Who will we be, where will be, what will we do in 5 or 10 years?

The President´s message to Cumulus from London UK May 2009

Dear Cumulus members, as I already told you before Cumulus is in good shape. Ours is a very active association that keeps growing and is actually about to welcome onboard 14 new members during the upcoming General Meeting in London, an association whose events have already been scheduled until as far as 2016. Born nineteen years, ago Cumulus is a vibrant and deeply humane adventure led by an outstanding social network of 150 design, art and media education institutions and creative schools from all over the world.

No doubt we had a fruitful, enriching and exchanges during our meetings in London, Melbourne in 2009 and elsewhere in future. The high quality of our exchanges will highlight the high-spiritedness, the dedication and involvement of our team, thus showing how much we enjoy working together with a view to fostering the right type of education in creative skills and design and thus improving our institutions and bring to the fore the activities of our researchers and the talent of our students.

It has now been nearly 20 years since Cumulus came to life - we will celebrate the 20^th anniversary in Shanghai in September 2010 - and it has therefore undergone much change. Originally rooted in European Union Erasmus program and the will to promote student mobility all over the European territory, Cumulus has over the year become global, thus mirroring the world surrounding it. The way we understand the world, the way we teach design, the social and economical paradigms have greatly evolved over the past 20 years. Institutions in our area no longer focus upon the same issues.

Guided by intuition and relevant premonition the members of the Board naturally came to address the evolution of Cumulus: Who will we be, where will be, what will we do in 5 or 10 years? The reflection initiated by the Cumulus Board in Saint-Etienne France in November 2008 and then furthered in Istanbul Turkey early 2009 during a 5-day seminar is still a work-in-progress. Like all strategic thought processes, the work we have undertaken here is totally devoid of deterministic considerations. This enabled us to point out our network's assets and weaknesses, to define its role and duty, to determine what could be done and what couldn't.

However before describing our actions, I would like to reassert our value, to say once again that we can pride ourselves in the wonderful dynamism and efficiency that are ours. Though we have but a very modest budget we can guarantee permanent membership to our members    even in these (economically) troubled times.

I would also like to say how grateful I am to TAIK of Aalto University in Helsinki who has been partially financing us and to the skills and dedication of Eija Salmi, Justyna Maciak and all other members of the university who have in some way contributed to our initiative. I would also like to thank all the Board members who have never faltered in their effort to keep improving Cumulus, and all the active members of our network, who have always been thrilled to promote our activities.

1^st part: (Saint-Etienne, France - November 2008)

Context evolutions: Globalization - Sustainable Development - Internet and Social Networks -  Design, a management-oriented strategic and economic discipline - Work-based Curriculums - Research - The fruitful triumvirate "research - education - design"

Globalization

The world has become global: we must now strive to train designers that will be in a position to grasp the world and make sense out of it while preserving its identity. The need to go global is central to all development-related issues underlying all higher education institutions. Sending our students to partner universities for a few months and have them come back to obtain their degree from their mother-university is soon going to become an outdated practice.

The process launched by the Bologna Treaty enables students to travel freely and will ultimately give them the opportunity to attain a Bachelor's Degree in their native country and to pursue their Master's Degree in a foreign country where they find curriculums more in tune with their career objectives. With this new trend all our five-year academic and economic models are going to be shaken and questioned. Our institutions will be deemed relevant only if they manage to attract foreign students so as to make up for those who decide to further their studies elsewhere, abroad. Therefore schools and universities are about to embark on a fierce crusade to recruit the best students. In this ruthless fight for the high-minded, countries known for their English proficiency will no doubt see in it a significant advantage. 

The least well off institutions will have no choice but to strive to make a difference if they want to claim their spot on the world map, and to do so they are going to have to implement Master's Degrees whose content really makes sense in that it is intricately linked with technological, economical, social and cultural opportunities offered by their geographic location.

What is Cumulus' ambition ?

Cumulus is a platform for exchange : it has no policy to impose what may be good design, good models of development for our institutions, good programs, good research or good development...it imposes nothing but proposes to all to learn from others.  Cumulus is developing through an economic model which is not a model of consumption, it is a model based on the contribution of all.

The ambition is clear : it is to become the most important « platform for exchange » in Design education in the world.

The role of Cumulus

Cumulus' activities are based on the contribution of its members and the sharing of knowledge. An economy based on contribution is an economy based on knowledge.

The Cumulus Executive Board aims to :

-       ensure members can discuss the main axes of development in the domain of design   education and creation and adapt to sociological, economic and legal developments. 

-       promote the activities of its members

-       maintain and coordinate the development of the network

The operational aspects of these activities are led by the General Secretary in Helsinki, who also ensures that the two annual meetings, one in Europe and one outside of Europe, are well organised and of a high standard.

