NIIFT looks at collaboration with UK-based institutes

CHANDIGARH: State-owned Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology today said it is looking at partnering UK-based fashion designing institutes to offer degree courses.

The institute today also requested UK Trade and Investment Director Barry Lowen to help materialise the partnerships with UK-based designing institutes.

"We are looking at tie ups with UK-based institutes so that we can offer degree courses for our students," NIIFT Director Vishav Bandhu told reporters here today on the sidelines of an industry interaction with a representative of UK Trade and Investment body.

"The main advantage of having collaboration with UK-based institutes will be to give international exposure to our students in fashion technological field. Besides, it will also allow updation in course curriculum and latest global practices being followed in this field," he said.

NIIFT already has a students exchange programme in collaboration with UK-based Walsall college in Birmingham.

NIIFT, at present, offers only diploma courses in fashion and textile design, fashion design knits, design in leather apparel and accessories, garment manufacturing and fashion market management.

NIIFT, which is run by Punjab government's state industries department, has three centres at Mohali, Ludhiana and Jalandhar with almost 400 students

It also has in-principle approval from Punjab Technical University for affiliation to run the courses in fashion technology segment.