21 May 2024
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has announced the formation of a global alliance with 12 prestigious institutions to enhance design education. This strategic partnership includes notable institutions based in Singapore such as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and Lasalle College of the Arts, alongside international partners like Tsinghua University Academy of the Arts and Design in Beijing and Parsons School of Design in New York.
The alliance aims to facilitate student and faculty exchanges and other collaborative initiatives, bringing together students from diverse fields to address real-world design challenges. One proposed collaboration involves integrating SUTD’s final-year Capstone project with students from other member institutions. This project encourages students from different majors to contribute their specialised skills and expertise to solve practical design problems.
Professor Tai Lee Siang, SUTD Deputy President-Designate and Head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar, emphasised the critical role of design in promoting sustainable living. “The fact that this illustrious list of Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) has come together to pay special attention to the importance of design and its impact on education and the world at large is testament to that. We foresee design becoming the core of all education, rather than an elective,” he stated.
Echoing this sentiment, Professor Al Sacco, Jr., Chief Academic Officer and Provost of Olin College of Engineering, expressed enthusiasm about the alliance. “Enabled by the Design Alliance, we look forward to sharing our strengths in redefining engineering education, leveraging design, innovation, and a spirit of collaboration that care for people and the planet,” he commented.
This alliance represents a significant step forward in the evolution of design education, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative solutions to global challenges.
