History And Background: The Indus Valley School

History and background: The Indus Valley School was founded in 1989 by a group of professional designers, architects and artists, including Noorjehan Bilgrami and Shahid Abdulla. These professionals identified the need for a school like IVS in Karachi. Soon other great professionals joined them in their idea, including sculptor Shahid Sajjad, Imran and Nighat Mir, Mian Saghir, Shehnaz and Inayat Ismail, Salima Hashmi, Javed Ibrahim , Naazish Atta-Ullah and Iqbal Hassan.

One of most significant parts of the history of IVS includes the story about the relocation of the Nusserwanjee Building to the Clifton campus, something that nobody has achieved in the subcontinent. This warehouse, which was designed in a Victorian style warehouse was located

It is a vital part of the academic studies at the school.

Architecture

The Faculty of Architecture includes Department of Architecture (5 years of undergraduate studies) and the Department of Interior Design (4 years of undergraduate studies).

Interior Design

This is a four-year program developed on a multi-disciplinary level that enables students to work with a wide range of media.

Design

The Faculty of Design is a four year program, which includes primarily two departments: Communication Design and Textile Design.

Communication Design

Communication Design is one of the most important emerging trends in the world of art schools and in the market as well. Essentially, communication design uses visual language to translate concepts and communicate ideas into tangible or comprehensive images to interest, educate, inform and sell, such as logos, promotional campaigns, packages, publications, posters, pictures in children’s books, information design, brand design, etc. The list of areas where communication design helps companies or individuals can go on at a stretch.

Textile

It covers the history of art & design; as well as humanities and social sciences; with an emphasis on research and writing practices.

According to the website of the IVS, it is dedicated to not just producing artists, architects and designers that are technically competent, but a lot more than that. It endeavors to guide and motivate its students to develop curiosity, think and ponder, and to open themselves to the resources of learning and experience. It enables its students to become politically aware, socially responsible, and develop the ability to take an independent position, where they not only respect knowledge, but also the people of knowledge, with humbleness.

1.2 Research Objectives

The objective of this research is to investigate students’ perception on Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. It will identify the differences (if any) among the perceptions of current students, prospective students, students who did not receive acceptance offers from IVS and alumni. The study will also figure out the reasons of different perceptions.

The research will also explore that how different factors like gender, economic status, social status, intellectual status etc contributes to students' perception on IVS.

1.3 Research