Working groups

 

1. Leader Forum

Cumulus Executive Board has decided to launch the world’s first unique tool to update one’s knowledge and transfer of best practices on the strategic management purely of an art and design institution. Cumulus launches now in June 2006 during Cumulus Design Ethics and Humanism conference in Nantes France the permanent working group on these issues on leading an institution. This working group is only meant for rectors, deans or equivalent level persons in a leading position of a Cumulus member institution.

The gathering is the first one of its kind in the history of Cumulus. The plan is to maintain this activity to be part of Cumulus future conferences, a minimum of one time per year. Upon your wishes, Cumulus Leadership Forum can be organized as a separate workshop outside Cumulus conferences or in any format you wish.

Programme

Chair: Rector Professor Robin Baker, Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication London, UK

Welcome by Cumulus President Yrjö Sotamaa, Rector of the University of Art and Design Helsinki

Keynote speech by Angela Dumas

Discussion

Future Planning

Summary by the chair

 

5. Cornerstone of research: Ethics in art and design research

Universities are intellectual communities. Some universities define the quest for truth as their mission, and the main task of research is to pursue truth and new knowledge. The University of Art and Design Helsinki, however, defines three main values in its general strategy: the satisfaction of students, joy in working together and creative competence. Rather than founding on truth, these values seem related to activity.

What could be the cornerstone of research ethics in an art and design university - aesthetics, form, beauty, originality, usability, experience? The workshop discusses the values adopted in different universities and in the research they conduct.

More information

Pia Sivenius
Research Coordinator
Research Institute
University of Art and Design Helsinki
pia.sivenius[at]uiah.fi

Pirita Posti
Project Coordinator
Research Institute
University of Art and Design Helsinki
Pirita.posti[at]uiah.fi

 

6. Practice, Research, Design Forum (P.R.E Design Forum)

This workshop will introduce the aims and objectives of the Practice, Research & Education in Design Forum (P.R.E.Design Forum) a new network primarily for designers, design educators, and design colleges. This group was formed in order to take account of the inter-connection of design practice and education, in order to distinguish the characteristics of research and its integration with theory in design education, taking particular account of the role of design practice.

Amongst a number of the forums objectives is the facilitating of an exchange programme amongst colleges, in order for lecturers to share good practice and knowledge exchange.

Anke Coumans of the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (HKU)

Maziar Raein of Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo (KHiO),

Ulrik Jungersen & Thomas Leerberg of Designskolen Kolding

 

7. Visual Communication Design

The meeting in Nantes in June 2006 will be a starting point for Visual communication design network within Cumulus. The purpose of the working group is to discuss, change opinions and foresee the future of the graphic design profession. The key questions are how to develop education and what kind of research is needed on visual communication, graphic design, media studies and technology.

Digital techniques and the Internet have speeded up the production process of communication. The fact that a message can be received all over the world simultaneously has increased volumes and unified visual languages. One might wonder, what the role of a designer is, when same logotypes, icons and images are used globally. Is there still scope for diversity in visual culture?

During the 20th century the economical focus sifted from production of goods to marketing of services. The fastest growing industries are the communication, entertainment, tourism, leisure-time and culture industries. Their products are immaterial and require new types of design skills. In addition to artistic, technical and marketing skills, a designer should understand the cultural impacts, signification and ethical aspects connected to visual communication.

The chair: Marja Seliger, professor in graphic design, University of Lapland

"Aesthetics, semiotics and visual communication design"

Professor Michael Hardt, Bergen National Academy of the Arts

Discussions and plans for the future (next meetings, seminars, important issues etc.)

 

8.  Redesign teaching and learning

The two-week tutorial “Redesign teaching and learning” focuses on concepts of how an ideal University for Design should be like. A first pilot course was run by the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Zürich (HGKZ) from January 9th to January 20th 2006, developed in collaboration with “soDA” – the magazine for visual culture.

The tutorial followed an explicit concept of teaching and learning. It was held in a specific   room where the entire two-week’s pilot study took place. Within this “space for projection” the participating students – with their own present training as starting point and in discussion with designers, artists, teachers and businessmen – designed scenarios, models and visions for ideal Studies in Design and displayed the end-of-course results in a joint exhibition.

The objective of the tutorial is to develop visual statements that are relevant for future Studies in Design. A series of related tutorials are intended to be held all over Europe generating a list of significant questions and visual statements to be applied to the project “Fès Studies”, which aspires towards the realization of a Design University in Fès, Morocco in 2012.

With this workshop we want to introduce and discuss the methodical background and the basic topics of the tutorial and its concept including various points of criticism on present
methods of teaching and training.

Names: Renate Menzi (HGKZ) and Martin Lötscher (soDA)

Length: 2 hours

 

10. Cooperation of art teacher training units: IP Socrates project

In this workshop teachers and staff of art and design teacher training units will discuss and make plans to increase and develope cooperation. The special focus is on IP Socrates project, which was launched 2004. The members of the project will prepare the next IP program in Rotterdam spring 2007 and also evaluate of the last IP project in Helsinki March 2006. The project is especially for teacher trainers in art and design. Student and teachers will have the workshop week in Rotterdam connected to preparation process by using e-learning tools.

Chair: Ellen Ekkers

Speaker: Marleen van Aarendonk