This conceptual paper presents a pragmatic, radical repositioning of design
education practice at the Manchester School of Art in the context of U.K.
design education. It discusses the strategic management and decision
making that facilitated the re-engineering of new creative environments, the
innovations in curricula and the re-branding of the School in drawing on the
founding ethos of the Manchester School of Design of 1838 in ‘ supporting the
creative economy
of the region'.
Polemically the process has been to fundamentally question, challenge and
respond to existing paradigms of design academic practice within the nexus
of teaching, learning and research; specifically, to re-define what a
contemporary design education should be.
To contextualize this, the paper references current design thinking and
education theory. Two case studies will illustrate work undertaken in the
school.
The paper will be of interest to anyone wishing to re-frame design education
practice.
DesignED Asia 2012 Conference
