IIT Palakkad wins the 2026 Autodesk Design & Make Award for Education Excellence in Construction

The Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad has won a 2026 Autodesk Design & Make Award in the Education Excellence category for its work in construction education.

The Design & Make Awards are Autodesk’s annual global programme. They recognise people, projects and technologies that advance innovation and make a real-world impact across the design and make industries. This year’s programme drew more than 280 submissions. From these, 52 finalists and 25 winners were selected across 13 countries, representing the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Autodesk industry and technology experts judged the entries on innovative use of technology, impact on the industry, and contribution to advancing how the world is designed and made. The finalists were also celebrated at Autodesk University 2026 (AU 2026), held in Las Vegas from 15 to 17 September, which brought together nearly 12,000 design and make professionals from around the world.

The Education Excellence category recognises educators who reimagine teaching models, innovate in design and make education, and prepare students for successful careers. IIT Palakkad won for its ‘Campus as a Classroom’ initiative, conceived and led by Prof. V. Senthilkumar, Dean (Infrastructure) and Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. The initiative turns the institute’s own greenfield campus construction into a live teaching lab. Using Autodesk design and collaboration tools, students and public-sector professionals work together on active infrastructure projects. Following a “practice–pedagogy–practice” model, they apply digital workflows to real construction instead of simulations.

This global award recognises IIT Palakkad’s effort to bring industry-grade digital construction practice into the classroom, so our students graduate ready for the way buildings and infrastructure are delivered today. The award belongs to the students, colleagues and partners who made it possible.

 Official winner announcement: Autodesk Design & Make Awards 2026 winners 

Awards website: AEC Innovator of the Year 2026 Winner