An Interview with Geetha Krishnan, Chief of Academic Outreach and Career Development at IIHS

Geetha Krishnan is Chief of Academic Outreach and Career Development and Head of Digital Blended Learning at IIHS. He provides strategic insight and direction to grow IIHS teaching and training portfolios to drive urban transformation at scale in the country.

In a career spanning more than 30 years, Geetha has worked in various senior management and leadership capacities across multiple sectors—higher education, entrepreneurship development, online learning, and advertising. He has worked with organisations like the Indian School of Business and the Tata Group, and consulted with international and national institutions like the UNEP, Babson College, Leeds University, the National Stock Exchange, and IIIT Sri City on a wide variety of assignments around curriculum development, online learning, and executive education.

Geetha has a master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and a doctoral degree in strategy and entrepreneurship from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of strategy and entrepreneurship.

This interview with Mr. Geetha Krishnan Chief Academic Outreach and Career Development and Head of IIHS Digital Blended Learning is brought to you by Careers360. In this interview Mr. Krishnan discusses the vision, admission process and selection criteria at IIHS (Institute Deemed to be) University, Bangalore.

Careers360: The IIHS (Institution Deemed to be) University is truly unique in its approach. Please share the founding vision behind the institute.

Mr. Krishnan: The IIHS University is premised on the need to transform the current nature of urban education as one of the most important drivers for India’s national development and sustainable global futures. It addresses this transition by:

• Undertaking interdisciplinary teaching and applied research to help build new national and global knowledge; and

• Building a new generation of urban practitioners through the delivery of a set of transformative interdisciplinary academic programmes.

Careers360: Can you tell us about the five interdisciplinary schools at IIHS University?

Mr. Krishnan: The IIHS University is unique because its organisational structure revolves around five interdisciplinary Schools, designed to break from the constraints and silos of the traditional one-department, one-discipline model.

Each of the interdisciplinary Schools is dedicated to a distinct transformative theme: Governance, Economic Development, Human Development, Systems and Infrastructure, and Environment and Sustainability. The Schools remain interconnected and interdisciplinary, where teaching and research are continually intertwined with real-world problem-solving and knowledge creation.

The Schools at the University provide clear pathways to meaningful impact by drawing from the rich traditions of multiple disciplines, while embracing innovative, cross-sectoral, and interdisciplinary approaches. They employ advanced strategies to explore and tackle urban challenges and nurture collaborations.

Careers360: What sets IIHS University apart from other urban research and education institutes, and who should consider enrolling in its programmes?

Mr. Krishnan: Among others, there are two main things that differentiate IIHS University from other institutions. The first is the emphasis on interdisciplinarity, which ensures that all urban problems and issues are examined and analysed from multiple perspectives, thus adopting a holistic solution-oriented approach. This interdisciplinary is manifested not only in our teaching and research activities, but also in our admissions process – we encourage learners from across disciplines to study in our programmes, and our alumni have opportunities to work across a range of sectors and disciplines. The second is the strong integration of theory and practice, to ensure that practical experiences are grounded in established theory and theory is built from practical experiences and realities. This again manifests in the pedagogical approach in all our programmes, which place an equal emphasis on classroom learning and field experiences and on-ground projects.

Learners from all disciplines are welcome to apply to our programme. We particularly encourage learners who are interested in various aspects of urban and societal transformation, across a wide range of areas including climate, sustainability, economic development, and human development.

Careers360: How is the admissions process structured at IIHS, and what key stages does it involve?

Mr. Krishnan: The admissions process for the IIHS programmes involves three main stages:

1. Online application

2. Online entrance exam

3. Online interview (for Master’s programme applicants)
   In-person interview in Bengaluru (for PhD applicants)

Careers360: What are the major attributes and selection criteria IIHS considers when evaluating prospective students?

Mr. Krishnan: Beyond the eligibility criteria (details can be found on www.iihs.ac.in), IIHS University invites learners with a deep desire to pursue meaningful career options in various aspects of urban transformation. We see our University as not just a place from where you will find a job, but a place from where you can springboard into a purposeful and fulfilling long-term career.

Careers360: How does the University ensure diversity in its student community? Please explain.

Mr. Krishnan: Recognising the value of an inclusive and diverse classroom across various socio-economic categories, the University follows a unique Diversity Points system in the admission process. Secondly, we encourage learners from all disciplines across the country to apply to our programmes, thus ensuring disciplinary and geographical diversity.

