CIRRUS annual Teachers seminar and network meeting.
Tallinn, March 18–20, 2020
Estonian Academy of Arts
Põhja pst 7, Tallinn 10412

NEW SKILLS. Preparing for Uncertainty

P R O G R A M M E

Programmes of Individual Working Groups
1. Leadership meeting (Thu, March 19, 14.00 – 18.00)

NEW SKILLS

Preparing for Uncertainty

Design education is constantly evolving. From local craft schools of early 20th century to current international and trans-disciplinary academies, the speed of change has picked up pace. What constitutes a design curriculum in these uncertain times? What skills do our students really need in the future?

Next to traditional studies on form and aesthetics, new topics emerge from collaborations with other fields such as natural and social sciences, business, law, etc. Joint projects bind together very different kind of knowledge. Cultural variety of our schools has dramatically increased. Changes in environment and politics bring new responsibilities. Designers’ skill-set are endlessly expanding. We are expected to be makers, artists, scientists, managers, facilitators, advisers, engineers, marketers, builders, visionaries, psychologists, leaders, custodians, technologists, philosophers… in a word, experts in everything. Brand new programs and schools are emerging, new avenues of research opening up everywhere. 

In Tallinn, we invite everyone to celebrate and to exchange experiences about new pedagogical formats and discourses, about skills taught in your schools.

We also encourage a discussion: what’s the relationship of traditional and new design skills in current design education? Is the identity of a designer dissolving or emerging?

Who’s welcome to join the discussion? Everyone who values skills and values combining them; teachers of exciting multi-. cross-, inter- and transdisciplinary courses; everyone involved in curriculum development and pushing boundaries of design; heads of programs and study modules.

Keywords: preparing students for uncertainty, life after graduation, teaching and assessment in the future, what’s important for teachers/students, new identities, communication of cultures, cooperation, engagement with society, social responsibility, sustainable development.

General timeframe:

REGISTRATION FORM (the registration has been completed)
Please register due February 13, 2020.
Participation fee to cover coffee-breaks, lunches and dinners is 100 EUR per person. Excursion fee for extra fee 50 EUR.

Hotel information:
We have prebooked Swissotel Tallinn at a discount rate. When booking, please refer to “CIRRUS”.
Reservations should be made by e-mailing to Reservations.Tallinn@swissotel.com or by calling: +372 624 0000.
Discount rates:
March 17 – 19 = 105 EUR a night
March 20 = 110 EUR a night
Hotel reservations will be held until February 13, 2020.

Getting around:
Tram No 4 connects the airport (direction Tondi) to the hotel, station “Paberi”. Ticket purchased from the driver costs 2 EUR, green SMART card may be purchased from the R-Kiosk at the airport or port for 2 EUR, which enables you to buy e.g a 5-EUR three-day ticket for public transport in Tallinn. The green card may be returned to the R-Kiosk at departure in the port or airport.
Taxi between 7-10 EUR.
Commuting to EKA, Põhja pst 1 from Swissotel:
Walking route, 30 minutes
Tram no 2 (direction Kopli) from “Paberi” to “Põhja puiestee” stop, 15 minutes. Tram departs in every 7 minutes.
Taxi (5-7 EUR), 10 minutes

Support to participation:
CIRRUS will support from mobility funds the participation of two teachers per institution at the seminar, covering the travel / hotel up to the following rates: Iceland 600 EUR per person, the other members 300 EUR per person. These sums can be applied for by filling in and sending the teacher mobility form to the CIRRUS coordinator by the sending institutions’ CIRRUS coordinator. The sums will be paid to the sending institutions’ account.

Optional tour on Friday night:
Rright after General Assembly 2, the ones who have signed up to Friday night excusion, will depart from the academy to Arvo Pärt Centre guided tour and dinner at Laulasmaa Spa. (appr 15.30 – 21.00)
Note: excursion for extra cost of 50 EUR.