TADA
Our British Higher Education system is often heralded as one of the leading institutions of learning worldwide, particularly in creative and engineering sectors. The country is an educational hub that students flock to every year, jostling for a place at institutions and aiming to be the next Thomas Heatherwick or James Dyson. Facing increased fees, many students (international and domestic alike) are questioning the real value of their education, and expectations of the student experience are rising in tandem.
Similar concerns from industry were recently voiced during the #includedesign campaign, in regards to design in lower education. Higher education should also be encouraged to be proactive and as ambitious, innovative and relevant as possible to the Industry we all hope to end up in. When we also consider how the relatively recent phenomenon of online education, such as the Khan Academy, has opened up learning resources worldwide, it’s a germane issue that the recognition derived from our centres of excellence is to be maintained rather than undermined.
Given this capacity for improvement, there is also the question on most Finalist’s minds- will the resulting degree be a true testament to the past three years balancing hard-graft and student-living?
At Loughborough we are very proud of our student experience outside of the lecture hall: from sporting excellence to journalistic exploits, active nightlife to entrepreneurial opportunities. Early in the morning, it is not unusual to see the rugby team thundering across Brockington, wander past a group of students preparing for a RagRaid or setting up a Charity Music Festival, pick up a ostrich burger at the campus Farmers’ Market and (of course) see a disheveled reveler in full Buzz Lightyear costume trying to make their way home unnoticed. This enthusiasm and perseverance is mirrored academically, with Loughborough being well-recognised for its creative graduates and for being a centre of cutting-edge research.
I believe we can be more ambitious and create greater experience and opportunity for students. We should provide further industry experience and knowledge, offering more activities and chances outside of a year’s industrial placement and inside the Loughborough Bubble.
Our 437 acre campus is only 1 hour away from the cultural hub of London and even closer to Leicester and Nottingham. From local businesses and industry, to exhibitions and experience further afield, we need to tap into these resources and expand the student experience further than just the lecture hall or Cogs dance-floor.
Hands-on industry experience is essential for many creative students, and enthusiasm can be re-kindled when lecture notes are linked suddenly to real-life situations and skills. So take charge of your university experience and follow the usual Loughborough battle-cry of “Get Involvedâ€!
Design in particular has developed into a multi-disciplinary and industry-centred specialty. Engineers and marketing experts, materials scientists and illustrators work side-by-side and each must have a greater overarching experience and understanding of their related fields. TADA aims to reflect this in our activities and events.
So, if you’re from a creative course, from Industrial Design to Textiles, Web Design to Product Design Engineering or just want to be more engaged with innovation and design, then this is the society for you.
For all those who’ve been intrigued by this post and who have a desire to do more: TADA will be organising industry-led workshops and talks, providing advice and tips from students and companies through trips, competitions and publications, all to keep you in touch with everything creative inside and outside the bubble. Of course, you will also get the chance to be that student who wanders back worse for wear dressed up as a giant Juicy Salif.
