Design is what makes ideas possible and has the power to envision solutions for the future, from everyday objects to the most complex intangible systems.
ENHANCING TALENT
Almost 70 year of education design in Milan
SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design is the first postgraduate school for design disciplines in Italy, founded in Milan in 1954.
Today, SPD is an international laboratory for exchanging experiences, for developing projects by keeping a balance between function and expression, production and experimentation, thanks to the combination of its Italian roots and a strong international orientation. The young professionals that the school is able to offer to the market and the creative work developed every year are also testimony to this incredibly rewarding dialogue with companies, manufacturers and the various actors along the design chain.
Creativity is a daily task at SPD. Since its foundation in 1954 it has welcomed an extraordinary community of students from various countries and backgrounds. Everyone has an unequalled opportunity: they work side by side with excellent professionals, engage in dialogue with a number of academic partners and swap experiences with young talents from all over the world.
All of this takes place in Milan, a city with an incredibly close-to-hand and accessible heritage made up of architecture and design, production and business, communication and art.
At SPD every student is followed individually by a faculty made up of designers, professionals from various fields and visiting tutors. Teaching is arranged into intensive workshops, studio classes, theoretical lectures, seminars and visits. Research work carried out in collaboration with leading companies such as Volkswagen, Beiersdorf, Poltrona Frau Group, Microsoft, Heineken, Alfa Romeo, Alias is a crucial experience at SPD.
These projects are developed according to a comprehensive approach which is a testing ground for the student’s skills, from the concept idea to its execution. The result of this work is translated into high quality education with a professional orientation.
After successful completion of the Master program, eligible students can earn first level University Master degrees accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Reseach MIUR and corresponding to 60 ECTS credits.
In 2011 SPD and the Milan based IULM University signed a long-term strategic agreement aimed at sharing their expertise and a rich relationship network among institutions and entrepreneurial partners. The association is also intended to promote educational programmes at University level and enables students to matriculate jointly at SPD and at IULM University.
The school also boasts affiliations to the most important organizations in the field such as ADI (Italy’s Industrial Design Association), AIAP (Italian Graphic designers’ Association), and ASFOR (Italian association for management development). It is a member of the Cumulus network that brings together the most prestigious design academies worldwide.