From the Chilean University of development in Santiago where three besigners are currently studying, to Shizuoka University in Japan, BESIGN The Sustainable Design School offers the possibility to spend a semester abroad among sixteen campuses around the world. Meet Jade, Audrey and Samuel who recently studied in Germany, in the Netherlands and in Italy. Finally get inspired!

“One of the best experiences in my life”, Jade Nicault sums up enthusiastically. This Master level student chose Cologne and KISD, Köln International School of Design, to study “a global vision of design, notably a human oriented one”. Her courses? From “The devil is in the detail” approach, “a guessing game which focused on tiny parts of masterpieces, elements and objects”, to the “nipple bra” project, which basically aimed at “desexualizing women breasts”, her programme mixed both art and design. “It was a good source of inspiration for my future work and it permitted me to gain skills in modelling!”

“A window on another world”

During one of her classes, Jade also designed a luminous boat porthole reproducing the reflection of water and waves, with mirrors and LED lamps. Brilliant! “It was an invitation to travel, to dream”, she explains, “something magical happened inside this window on another world.”
In Cologne, Jade adapted to a more eco-friendly way of life. “The city dwellers recycle a lot and really care about the planet”, she reckons. “I remember being first astonished by the amount of beer bottles in the streets, precisely put outside the bins. Later, I understood it was to help the homeless, as people actually get the deposit back, every time they return the empty bottles in the stores.”
Cologne, a paradise of green mobility? “Absolutely! The city was covered with bike paths.” Naturally, Jade often used rental bikes, thus taking up sport. “Thanks to the school, it was free the first 30 minutes per rental!”
Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg: “I travelled a lot across the country with amazing people I met on the campus”, Jade recalls. “I gained a lot of self-confidence and I am no longer afraid to go on an adventure alone!”

Discovering different pedagogies

Audrey Catena, a Master level student at BESIGN The Sustainable Design School, recently spent a semester at the HKU University of Arts Utrecht, in the Netherlands. “I discovered a more artistic approach for studying design. We were always encouraged to create projects by hand, manipulating clay or bioplastics.”
Audrey also improved her skills in photography, taking pictures with an analog camera from the 1950’s, developing her own films in a dark room. “I even tried to design my own clothes there, a pair of pants made with a waterproof material I found on the fabric market that takes place every Saturday morning, in Utrecht. I felt an urge to use all the sewing machines of the workshop, and finally ended up with an outfit with pretty rough measurements!”
“Discovering new ways of learning is enriching”, Master level student Samuel Donat affirms. He chose to spend a semester in Milan, studying product and space at Politecnico di Milano.
“I notably worked in small groups of five people, which allowed us to be more efficient.” For example, Samuel participated in a project of co-living space, an ingenious system of stalls for markets.
“During my sojourn in Milan, I also visited the ADI Design Museum and it really was worth it!” A great memory for this student who wants to become a car designer.

Build your network and boost opportunities!

According to Inken Krevet, Director of International Academic Relationships at BESIGN The Sustainable Design School, “studying abroad is a good way to learn new work methods, that might suit you better!” It is also the perfect situation to build your network: “that’s why, we really encourage our students to talk, listen, invite and make friends for a lifetime”.
Inken Krevet also reminds that mobility has many options: why not plan a trip, an internship or a volunteering experience in a foreign country? “Mobility will enhance your CV and offer you better job opportunities.”

Text by Alizée Mosconi, Head of Communication at BESIGN The Sustainable Design School