For the fifth year in a row, Umeå School of Design has been ranked at the top of the "Red Dot Design Ranking", which ranks design education in Europe, North America and South America.
eXpression spoke to Thomas Degn, programme manager for Advanced Product Design (APD) at the School of Design, and Marian Dembkiewicz, a student in the APD programme at the School of Design and a former Summer eXpression participant.
Thomas, what does this award mean for you?
- It basically is a confirmation that we despite our small size and location are still relevant in the eyes of the professional and international design community! Also that what we and our students do together makes sense to others and that we are continuing to educate and explore the potential of industrial design on the highest level and are succeeding in communicating this to the outside world.
Marian, what does this award mean to you as a student?
- The fact that the school and its work are recognised with this kind of award carries a lot of weight. It's proof that what we learn in education is of high international quality.
The fact that UID had won these prizes in the past was actually a decisive factor in my applying to study in Umeå in the first place.
How can designers in Umeå benefit from this?
- Good question, I guess it basically puts and keeps Umeå on the world map of professional design. It might also be an inspiration and a reminder that anything is possible if one does what one believes in? say Thomas.
- I think Umeådesigners benefit from this kind of awards. It puts Umeå on the map of design in the same way that Random Bastards has put Umeå on the music map, says Marian
No other school in the world have ever done this - beside us, and that's special!
Thomas Degn
How will you celebrate?
- As far as I know no celebration is planned right now. We are in the middle of the study year and a number of big student projects are in their final phases and we in the staff are now also planning for the educational activities in the spring, which isn't the easiest since the on-going COVID pandemic doesn't make anything any easier. Hopefully all of us will find the time to look ourselves in the mirror and as say "well done", before we continue with our daily tasks.
- But at some point we should find the time to enjoy and reflect on this, since what Umeå Institute of Design / Designhögskolan has been able to achieve over the past 10 years, where we have been ranked highest 8 times on Red Dot's ranking of design schools in America and Europe, and the two time we were not number one, we were second - no other school in the world have ever done this - beside us, and that's special, avslutar Thomas.
Cover photo: Ulrika Bergfors
