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Message from the Head of School of Design
The Book 2022
Message from the Head of School of Design
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Dear reader, we are Shifting Thinking! If you read this, you have received a copy of the School of Design's annual publication celebrating student and staff work for 2022. This edition also includes a few critical essays to reflect on our vision.
The School of Design is part of the highly successful and vibrant faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Frequently commended for our partnership working across the design and creative industries sector, the School delivers highquality research with funding reaching £4M. Our four main subject portfolios include a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes: #Architecture, #Animation, #DigitalArts, #FilmTV, #GraphicDesign, #InclusiveDesign, #LandscapeArchitecture, #MediaCommunications, #Urbanism, and more.
Enshrined in the 2030 agenda is the principle that every person should reap the benefits of prosperity and enjoy minimum well-being standards. This is captured in the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are aimed at freeing all nations and people and all segments of society from poverty and hunger and to ensure, among other things, healthy lives and access to education, modern energy, and information and design can do that. Therefore, the School of Design is expanding to the future. We put EDI, entrepreneurship, and innovation at the centre of our pedagogic practices in response to the increasing demand for creative thinkers in the ever-growing creative industries and rapidly expanding circular economy.
The University of Greenwich's brand new strategy recognises that these goals are challenging unless we make creative industries work for all. This year's degree show's emphasis is social inclusion. This term is defined as improving the terms of participation in society for disadvantaged people based on marginalised communities or economic status through enhanced opportunities, access to resources, voice, and respect for rights.
To design inclusively means that our students engage deeply with the end-users needs from the beginning of and
throughout the whole creative process, sharing practices and amalgamating potential solutions into what becomes a unique knowledge exchange. In addition, this holistic approach to design practice enables inclusivity irrespectively of disability, gender, ethnicity, vulnerability, language, or age.
The UK is one of the world's most influential and dynamic markets for creative industries. The highly skilled sector thrives with talented, well-prepared graduates, and the university experience and qualifications are essential to many creative careers. The School of Design is shifting thinking and responds to this by leading on sustainable, diverse, and inclusive design across all disciplines, empowering our students to future success with the 2022 Showcase putting our graduates at the centre of creative practice.
The 2022 Graduates Determination and creative energy distinguish this year's graduates from the rest of the pack. An incredibly talented, culturally diverse group of designers and artists have been a joy and inspiration to work with. The students have worked on a broad body of projects, from print to screen, AR and VR, to conceptual explorations.
Their work forges new lines of inquiry, engages established modes of thought, and develops innovative concepts with the potential to improve how we live as individuals, cities, societies, cultures, and as one planet. In these challenging times, this year's degree show embraces broad targets aimed at social inclusion and those who are the most vulnerable. It has never been more critical for our staff to endorse and our students to recognise creative practices for their positive impact on a multidisciplinary society: through inquiry, tradition & innovation, and the 2022 Showcase responds to this just perfect: in space, online and in print.
