UPES appoints Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt as new Dean of School of Design

New Delhi, September 19, 2024: UPES today announced the appointment of Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt as the new Dean of the School of Design. Prof. Bhatt brings an impressive 22-year career experience in design education at leading institutions like National Institute of Design Ahmedabad and IIT Gandhinagar. His academic experience includes a significant role as a Doctoral Researcher at Lincoln University, New Zealand, and as Director - SOD at Anant National University.

Prof. Bhatt’s robust academic foundation, forged at the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow, is complemented by a distinguished career in governance. His proven ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, cultivated through board memberships in government organizations, incubators, and universities has equipped him with exceptional strategic, and managerial capabilities. Prof. Bhatt has made significant contributions to the field of design through his advisory roles with the CII National Committee for Design, FIGO, KPMG & Gujarat Government's entrepreneurship Policy.

In his new role at UPES, Prof. Bhatt will lead the School of Design, which features a state-of-the-art infrastructure to support technology-enabled learning: An AR/VR lab, film and media lab, MAC lab, 3D-printing, and laser-cutting facilities, to name a few. He will oversee both the academic and administrative aspects of the School of Design drawing from his experience of successfully establishing three startups as well as institutional leadership roles.

On his appointment, Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt, Dean, School of Design, UPES said, “I am truly honoured to be a part of such an esteemed institution and look forward to working with talented faculty and students. UPES School of Design has been focusing on imparting knowledge and skill-building on technologies of the future, thereby co-influencing creativity and technology. I aim to build on UPES’ strong tradition of innovation by encouraging a vibrant and collaborative learning environment. With the support of my dedicated colleagues and a creative pool of students, I am excited to explore new design horizons, drive meaningful research, and prepare our students to lead and excel in the ever-evolving world of design."

Highlighting the university’s focus on design thinking and its mission of developing creative problem solvers, Dr. Ram K Sharma, Vice Chancellor, UPES said, “At UPES, first-year students engage in a transformative 6-8 week Srijan social internship by the School for Life, working with social sector organisations to create a positive societal impact, followed by a startup or government internship in the second year and an industry internship in the third year. In their final year, students choose from three tracks— startup, research, or industry — for Capstone project, ensuring comprehensive exposure to real-world challenges, shaping them into socially-responsible and innovative designers. With Prof. Bhatt’s addition to the UPES family and with his expertise and visionary ideas, we are ready to take our design school to the next level.”