Dr. Jitin Chadha, Founder and CEO of AND Academy, has been featured among the ‘Top 10 Best CEOs in Education Sector 2023’ by CEO Insights Magazine. CEO Insights is a monthly business magazine that serves as a platform for C-level Executives and decision-makers to share their industry insights and inspire other executives to achieve their business goals.
The article highlights Dr. Jitin’s journey and his exemplary contributions to the field of design education as an Edupreneur. Elaborating on his vision to equip today’s workforce with practical skills, the issue covers in detail AND Academy’s unique proposition, Dr. Jitin’s approach to design education, and his “vision to make design education more accessible for interested learners in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.”
Dr. Jitin Chadha: An Edupreneur Making State-Of-The-Art Design Education Accessible In India
Founder & CEO
In a world led by disruption and technological innovation, the education space and job market have changed drastically. Education, training, and upskilling have had to constantly evolve in order to remain relevant. Among edu leaders who have been responsibly contributing to this evolution, Dr.Jitin Chadha, CEO & Founder of AND Academy a one of a kind design upskilling platform backed by the Indian Institute of Art and Design(IIAD) is a name that stands signified. With a focus on
upskilling, AND Academy’s interactive courses and non-traditional learning models make professional design education accessible to learners from varied backgrounds. Read on for CEO Insights magazine’s one-on-one interaction with him!
Could you give us a glimpse of your professional expertise in education sector? What is the motivation that fuels your daily routines?
I have been an education entrepreneur for over two decades now, having served as the founder & director of the Indian School of Business and Finance (ISBF) and currently serving in the same capacity at the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD). In my newest role as the CEO & Founder of AND Academy, birthed from the pandemic-fuelled realization that design education can be provided online and be made more accessible, my vision is to equip todays workforce with the skills they need to transform their careers and ensure this happens under the guidance of accomplished design experts and regardless of geographical limitations. Having a positive impact on people’s lives and watching learners from all backgrounds come together with the common goal to upskill and grow in their careers is what motivates me. Also, seeing our learners reap the rewards of the career transformation paths we offer is what drives me every day.
How would you define AND Academy, its current position in the market and its USP?
AND Academy is committed to providing accessible, affordable and industry relevant education in the areas of Graphic Design, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design, Interior Design and Motion Graphics. Our courses are taught synchronously (or live) by design experts, offering learners plenty of flexibility in terms of mode, duration and class timings, besides requiring no prior background in design.
We didn’t start AND Academy because edtech was a hot space, but because we realized that taking design education online was now possible and with our expertise, we’d be able to provide quality learning and upskilling opportunities.
ANDs unique propositions are its active and interactive learning, including plenty of guided hands-on work via projects and portfolio building with iterative feedback from mentors, as well as our Job Guarantee. If not placed in a relevant role within 6 months of course completion, our learners are entitled to a full course fee refund. This combination of depth, quality, flexibility, and career orientation, makes us unique in the current market.
Whats the leadership approach you follow as an Edu leader?
My leadership style is firmly rooted in the conviction that attracting the right talent is half the battle won. Beyond that, it’s only a matter of setting clear expectations, providing the team with necessary resources, and a little guidance every now and then. I am not a fan of micromanagement and have always focused on building a capable team from the ground up. A significant part of AND Academy’s success comes from attracting great talent and providing them with the resources to do their job well, and this approach has worked very well for us.
Reflect on some of the toughest challenges you have encountered in your journey so far? How did you overcome them?
The process of building some thing from nothing comes with unique challenges. Finding people who shared my vision, at a time when I was still working on my idea, and then convincing them to come along with me has been one of the most
memorable bits of my journey, but as with any worthwhile endeavor, I was motivated enough to go the extra mile. I knew that realizing this vision would only be possible with the support of a super dedicated team. I figured the best way to convince others was to honestly believe in my vision for AND Academy. And, this belief helped me overcome the challenge. In retrospect, that conviction might have been contagious as I see a bit of it in every member of the AND team.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
We continue to be led by our ambition to make design education more accessible and positively impact interested learners in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Right from our curricula’s beginner friendliness to the scheduling of live sessions in the evening, our courses have been curated in a way that they can be taken up by anyone with a desire to learn design. At the same time, we also intend to go global and expand our reach to English speaking countries in Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.
In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders
Well, my advice is quite simple: don’t start a business because its trending/cool or because venture capitalists are willing to fund it, but because it resolves a problem that you have the skills to tackle. Identify a unique and relevant problem and be sure that you can make a significant contribution to the resolution. Once you get this part right, the road ahead becomes a lot clearer.
Dr. Jitin Chadha, Founder& CEO, AND Academy
A first generation Edupreneur, Dr. Jitin Chadha’s vision is to make industry relevant design education accessible and affordable for all in turn equipping today’s design workforce with the skills they need to transform their careers. As a result of his exemplary contributions to the field of design education, he was also recognized among Economic Times Inspiring Leaders (North India 2021).