Careers360: Can you share insights into the structure and objectives of the degree programmes at IIHS University?

Mr. Krishnan: The IIHS University offers four Master’s programmes: MSc (Sustainability Science and Practice); MSc (Climate Change Science and Practice); MSc (Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development); MA (Urban Studies and Practice).

These Master’s programmes are two-year, interdisciplinary, full-time degree programmes, open to learners from any graduate discipline. Each Master’s programme is structured around a specific learning trajectory, in line with the curriculum principles of the University. Learners move from first building an interdisciplinary foundation across diverse urban and urbanising systems, then gaining sectoral and applied knowledge in a specific theme, and, finally, applying their learnings through an internship and/or dissertation.

The University’s Doctoral Programme is a five-year, interdisciplinary, full-time programme of study towards the degree of a PhD in Urban Studies and Practice.

The PhD Programme is designed to bring together a cohort of scholars interested in working across disciplines and professional sectors to shape sustainable and equitable futures. Departing from singular entry points, it is interested in fostering and generating scholarship on how the social, economic, spatial, ecological, political, and institutional combine and are implicated in different ways within India’s rural and urban transitions.

To do so, the Programme encourages research across the spectrum of human settlements and linked social-ecological-technological systems across semi-wild through rural to metropolitan contexts, as well as across natural and built environments.

Careers360: How is field-based learning integrated into the academic framework at IIHS?

Mr. Krishnan: The Foundation Courses in IIHS University’s programmes are a set of learning experiences, interactions, and credit courses grounded in Indian culture and experiential contexts, including local and traditional knowledge. Foundation Courses facilitate holistic human development and integral learning engagement with the importance of being situated, committed, and empathetic while handling situations outside one’s comfort zone and dealing with situations of conflict underscored. Some of the skills, abilities, and sensibilities that learners will be exposed to include Physical Culture, Art and Labour; Nature and Environment; Self-Awareness and Reflection; and Philosophical Orientation and Ethics.

All core and elective courses in our programmes are rooted in theory and practical knowledge enhanced through experiential learning, case studies, and practice, along with the use of cutting-edge tools and methods, including qualitative, quantitative, geospatial, and mixed methods. Beyond that, all students take up a Core Practica, which is a field-based applied learning course, where theoretical concepts learnt in the classrooms are applied on the field through learning-by-doing. Based in neighbourhoods of Bengaluru, learners first learn how to observe, document, and analyse different aspects of an urban neighbourhood. They then move to propositions, suggesting solutions to problems they observe and identify.

The last term of the Master’s programme is focused on learning through doing. Through an external internship, learners will apply what they have learnt and transition into employment pathways. Learners can also choose to be part of IIHS teams working on ongoing projects and/or do independent research dissertations, mentored by faculty.

Careers360: IIHS is engaged in various international academic and research collaborations. How does this global exposure benefit students at the institute?

Mr. Krishnan: Global exposure enables IIHS faculty to bring learnings and perspectives from across the world into our classrooms. Learners also get to hear directly from experts across the world through guest lectures and other interactive forums.

Careers360: What kind of career paths do IIHS graduates typically pursue?

Mr. Krishnan: We expect our learners to explore a range of careers across the private sector, the development sector, the social sector, and the government. We also hope that some of our learners would pursue entrepreneurial opportunities to drive urban transformation at scale, and some others to pursue academic careers and contribute to knowledge creation in the Urban.

Careers360: How does the IIHS University Bangalore support students in securing internships and placements?

Mr. Krishnan: The IIHS University will have a dedicated Career Development cell which will focus on enabling learners to be workplace ready and identify and build relationships with internship and recruiter organisations.

Careers360: Could you share the vision towards the institution’s growth and development as a premier urban research and education institute?

Mr. Krishnan: I can’t state this better than the way it is articulated on our website, please see https://www.iihs.ac.in/about/vision/.

Careers360: What words of encouragement or guidance would you give to future students?

When you look at higher education, look for programmes that go beyond your disciplinary silos. The world is interconnected, and you need to learn across disciplines and sectors to be successful. Second, look for a career with purpose. That is what can sustain you over a lifetime. A career is not just the next few years, it is the rest of your working life. Choose to make a difference to the people around you, to the ecosystem around you, to the world around you.

Disclaimer: This article has been published as a marketing initiative between Careers360 and IIHS University Bangalore.