Prof. Ar. Munavar Pasha Mohammad is the Principal Architecture, IFHE at ICFAI Business School Hyderabad. He has completed his Masters in Architecture in Environmental design from JNAFAU Hyderabad. He is actively involved into research activities in the domain of architecture. He holds keen interest in the areas of Sustainable Architecture, Institutional Buildings, Architectural Technologies and Health Care Architecture.

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ICFAI Business School, Bangalore

What motivated you to pursue your career in academia and become an Principal, Architecture?

Architecture by its very nature is a creative field which requires a combination of observational, analytical and technical skills to provide application based solutions that are functionally efficient , environmentally sustainable and socially compatible. The importance and significance of architecture in enabling a good quality of life and ensuring a safe and sustainable environment made me realize the vital role architectural education has in training and sensitizing young minds enabling them to become accomplished architects contributing to the society and environment at large.

As a Principal of Architecture, what do you think is the USP or what are the differentiating factors that make IFHE stand out from other colleges?

  • IFHE has a strong research based and application oriented philosophy towards teaching with emphasis on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary learning approaches. It has a rich diversity in terms of students representing various parts of the country as well as highly qualified faculty drawn from reputed Institutions nationally and internationally.
  • ICFAI School of Architecture(ISArch) has signed MoUs with Politecnico de Milano, Italy and Boston Architectural College, U.S.A. to facilitate collaborative research and academic activities, exchange programmes, content sharing and to offer joint academic programs.
  • ICFAI School of Architecture also has a very high level of intense Industry-Academia Interaction and Cooperation as an integral part of its course curriculum.

How do the team/faculty of school of architecture work towards being updated with the latest trends and developments in the field of Architecture and incorporate them into the curriculum and programs offered by IFHE?

Avery important component of the teaching faculty of ICFAI School of Architecture are the highly experienced and reputed visiting faculty members from the industry and profession having expertise and knowledge cutting edge technology areas of Green and Energy efficient Buildings, Building Information and Management Systems, Advanced Materials and Construction Systems etc. ISArch has introduced as part of its course structure “Professional Ability Enhancement Courses” with 15 percent of total credit allocation and also” Skill Enhancement Courses” having 5 percent credit allocation which would immensely help the students to become industry ready and globally competitive. The faculty is encouraged and financially supported to participate in various International and National conferences and training programs to update their knowledge base and technical expertise and to keep abreast with the latest advancements in the field of Architecture.

How would you foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and academic excellence within the School of Architecture?

Our Programs are built on a unique project-based approach and focus on the role of the architect as a designer and solution provider, with specialized sustainable-context specific design knowledge and skills. The strong emphasis is targeted to successful integration of renewable and sustainable energy technologies into buildings, which requires an understanding of both design and technology and hence the close co-operation of architecture and engineering. The students are actively encouraged and guided by the faculty in various Design Competitions Cultural Events , Seminars and Guest Lectures by Leading Architects and Celebrity Artists.

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Can you describe your approach to student advising and support services, and how you would ensure students receive the guidance and resources they need for their academic and professional growth?

The curriculum at ISArch lays emphasis on skill-development courses to broaden career horizon, development of critical thinking skills, evolution of interpersonal communication and professional presentation skills, cross disciplinary interaction and debate, working with professionals from other industrial sectors and sharing experience, as well as enhancing your professional network of contacts and support. We have a very strong and effective student mentorship initiatives in place at the school, supported by advanced digital learning tools, 24x7 E-Library, State of the Art Model Making Workshop and one of the most sophisticated Climatology Labs.

Can you discuss your experience in curriculum development and program design within the field of architecture and planning?

The Intent and approach towards Curriculum Development at ICFAI School of Architecture is to ensure an effective and healthy balance between core subject knowledge , allied fields of study, multidisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary knowledge domains. A lot of emphasis is laid on flexible learning options for the students in the form of professional electives and open electives as well as many online courses such as skill enhancement, professional ability enhancement, traditional and foreign language etc, are offered on SWAYAM and NPTEL Platforms that allow the students to explore and pursue their areas of interest in other complimentary fields to ensure a rounded and accomplished personality development and leadership qualities.

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

ISArch enables and aims at creating in-studio experiments of real-time problems and potential future scenarios to take up as challenges that are evolving in scale and complexity. The emergence of new technologies in tandem with the growing possibilities for altering established conventional practices are transforming the nature of architectural study and practice around the world. Besides ISArch also conducts various hands on training workshops and training programs for its students in emerging areas like 3d printing, Green Building Technologies etc. In addition students regularly participate in study tours to sensitize various societal concerns like heritage, culture, environmental protection etc.

What kind of steps IFHE is taking in order to bridge the gap between academia and the real industry world?

Students are provided with a learning platform that gives exposure and awareness with the latest trends and developments in the industry in the form of monthly seminars conducted by the leading brands from the construction and materials Industry for the benefit of the students. ISArch has introduced as part of its course structure“Professional Ability Enhancement Courses” with 15 percent of total credit allocation and also” Skill Enhancement Courses” having 5 percent credit allocation which would immensely help the students to become industry ready and globally competitive. ISArch has signed MoUS with USGBC (United States Green Business Certificate Institute) and also with ASSOCHAM( Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India ) to promote Industry –Institutional Collaboration.