ABOUT ARCH

ARCH College of Design & Business: 25 Years of Nurturing Creativity

ARCH was created to nurture thinkers, creators, innovators and changemakers—young people who can design for a better future with sensitivity, skill and purpose.” — Archana Surana, Founder & Director

Twenty-five years ago, Archana Surana—a design educator, mentor, and social entrepreneur—laid the foundation of ARCH College of Design & Business with a clear purpose: to build an ecosystem for design education that empowers young people to transform ideas into meaningful impact and emerge as globally aware designers.

A strong advocate for Creative Entrepreneurship, Ms. Surana envisioned a learning environment that would go far beyond skill training. Her vision was to cultivate design ability, leadership, innovation, and global readiness among young creators stepping into a rapidly changing world.

A Vision that Shaped an Institution

In the early 2000s, design education was still emerging in the state, identifying a crucial gap—the need for structured, industry-aligned design programs supported by real-world exposure. ARCH introduced practice-based learning, maker labs, and robust industry and global connections.

Key contributions include:

• Introducing structured, future-oriented design programs in Rajasthan, pioneering courses in Fashion, Jewellery, Interior, Graphic and Product Design designed and developed the curriculum for the Bachelor of Design degree for the University of Rajasthan (NAAC A+ State University).
• Building a global ecosystem through partnerships with institutions in the UK, France, USA, Canada, Netherlands and more.
• Championing entrepreneurship in design through the ARCH Design Business Incubation Cell, producing numerous designpreneurs. Today, ARCH alumni lead teams at large companies, run design studios, revive dying crafts and drive innovation industries ranging from retail to digital experiences.
• Driving social impact via the Design Culture initiative, introducing design thinking and creative problem-solving into schools across India.
• Hosting flagship academic & research conferences including the Pink City Design Culture Confluence, Fashion Colloquium, first CUMULUS Student Intent Camp – Design Identity Direction bringing global academicians, industry leaders and students together.

A Legacy Built on Innovation & Excellence

ARCH’s values are rooted in the belief that education must evolve with society, encouraging co-creation and collaboration and innovate at every step. Its culture of learning by doing enables students to develop not only strong technical skills but also empathy, systems thinking, collaboration and entrepreneurial mindset. The college’s maker spaces, labs, research cells, and interdisciplinary studios help create future-ready designers. With a strong alumni presence across leading brands, studios, startups, retail houses, and international markets, ARCH graduates are shaping the future of design across India and internationally.

What Makes ARCH Different: Purpose Meets Creativity

• 25 years of excellence in design education
• Industry-integrated curriculum co-developed with experts
• Hands-on learning through projects, craft clusters, live industry briefs
• Strong mentorship under experienced faculty, industry mentors and global partners
• Key focus on innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship
• International pathways enabling credit transfers, summer schools and mobility programs
• Commitment to cultural preservation through crafts, heritage, and community engagement

The Journey Forward Continues…