FACULTY OF Humanities and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FOHSS) plays a critical role both at the University and in broader society at large. Given the world at more than 8 billion people, it fosters and nurtures future citizens with a well-rounded education, contributing effectively across various sectors.
The FOHSS helps with a better understanding of Society and Culture. It also explores the complexities of human societies, cultures, behaviours, beliefs, and values - providing insights into the historical, social, and cultural contexts that shape our world today. This helps students develop cultural sensitivity and global awareness by studying diverse cultures, languages, histories, and global issues, thus preparing students to engage with a multicultural and interconnected world.
The faculty remains focused on fostering interdisciplinary perspectives by integrating knowledge from various sub-disciplines - Anthropology, Culture Studies, Economics, Education, History, International Relations, Political Science, Statistics, and Sociology, to name a few. It also goes beyond the sub-domain in the FOHSS to the other eight faculties, which have more than 100 sub-domains at our university, including law, artificial intelligence, data sciences, geoinformatics, and many more.
It emphasizes critical thinking and analysis. As a result, the students learn to evaluate information, construct arguments, and communicate ideas persuasively. The faculty also engages with ethical questions, moral dilemmas, and issues of justice and fairness. They encourage students to reflect on these issues, fostering ethical awareness and responsible citizenship.
FOHSS contributes to research and scholarship that advances knowledge in their respective fields. Their research often addresses pressing societal issues and contributes to policy debates.
Dean's Message
Dr Jyoti Chandiramani has been the Director of Symbiosis School of Economics and Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – at Symbiosis International Deemed University (SIU) since 2010. Prof Jyoti is also the Head of the Symbiosis Centre for Urban Studies (SCUS). She is an acclaimed educator, academician, researcher, and social scientist. Her areas of expertise include urban infrastructure, urban mobility, urban poverty, urban economic development, international development cooperation, and India’s Development Agenda towards the SDGs
She has played a significant role in establishing one of India’s leading schools of Economics, committed to providing students with an educational journey – of academic excellence and lifelong learning. She is also responsible for nurturing and creating the Symbiosis Centre for Urban Studies. Her research areas include topics associated with Urban Economic Development (urban poverty, urban infrastructure, urban mobility, urban policy, etc.), Besides, she keenly studies and follows contemporary trends in International Development Cooperation – from the MDGs to the SDGs. She is presently working on Pune-centric cases, which include census towns in the Pune district, calculating Pune city GDP, and growth strategies for districts of Maharashtra. She has been guiding a number of PhD scholars and has also undertaken various research projects and consultancy in collaboration with NABARD, NIUA, ITDP, Cybage India, Sulochana Thapar Foundation, and reputed think tanks in India.
Dr. Jyoti ChandiramaniDean - Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
Symbiosis School of Economics (SSE), Pune
Director's Message
Prof. Jyoti Chandiramani has more than 40 years of experience in academics. She holds a Ph.D. from Savitribai Phule University. She has been the Director - Symbiosis School of Economics since 2010 and Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) besides being the Head Symbiosis Centre for Urban Studies (SCUS)- 2022. She is a board member of the Forum for India Development Cooperation and a member of the Steering Committee for University Connect for G 20.
Prof Chandiramani has taught a wide range of courses and has also Conducted Management Development Programs at : Godrej, Cognizant, Wipro Intel, Aztec, HP, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank - to name a few.
Presently her research area is focused on issues associated with Urban Economic Development and International Development Cooperation – from the MDGs to the SDGs. Prof. Jyoti has been working on Pune centric cases wrt urban and other development issues and a PhD guide to a number of PhD scholars. She has worked on a number of research projects and consultancy in collaboration with: Niti Aayog, NABARD, Government of Maharashtra, National Institute for Urban Affairs, Sheffield and Macquarie University, ITDP, Sulochana Thapar Foundation, INHAF and others.
Prof. Jyoti Chandiramani Director - SSE, Pune
Symbiosis Statistical Institute (SSI), Pune
Director's Message
In this era of Big-Data, world is moving towards advanced technologies- where computer and network are practically everywhere and everything can be measured. We need statistics to make big data more useful. Statistical thinking has significantly changed from assessing science to a way of doing science. Most of the important discoveries emerge from a mass of information only when they are viewed through the prism of statistics.
Hence, the correct use of statistics is not just good for science but now a day it is essential too. More and more jobs across disciplines and domains require statistical literacy and skills in data analysis.
At Symbiosis Statistical Institute, we provide our students with an education that empowers them with knowledge, nurtures their curiosity, and encourages them to be ethical, adaptable and result-oriented. The course seeks to develop intellectual, discipline, critical and analytical thinking with a view to grooming passionate individuals capable of taking up responsibility. We believe that the graduates from SSI will be pragmatic professionals and competent decision makers while also being responsible citizens.
Come, join SSI family and enhance your statistical philosophy to explore the horizons of the statistical world and build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to support a data-driven future.
Sharvari R Shukla Director - SSI, Pune
Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (SSLA), Pune
Director's Message
Dr. Shweta Sinha Deshpande has a Ph.D. in Archaeology and has contributed to archaeological and associated anthropological research through an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach. She has been associated with Liberal Arts education for more than a decade. She has an in-depth and keen understanding of this model and the value addition this model offers to the world and India’s growing population dividend, the globalized industry and the service sector.
Her current research focus is on Globalization and its influence on the socio-cultural space including religion, trends in migration, education and development.
The thrust of her research is on interactions between individuals and cultures, both modern and ancient. Her work has led her to conclude that the key to understanding current social issues is to recognize the often-unrealized cultural baggage that people carry. She has authored many research articles and books and was the founding President of the India Big History Association, a founding Member of the Society for South Asia Archaeology (SOSAA), and a member of the Executive Committee of the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She currently serves on the Editorial Board of Migration Letters an international journal on migration.
Dr. Shweta Sinha DeshpandeDirector - SSLA, Pune
Symbiosis School of International Studies (SSIS), Pune
Director's Message
Prior to joining the Symbiosis School of International Studies, Ms. Lawale, worked for over more than a decade at the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France. She has worked in the capacity of Programme Specialist on two of the UN’s priority programmes in education and international development –Education for All and Education for Sustainable Development.
These programmes covered a variety of contemporary issues like peace and conflict, human rights, climate change and gender issues, among others. She has also taught the post-graduate programme in French studies at the University of Pune. Ms. Lawale has an M.Phil in International Cooperation in Education and Training from the Sorbonne University and an M.A. in International Relations from the prestigious Sciences Po, Paris. She also has an M.A. and M.Phil in French studies from Pondicherry University.
She has authored articles on education and sustainable development that have been published in international journals and publications and has presented papers at prestigious international conferences like the biennial International Conference on Education and Development, UK, and the Human Development and Capability Association (HDCA) annual conferences. She is also member of the HDCA, an association that was established in 2004 by Prof. Amartya Sen and Prof. Martha Nussbaum. Areas of Interest: Indo-French relations, Indo-EU relations; development cooperation; educational cooperation and issues related to Sustainable Development.
Ms. Shivali LawaleDirector - SSIS, Pune
