RCA Launches Transnational Innovation Programme to Foster New Generation of Creative Leaders
21 January 2013 – The Royal College of Art and Imperial College London have launched the first transnational design innovation programme to foster a new generation of international creative leaders.
The programme, Global Innovation Design, is a partnership between four of the world’s most established global design institutions, the Royal College of Art, Imperial College London, Tokyo’s Keio University and the Pratt Institute in New York, and is a first for postgraduate design education. While transnational postgraduate programmes are available for MBA students, such opportunities have historically been limited for design candidates.
GID will see students split their time between three major centres of design, culture and industry across Europe, North America and Asia over two years, learning from an integrated curriculum, which weaves together complementary globally renowned design philosophies and approaches.
The Pratt Institute, with a rich tradition of industrial design, brings expertise in form making, processes and product, while Keio University will offer students the opportunity to immerse themselves in an environment focused on technology, software, systems thinking and service design. The RCA and Imperial meanwhile, are renowned for concepts, prototyping and mechanical engineering. Project themes in each location will reflect the local design culture, commercial interests and social challenges.
The GID programme intends to foster innovation and a practical, commercial business-led approach to real‐world issues. The scale of environmental issues, with logistics, food and energy systems spanning continents, is driving a need for leaders with an understanding of how these fit together. The growing requirement for more creative leaders with global cultural understanding has also been a catalyst in creating the programme.
‘Environmental and social issues are really global in nature and need tying together,’ said head of GID at the college, Miles Pennington, also head of Innovation Design Engineering. ‘GID is a also a big opportunity to put skilled creative people at the top of international companies. What’s exciting about this course is that it will foster confidence in working internationally – something that firms like Google, Ideo or Philips are looking for.’
He added: ‘IDE has fostered a strong enthusiasm for design and enterprise, but this has historically been in the UK and Europe. GID will foster design and enterprise enthusiasm and the ability to spot international opportunities all over the world.’
The course will recruit a cohort of 12 students who will start in July, expanding intake in the coming year.
Pennington also hopes to build a greater international reach for GID, with plans to build links further afield in locations such as India and South America.
Full details of the GID programme can be found here.