Innovation Lab and Grand Challenges Studio - II

Building on the empathy, observation, lateral thinking, and teamwork developed in ILGC-I, this course focuses on breaking down complex societal challenges into specific, actionable problems, and identifying context-appropriate solutions. Students begin by examining campus-based gaps and proposing executable solutions, using tools such as gap analysis, root cause analysis, semi-structured interviews, and focused group discussions to gather primary data on underlying issues. A four-week summer community attachment follows, where students engage in hands-on work to identify real-world grand challenges across diverse contexts. Through the semester, students work both individually and in teams, culminating in an exhibition that presents the observed challenge, its root causes, and proposed solution(s).

This semester has a series of lab classes (mostly in interactive mode), comprehensive tutorials with in-class exercises and intra-campus visits.

Semester learning carries 1 credit and Community Attachment (4 weeks during summer vacation) carries 1 credit

By the end of this course, students will have had the opportunity to:

• Learn to identify and understand gaps (small)/challenges (grand) around
• How to deconstruct a societal challenge into actionable problems
• How to think as an enterprise which brings accountability in thinking solutions
• Engage in real community setups to identify problem and understand diverse contexts of a problem
• Work effectively in teams and collaborate with others

After completing this course, students should be able to

1. Identify and articulate problems from varied perspectives that contribute to existing societal Grand Challenges | Knowledge Outcome
2. Empathize with the needs of communities around them| Knowledge Outcome
3. Be able to create problem-solutions fit relevant to a given context| Hands-on Learning
4. Be able to synthesize diverse inputs in identifying problems and potential solutions | Knowledge Outcome

None

None