From the «Cologne model of design education» to the KISD

Our approach is to understand design as a complex process. This means that design education should always adapt to the challenges of life- and work environment. In 2002 – eleven years after the «Cologne Model of design education» was initiated in 1991 – we took another big step: The change from the Design Department to the Köln International School of Design.

Internationality

Already 25 % of our students in the current term are internationals.

In addition, internationality is applied through cooperations with other design universities all around the world. Studies and trainings abroad are important aspects of our contemporary design education. We are also currently developing international postgraduate programs in cooperation with other design universities throughout the world.

Study Offerings and Academic Degrees

In addition to our four year BA Integrated Design, we offer the  Master of European Studies in Design program. From winter 2008 on we are offering the new Bachelor and Master of Integrated Design.

Areas of Expertise and Main Focus

Students work together in different projects and seminars within twelve  areas of expertise. The areas are overlapping and by doing so, they become new temporary areas, which form the basis for a problem-oriented and multi-dimensional design discourse. This consolidation creates a clear profile and simplifies the interaction with the existing know-how of other design universities. Key aspects of the areas of expertise are e.g. health-care, mobility, work environment, knowledge and educational organisations as well as questions and problems of empiricism and systemization of signs or horizons for coping with the possibilities of design.