Making it Work: Integrated Academic Practice

This research presents a model of Integrated Academic Practice that allows the three aspects of the academic portfolio; Research, Education and External Engagement to work in harmony in Design education. It highlights the reciprocal values that benefit Academia, Students and Partners in project-based knowledge co-creation and sharing. The research has been conducted through case-study review of a decade of activity conducted in undergraduate and postgraduate Design and Multidisciplinary Innovation programmes at one design-renowned UK University where up to 80% of the curriculum is delivered through collaborative projects with external partners. It suggests that project-based activity with external partners can offer a situation that promotes high-quality, pedagogically sound, ‘authentic’ learning whilst offering a research site from which to gather data and in which to validate new knowledge. In order to achieve this, the author’s recommend that projects are established with clear purpose in mind. The research demonstrates how each of the stakeholders (students, academia and external partners) can benefit from this integrated way of working. The paper concludes by proposing the conditions necessary to make Integrated Academic Practice work in Design Higher Education.