05 July 2019
Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are aiming to create a wider appreciation of design and incorporate more design principles and concepts into the university curriculum.
In today’s industry, the word “design” has expanded to take on new meanings. Design no longer involves only shaping how things look, such as interior design or landscaping, but also controlling how things work.
The Design Education Review Committee has laid out five recommendations to enhance existing design programmes in the IHLs and embed design in their non-design programmes.
The first of the committee’s recommendations is to set up a separate committee comprising key industry leaders and IHL representatives to strengthen industry links such as building overseas networks or introducing collaboration opportunities.
The second is to give students from disciplines such as engineering, business and infocomm media more opportunities to come together and pick up design-led creative thinking skills.
The third is to enhance training programmes to support both design professionals and educators, or trainers. This includes helping educators keep up to date with industry trends and providing more study awards for professionals and educators.