ArdorComm Media News Network
January 2, 2026
The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) has announced the establishment of a Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) within its Department of Liberal Arts, marking a significant step towards blending creativity with technical and scientific learning.
According to the institute, the new Centre aims to embed artistic practices more deeply into engineering and science education. IIT Hyderabad has been nurturing creative and liberal arts for more than a decade, with structured initiatives beginning in 2014 through heritage tours for first-year students. Over the years, these efforts have grown into credited courses, and currently about 10 per cent of the undergraduate curriculum includes liberal and creative arts such as photography, fine arts, performing arts and crafts.
The Centre for Creative Arts will offer elective courses ranging from one to three credits in creative and performing arts for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. It also plans to bring practicing artists on board as adjunct faculty and distinguished professors. Artist-in-Residence programmes will enable long-term interaction between students and professionals, encouraging cross-disciplinary engagement across engineering, science and design.
In addition to teaching, the Centre will support research in the arts, including doctoral programmes. Visiting artists may act as co-supervisors for research scholars, helping integrate practice-based artistic knowledge with academic research. Collaborations with cultural organisations, including SPIC MACAY, are also planned to enrich campus activities.
Beyond the campus, the Centre will run outreach initiatives for school students and art educators, with the objective of promoting early exposure to diverse art forms and strengthening ties between the institute and the broader community.
Announcing the launch, IIT Hyderabad Director Prof B S Murty said the Centre reflects the institute’s vision of combining creativity, culture and technology in higher education. Dr Aalok Khandekar, Head of the Department of Liberal Arts, added that the CCA would build on existing initiatives while enabling new courses and research collaborations.
Source: Indian Express