Kolding School of Design is an independent institution that educates designers at basic and specialist levels, corresponding to Bachelor and Master levels, within six different lines of study:

Industrial Design
Interactive Design
Fashion Design
Textile Design
Graphic Design
Illustration Design

The teaching is offered by two departments:

Department of Product Design (Fashion Design, Textile Design and Industrial Design)
Department of Communication Design (Graphic Design, Illustration Design and Interactive Design).

The school has approximately 390 students and 14 PhD students of which 4 are Industrial PhD students. Each year, the school accepts approximately 90 new students to the school. In addition, the school offers a Master’s education in Design Management in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).

The education is organised via the Faculty for Education and Research headed by the head of education and the head of research with an affiliated study programme council, research council and a council for experimental design work. The cross-disciplinary teaching is also embedded here, meaning the teaching which all students have to complete regardless of their line of study. The day-to-day management is handled by the rectorate and the school’s management group, respectively.

The school educates designers who specialise in a specific design domain but with significant knowledge of other relevant domains and their terms. First and foremost, the graduates of Kolding School of Design must be great designers; then, they must be good at collaborating with the multitude of other specialist areas which are an integral part of today’s product and process development. A large knowledge of materials, techniques, design processes and the history of the design practice combined with the ability to see your specialist domain within a societal framework is the basis of all teaching at Kolding School of Design.

A significant characteristic of the teaching method is project work. Our students must learn that individual development and team work presuppose each other. They must learn that it is (often) in unison with other people and other specialist domains that unique results are achieved. We wish to create strong individualists who can engage in a collective work process.

Knowledge base

The school’s knowledge base builds on three elements: design specialist practice, experimental design work and research. Most of the school faculty works as designers and thereby support a teaching which is close to practice and gives the students knowledge of the cultural heritage which is naturally embedded in the teachers’ own work.

In order to contribute to a renewal of design specialist practice, the school initiates experimental design work, just as research and educating researchers contribute significantly to the school’s knowledge base. Furthermore, we find it crucial that the school contributes to international research symposiums and conferences by admitting papers, presentations, etc.  Ongoing visits from international guest professors and visiting researchers are also an important parameter for the school’s continuous efforts to reach a higher international level.

All in all, internationalisation is an important part of the school’s efforts to create a relevant education. Thus, close educational and research relations have been established with schools and researchers all over the world.

Nationally and locally, the school collaborates closely with two local museums, The Museum at Koldinghus and Art Museum Trapholt and with the University of Southern Denmark. Also, a joint research centre has been established with SDU, Centre for Design Culture and Management.

Based on the above, the school has formulated the following:

Vision:

The vision of Kolding School of Design is to offer a world class design education and produce world class Danish design. Kolding School of Design wishes to inspire, challenge and develop Danish design and the role, relevance and reach of the designer in a global world. The school wishes to function as a progressive and creative knowledge and innovative capacity with local roots and international scope. The school wants to:

• offer a business oriented and progressive design education of the highest artistic and professional standard
• develop and strengthen research, research based teaching and research dissemination within design
• function as local, regional and national driver of the interplay between design, education and the business community
• reach top level education and research.

Mission:

“In collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark, Art Museum Trapholt and The Museum at Koldinghus, Kolding School of Design wishes to develop into a new leading international design institution: Design Centre Kolding. A trendsetting cultural and educational institution promoting innovation and value increment based on knowledge, creativity and narration.”