Going By the times we are in right now, it's safe to say future scenarios in many areas including Design Education are not going to be the same as we were accustomed to.
Read Part 3 Here
Tejas Purohit
Umea Institute of Design, Sweden
Hello, I am Tejas Purohit and I have recently completed masters in Transportation design from
prestigious Umea institute of design in 2019, I also have Master of transportation design management from DSKISD , previous worked for Bajaj design studio India for three and half
years and currently working as an Independent automotive design consultant.
I am a car and motorcycle enthusiast and particularly crazy for retro racing and Japanese car culture.
My father owned a vintage Honda hornet when I was six and he used to take me on small rides
now and then. I still remember the wind and engine noise. I was so fascinated. This is just one
of many stories that brought me closer to loving vehicles.
Q1: Tell about us your design college, its legacy, values, and motto?
A: Umea Institute of design is considered as one of the top design schools in Europe.
Umea students in all of its different programs have consistently shown quality projects which make a real-life impact in the society and have consequently won several prestigious awards and recognitions.
The success is largely due to the brilliant faculty and their drive to bring out the
best in each student by one-o-one mentorship. The school also promises 3 industry
collaborative projects (within the scope of masters course of two years) with global automotive and mobility brands which result in many students getting internships and network growth. Notably, the Umea Institute of design is a well-recognized school in the interaction design field which has been growing rapidly in the industry.
Q2: What are the requirements for getting into your design college? Please explain to us
in short about the process of application, scholarships, selection criteria, student visa,
and any particular difficulty you faced during the entire process?
A: The main requirements for getting in are bachelor's degree or diploma in any field, English proficiency, and the means to support your full or partial education, food, and accommodation for the 2-year duration. Students have to send in their portfolios along with past education certificates and fill out an application form. All of this has to be done within the mentioned deadline on the university website.
The scholarship application form also is available on the site. If shortlisted for studies, you will be asked to perform a 7-day long design task. And once you get through that stage there is a personal interview with the program director. You get a welcome letter and confirmation of the scholarship email from the university if you get selected for each of those. Term starts usually mid-August.
The scholarship is reserved for those who need financial support as well as those who show
high dedication and skills along the selection process.
Scholarship requirements can be expressed directly during the interview stage to the head of studies. You might get a full, partial scholarship or none depending upon your case.
Upon receiving confirmation from university and showing financial support in your bank
accounts you can fill-up the form and apply for a visa. For biometrics you’re required to visit the embassy in New Delhi once on an appointment basis. But the residence permit which is also your visa is delivered home upon approval. The process can take up to 1 month or more.
Q3: What makes your college an ideal place for studying design?
A: All universities have their regional charm and characteristics due to where they are located
on the map. Umea happens to be a city in the northern region of Sweden and falls in the
vasterbotten country. Hence the weather is extreme and it can be particularly harsh during peak wintertime. Students during winter experience staying indoors and get a lot of social bonding time with their colleagues and also get a lot of work done.
Each batch has a handpicked international mix of ten people. During the two years, you work in team projects as well as individual projects and get feedback from colleagues and caring faculty You go to field trips and weekend barbecues.
Students learn to balance work and free time. Students interact with colleagues from other design streams. The campus space also hosts the architecture and arts buildings that are open to visit; this broadens student’s minds and exposes them to new ideas, friends, cultures, activities.
The city has some of the cleanest weather and natural water if that’s important to some.
At UID you are taught to question things and think first about the environment even before the user. This way of thinking combined with the Scandinavian minimalist lifestyle, influence the design projects by many students. Additionally, most considerate projects towards the good of the environment get rewarded so other students get inspired.
But don’t worry it’s not only thinking, but you also get to sketch and render a lot along with some top professionals giving you live sketch demos. Thankfully my education concluded in 2019.
However, nowadays due to the pandemic, we are all experiencing educational institutions
worldwide, embracing remote working and virtual tools for daily work. Umea was one of the
leaders in hosting the entire 2020 degree show virtually, which might have been inconvenient
for some but regardless was a necessity. So future students should keep in mind the sudden
changes that can occur in their way of studying. And also keep in mind how the pandemic can affect their travel routine internationally.
Umea is a quick adapter of all these remote working trends and you can find detailed
information about future courses and studies on the website.
Q4: How do you think the design philosophy of your college is preparing you to tackle
the world of automotive design?
A: UID has taught me to be strong in all aspects of the design process, including thinking and the actual creative part. This was achieved through carefully designed modules in the 2-year program. Living and working in Scandinavian surroundings has also dramatically influenced my way of working. All of which now reflects in my way of working. The thesis project is not as easy as some of the other colleges covers yet again most of the subjects.
Q5: Which design course taught in the college had an impact on your thought process?
A: The form workshop is a small module which requires students to explore abstract ideas in the workshop using actual materials, then boil the selected speedform/sculpture into a working design. This opens students to a fun and experimental way of thinking, but also requires them to synthesize those ideas into something useful.
The thesis project also has a significant impact on your thought process and execution as you try to push your limits in all aspects.
Q6: If given the chance to design your college curriculum, what would you like to change
or add?
A: A small introductory module to user interaction design related to transportation design or
systems design. The rest is all quite optimized.
Q7: What qualities do you think are required to become a good design student?
A: Bring in fresh ideas and be open to fresh ideas from others. Being polite and respectful to
your colleagues and teachers. Be open to failure but not to give up. Time management is
probably the most important aspect after you have been enrolled in any stream of design at any school.
Q8: Any word of advice or personal story you would like to share for young aspiring
designers?
A: Having an impeccable timing is going to help you a lot. for example, having the portfolio
ready or updated in time, having delivered the project in time, having applied to a job or
internship in time you will be able to stay ahead of others.
Sometimes a good enough portfolio is enough instead of a perfect one.3d software skills for a designer are always seen as a bonus. And can get you opportunities that otherwise might not.
An international student like myself had the added pressure of keeping in check with visa
renewal, citizen office registration, money management travel planning. Hence it’s best to
keep a strict schedule sheet for all of these. And it’s best to consult recent graduates to know
the best of dealing with these things.
-Design Odyssey
By @robotboi