Mitya Kharshak: "I revisited India for the second time within six months. Our initial tour of Indian universities was in October—November 2023, where we visited eight universities in six cities. It was an opportunity for us to get to know each other and determine our collaborations. We have developed a strong connection with most partners and are currently concentrating on creating long-term partnership plans and collaborative educational projects.
The trip to Chitkara University in February came as a total surprise to me. I only learned about the global partnership week at Chitkara University School of Design a week before my departure. The Indian side invited us to conduct a week-long intensive course and host an international seminar on the potential for cooperation. I believe this opportunity is significant, as international growth and partnerships globally are now among the top development priorities for HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL.
On this occasion, I travelled to India with my friend and colleague Andrey Punin. We designed specialised master classes specifically for our visit to Chitkara. Each Monday to Friday, we spent approximately five to six hours each day mentoring Indian students. Andrey led instruction at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design, while I collaborated with colleagues at the Faculty of Communication Design. To prepare for our work in Chandigarh, I revisited and revised my graphic and type-intensive course materials, from which I developed a new 24-hour program. This new course was then piloted with Indian students during the international partner week.
I want to emphasise that communication design, as a universal visual language rooted in the fundamental principles of visual perception, transcends the borders that divide us and the language we speak. The language of visual communication is a genuinely unifying global tool for professional and universal cross-border communication.
I am thrilled with the outcome of my intensive master class, which drew more than 30 students. I am optimistic that this experience will extend to other regions."
