr. Abhinav Gupta, this course aims to teach strong branding techniques to establish emotional connections with consumers and drive business growth.
- The second course, Colour for Design and Business, led by Professor John Varghese, is built to teach a comprehensive understanding of colour’s role in product design, personal choices, and cultural contexts to entrepreneurs. Key topics covered under this course include color psychology, its influence on daily life, and the impact of light on color.
- The third course, Mending and Upcycling, led by Professor Anshika Aggarwal, covers techniques for building small businesses from home by turning old saris, denim jeans, and fabric scraps into new products such as cushions, covers, and bags. Also, this course provides details about market opportunities, eco-conscious consumers, and corporate gifting.
- Assessments, videos, case studies, assignments, and quizzes are included in the course structure. Each module takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, with the entire course lasting 3 to 9 hours.
- Participants will receive certificates after completing the courses. Top performers will get a chance to be a part of an in-person 6-month design course at WUD.
Impact & Outcome
More than 101 attendees participated in the Designing Futures webinar. The session highlighted the importance of empowering artisans and aspiring entrepreneurs with design education to build capacity and create impactful designs.
An e-Campus link will be shared with FLO members to promote this initiative nationwide. This initiative is a step towards strengthening skills and fostering sustainable practices among women at the grassroots level.