Umeå Institute of Design ranked among world's best - again
NEWS
Umeå Institute of Design at Umeå University has been named one the best design schools in the world by BusinessWeek magazine. This is the third time that they have been included in the prestigious list.
BusinessWeek asked academics, designers, consultants, and business managers to recommend master's and MBA programmes that combine design thinking and business administration. About 115 schools were suggested by a group of 42 people that includes managers from Microsoft, Steelcase and Whirlpool, as well as the leaders of design firms such as Frog Design, Lunar, and Teague. Information was gathered on every recommended programme, interviewing administrators, professors, and graduates to come up with a short list.
The final list of 30 schools presents a diverse mix of international master's and MBA programmes that teach both business and design, emphasise design's strategic role in business, and significantly bridge disciplines such as design, business, and technology.
Over half of the 30 top-ranked design schools are in the United States. There are eight European schools, including only three in the Nordic countries. BusinessWeek praises Umeå Institute of Design's collaborative work with supporting corporate partners to offer hands-on, real world experience. They also credit their form of education in which students work together to learn different approaches to problem solving.
Umeå Institute of Design at Umeå University has been ranked among the world's best by BusinessWeek on two previous occasions, in 2006 and 2007. In addition, they have been recognised as a "Centre of Excellence in Higher Education for 2008" by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education.
Umeå Institute of Design is the only design education in Sweden that offers Master’s Programmes with studies in special areas of industrial design. The two-year program at the Institute of Design, taught in English, offers concentrations in Interaction Design, Advanced Product Design, or Transportation Design. Students also work together to learn different approaches to problem solving. Business classes are not mandatory but the school does run projects with supporting corporate partners to offer hands-on, real world experience.
The Master’s Programmes at the Umea Institute of Design run in English and therefore they are open to international students. More than 60% of the students are overseas and currently from 29 countries.
For further information, contact:Tapio Alakörkkö, Head of Department, Umeå Institute of DesignPhone: +46 (0)90-786 98 35 Mobile: +46 (9)73-620 51 51 E-mail: Tapio.Alakorkko@dh.umu.se
Bengt Palmgren, Rector, Umeå Institute of DesignMobile: +46 (0)70-341 03 12 E-mail: bengt.palmgren@dh.umu.se
