With more than 35 years of teaching experience, Prof.Abhijit Shirodkar has showered his knowledge to thousands of aspirants in the field of Architecture. He is the current dean at Woxsen School of Architecture & Planning. Prior to Woxsen, he served as director of the Amity School of Architecture & Planning, Mumbai. Prof. Shirodkar received his Masters of Architecture (M.Arch) degree from the prestigious IIT Roorkee. He specializes in design, building construction, building technology, and post-occupancy Evaluation. Prof. Shirodkar was conferred with a Scroll of Honour for his outstanding contribution to the cause of architectural education and profession by the Nagpur Centre of the Indian Institute of Architects and is a Life Member of the Indian Buildings Congress.

Woxsen University

You have held key positions at various prestigious institutions throughout your career. What is that one thing that made you excited and walk with Woxsen on the journey?

Before coming to Woxsen, I was instrumental in setting up three architecture institutions, right from their inception; of these, two of them had other courses as well (Interior Design & Planning). So, in a way I was well versed with the travails and tribulations of new institutions. Compared with this experience, Woxsen was a breath of fresh air. There was freedom to work and then there were other challenges that I had to handle which I had not dabbled in before. Internationalization for one, emphasis on research was another, handling societal concerns was the third – challenges that kept me on my toes and when things began to fall in place especially with the support of the management, it gave a sense of accomplishment or job satisfaction. But then as I like to put it, “we have miles to go…”

How do you balance the needs of faculty, students, and administration as a dean of a School of Architecture & Planning?

As a Dean you are walking a tightrope. You must maintain the right balance; coax the students and the faculty, be strict with them whenever necessary, lend your hand for support when required and act as a buffer (or sponge) between them and the administration.

As a Dean of the School of Architecture & Planning, what is the USP or what are the differentiating factors that make Woxsen stand out from other colleges?

Ours is an exceptional campus. In fact, with the amount of construction activity going on in the campus, it serves as a workshop/laboratory for architecture students. The International Student Exchange Program, the International Adjunct Professors who conduct online and offline classes and certificate courses, the Professors of Practice who interact with the students and faculty, the global yet down to earth and practical pedagogical approach are some of the aspects that make Woxsen unique.

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How do you stay current with the latest trends and developments in the field of Architecture and incorporate them into the curriculum and programs offered by Woxsen?

We encourage the faculty to practice and the school also has its own consultancy cell, in this way you keep abreast of the latest trends and development in the field. Then, we do have national level academicians, practicing professionals, and international faculty on our Board of Studies and an International Advisory Board who vet our syllabus and ensure that it is not obsolete and help to keep it up to global standards. They also collaborate with us at various levels. We also invite practicing professionals for guest lectures and showcase their works. We collaborate with the manufacturing industry and request them to display their products and demonstrate their working and applicability.

How well is Woxsen focusing on maintaining industry relationships with companies to leverage them for live projects, training, and placements for the students?

Our first batch is in the final year now and hence the placements have not yet begun. However, the thirteen students who are in that year have all got their one semester internships (which is mandatory in the pre-final semester). As mentioned earlier, we do have Professors of Practice and we do interact at professional levels with architects thereby ensuring that our students get exposure/benefit from it. The professionals also help us with site visits and live projects which the students attempt as studio assignments.

What is something an Architecture course aspirant can expect from joining the Woxsen School of Architecture & Planning?

A good balance between theory and practice. An entrepreneurial push to set out on their own. Encouragement to design, right from year one. (For information, we already have four Design Registrations from the Patents Office, three of these are of the work done by students in their first year.) An experienced faculty pool with specializations in various fields related to architecture, design, and planning.

What are the biggest challenges currently facing Architecture colleges, and how do you plan to address them as the Dean?

The pandemic has crippled the construction industry to such an extent that it is still limping back to pre-covid levels. This has, therefore, snowballed into the availability of projects and consequently, of jobs. The number of students opting for Architecture is diminishing across the country. We at Woxsen are trying to play to our strengths (as mentioned earlier) and are highlighting them.

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How would you promote experiential learning and practical application of knowledge within the School of Architecture & Planning?

We have a hands-on approach, plenty of site visits, case study visits, lectures by professionals and industry partners, tie-ups with professional bodies/associations, collaborations with international universities, practical certificate courses, etc., all aimed at making the students profession ready. The school also has its own consultancy cell, in this way you keep abreast of the latest trends and development in the field.