An Architect and Urban Planner with over 25 years of working experience, Ar. Rita Nayak is presently serving as the Principal at Aditya College of Architecture, Mumbai. She has worked on Urban aspects like community-based public spaces and slum mapping and has engaged in participatory housing schemes for katkari tribes at Palghar. Also, she has participated in many live workshops worldwide like ‘Relearning public space’ Amsterdam (2018), and the IHS certificate course on Affordable housing Rotterdam, Netherlands (2018). 

Aditya College of Architecture

How do you find the education sector more unique?

“Promptly evolving through the tough times”

The most unique thing about the education sector I experienced is how the pandemic times saw disruption in the global education system and created a plethora of problems but also brought new opportunities and opened doors to innovation in this sector. The silver lining in this disruption is that as a sector we did not adhere to the “dogmas of the past”. Instead, the entire education sector came together, and thought anew and acted creatively. Innovative approaches and distance learning solutions were thought of and implemented like never before. Practices, which were previously considered impossible have now become possible due to the quick and concerted efforts by educationists all over the world. They seized the opportunity to find new ways to make learning possible and managed to keep children and parents positively motivated and engaged all through the year. 

What are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

“Establishing a strong educational approach for them”

I believe in mentoring our students to imbibe our values and insights into the state-of-the-art facility that nourishes and amplifies the students' talent to mold them into the masters of tomorrow. The key role I perform towards students is shaping a vision of academic success for them, creating a climate hospitable to education and cultivating leadership into them. My approach has always been to lead by example, encouraging my co-workers and pupils to strive for the same high standards. Thus, my approach focuses on providing students with the tools they need to handle hurdles in their areas and design their own course to succeed. Also, the development of students' intrinsic qualities, which can be channeled to bring forth the finest version of themselves. 

What can an inbound student gain from studying here at ACA?

“Indispensable learning to reach success throughout life”

Aditya College of Architecture has become a landmark in architectural education. We ensure the students here receive the quality of higher education by providing them adequate infrastructure and impeccably talented and experienced faculties. Here we carve a niche in the field with our vision, unwavering determination and insightful experience in the industry. Every incoming candidate is encouraged to be prepared to take risks if need be, to achieve success and gain fruitful returns with our strong support. Our aim is evident in our educational methods which will enable out-of-the-box thinking and enable learning utilizing innovative methods and experimentation. This will prove to be indispensable when the students venture out into the industry and so will be prepared to deal with it and become successful.

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What do you think should be the College’s top priority over the next 10 years?

“Regular advancements with future-relevant objectives”

In upcoming years, our priority remains to achieve excellence in architectural design that needs, not only the skillful creation of forms and aesthetics but also inspiration from an in-depth bank of technical knowledge and practical know-how. We aim to achieve the leading edge of technology development and a sought-after partner among the scientific and business communities. We intend to produce competent graduates who enter their careers in different sectors and contribute to the industry. The focus is clearly on balancing the relevance of architectural ideals with existing and future trends in construction practices, demographic shifts, cultural shifts, and environmental shocks, which I am sure will become more common in the near future. Though the importance of architects cannot be overstated in the current environment, being future-ready is an apparent goal. 

What would you like people to know about your college they may not know?

“Surpassing students with best academic resources and vision”

Our vision is that one day, all aspirational students will attain an excellent education and our mission is to build a movement of leaders. Our infrastructure is on par with the greatest. We provide a great setting for experimenting with new ideas and encouraging young minds to think creatively and independently. We assist faculty members in conducting research that is both rigorous and relevant. We encourage both a lifelong desire to learn and a sympathetic attitude toward one's fellow human beings. We host a variety of activities and open debates, as well as large conferences and summits. Our students are undoubtedly advancing and achieving new levels of achievement with the help of industry and faculty.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see for higher education in general?

“Ensuring quality and research at institutional levels”

Higher education quality is a multifaceted, multilayered and dynamic term. Providing high-quality higher education is one of India's most pressing concerns today. The government, on the other hand, is always emphasizing high-quality education. The emphasis on research in higher education institutions is still insufficient. It makes us work harder at Aditya to achieve our self-imposed goals, but we're also attempting to incorporate research culture into the regular curriculum.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth?

“Acquire the required knowledge with utmost concentration”

Young people everywhere need to develop a greater breadth of skills to evaluate and apply knowledge in ways that meet the new demands of our changing social and economic landscape. Develop your capacity, train, develop new abilities, read widely, and groom yourself. Also, the pandemic setback is not a bad thing, it’s just a learning curve. 

How have you kept yourself connected with the education sector for so long?

“Keeping up with the changing challenges and demands”

My comprehension of the learner's mind is influenced by the length of my expertise in this subject. As a result, I've been able to try out different and interesting approaches to the same issues. At ACA, it's fascinating to see how a student reacts to each new strategy or teaching aid. I am always up for a challenge, such as becoming a capable enabler who can handle the demands of today's world while catering to the ever-changing mindsets of future generations. My connection to the educational sector is this ever-changing goal post.

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How do you make learning industry-oriented at ACA?

“Teaching more practical and transferable skills”

We are successfully achieving it by providing qualified and dedicated professors, strong facilities, and a focus on students' complete development. Students are taken on field trips, several hands-on workshops are scheduled, and industry leaders are invited to attend and share their professional expertise with students every week. Many professionals are recruited as visiting faculty members so that our students can benefit from their experience, and one-on-one sessions are organized between our students with Design chairs, who are again respected, industry architects. As a result, when faculty members teach courses, they show students new paths to self-development and so foster a novel approach to information transfer.