International projects
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The project Practicing Design is promoting work based learning and development of transversal and entrepreneurial skills in the design education by developing and testing an innovative training programme. The aim of the project is to find new and innovative design education practice in order to bridge the gap between education and professional working and to upgrade designers' skills necessary for the better socio-economic outcomes.
The main project output is Design Training Programme that fosters the development of transversal skills and promotes the take-up of practical entrepreneurial experiences. This programme can be implemented in a curricula of Design Faculties or as a VET course through sectors' associations and vocational organisations in the context of life-long learning and up-skills of young professionals.
Practicing Design project is an international collaborative venture of three European vocational design organizations: Croatian Designers Association (Croatia), designaustria (Austria), Public Room (Macedonia); two educational institutions: VERN’ University of Applied Sciences (Croatia), Faculty of Art and Design, European University - Republic of Macedonia; two business companies: Prostoria d.o.o. (Croatia) and Zavar d.o.o.(Macedonia). The project involves range of experts from partners' organizations: professional designers, design managers, design and economy professors from design academies and faculties, business managers, PR experts and marketing and sale managers.
The professional design sector in most Balkan countries does not have developed quality VET systems, and analyses show that design professionals don't have the necessary entrepreneurial skills to run successful businesses or necessary skills to communicate effectively with the business sector. Regional Higher Education Institutions share the similar problems as the European ones: students emerging from design higher education institutions do not possess the necessary skills for employment.
The final output of the first phase of the project is the theoretical and empirical study Rethinking Design Education. The main purpose of this study was to detect skills and knowledge needed to improve employability that are not provided by existing design curricula. Through identification of the main challenges facing the design practice and education in the 21st century and through empirical research of the existing skills discrepancy in design curricula in Croatia, Austria, and Macedonia, the study provided guidelines as a framework for the second output of the project – Design Training Programme 1.0.
The impact of the two-year project and its long-term benefits for the participating organisations are that they can implement the developed Design Training Programme as a new product, which can enhance the quality and relevance of their educational offer. In the long run the project enables the mentioned organisations to position themselves as relevant stakeholders in international discussions about design education.
Among other achievements, the project helps establishing a framework for regional cooperation between Austria, Croatia and Macedonia and is addressing the strategic regional policy objectives of SEE 2020 strategy for job creation and development of the creative economy in the Balkan countries, www.rcc.int. Since design sector has growth potential in the context of growing creative industry the objective of increasing efficiency of design education and of delivering the right skills for employment must play a key role in design education. Thus the project is addressing the challenge of building design skills for the 21st century.