The meetings are an opportunity to :

-       attend conferences on a particular topic

-       bring together sub-groups to discuss a variety of topics

-       visit partner institutions

-       Encourage exchange between its members, particularly in the context of social events 

The meeting in Europe consitutes a General Assembly which aims to chart the progress of all of its activities, including :

-       lobbying

-       promoting institutions and participation

-       reporting back on activities and work sub-groups

-       organising events, competitions etc

-       promoting students' work

-       new members

-       organising forthcoming meetings

Work to carry out/ Future Plans

Develop lobbying strategies with regards to international institutions

The General Assembly in London was again one of the opportunities to report back on the lobbying activities we have undertaken. It seems that the recognition of Cumulus has reached a turning point with the signing of the « Cumulus Kyoto Design Declaration » for which we obtained the support of a number of organisations. The signing of the agreement with EIDD and soon with AIGA will give us even more visiblity. We are working with BEDA on the same basis.

We are increasingly asked to participate in international events in the field of design. We think that this participation will give us greater political recognition with regards to large international institutions. This recognition is one of our main objectives.

Increasing the visiblity of Cumulus' activities

Cumulus produces a lot and we are not visible enough, especially on the Internet. The conferences which are published after each meeting need to be more visible and we need to promote the work of our sub-groups. We have asked the General Secretary to rework the website to make it possible for us to circulate information gathered during our events.

The findings of the groups« Sustainability », « Cure » and « digital culture »... justify the activities we organise to share knowledge.  It is imperative that our work is seen and recognised. It is an opportunity to promote our activities and to join together with other partners interested in similar topics.

In London, we will present our project for a digital platform which will allow us to share students', teachers' and researchers' work.

Promote the emergence of new Cumulus sub-groups

We need to cross-pollinate the work of Cumulus with each of its members, in particular, by creating other subjects which could make up a sub-group. Whether it be material libraries, employment or dual degrees, it is an opportunity for Cumulus to go a step further by offering topics which are of international relevance. 

Promoting the « Cumulus Kyoto Design Declaration » and the « Cumulus Green » award

By signing this declaration, we have gained international recognition for Cumulus. With the organisation of the « Cumulus Green » we will extend our work to determine the most effective action to take in terms of sustainable development.

Promoting research

It is not about imposing our ideas or adopting a political stance as regards design or what research into design is or is not. Nevertheless, we are aware that research is paramount for the recognition of creative disciplines by academic institutions. Cumulus must bring to light the different approaches and initiatives of its members in terms of knowledge production.

Promoting the network in areas where we are under-represented

Due to the diversity of nationalities of the members on its board, Cumulus is represented on an international scale and has a wide sphere of influence. We need, however, to go even further. We are particularly under-represented in the USA, South America and Africa.

After Melbourne, we will go to China, the USA, South America and South Africa to continue to spread our values.

Promoting the development of Cumulus members

Each meeting is an opportunity to promote our host institutions. We can also promote other events either by participating in them or by promoting them on our website, which should constitute an international database for all news relating to « design education ».

Promoting the students' work:

Our recent participation in the competition in China, « Earthquake, » and the organization of « Green award for students » illustrate what we do. More generally, we must encourage the members who host conferences to organize expositions of students' work.

Promoting employment and professionalization:

This issue has not yet been addressed by Cumulus, although it is at the heart of all the institutes' concerns. In London, we will present a strategic plan to promote the employment of young designers and creators. This is an opportunity to promote design, creation and innovation by establishing contacts with companies.

Offering new services via our website:

Job offers, conference dates, on-line lessons, students' work, international competitions...the list goes on. This project will be carried out in partnership with the IT services of the TAIK in Helsinki.

Conclusion

The activity of Cumulus is impressive considering its modest structure. The operational budget is limited to the contributions of its members. We must thank the General Secretary in Helsinki, who has done remarkable job. The Aalto University and its TAIK and its collaborators should be mentioned for their precious help. Thanks are also due for the members of the Board, who have given much time and energy towards the development of the association. We are all frustrated at times not to be able to go faster, stronger, farther. Nevertheless, we can be proud of what we accomplish together. Bravo to all the members, researchers, professors, and students who contributed their work and their ideas.

We are participating in a work of collective intelligence from which will emerge a new political economy. At a time when consumer society no longer satisfies the individuals that we are, the culture of industrial creation will play a key role in this new economy of contribution. Design may have the responsibility to bring about a new capitalism that is more ethical, to which Cumulus has the responsibility to contribute.

Christian Guellerin

President

NB. A longer text is published in Cumulus Working Papers London, out in May 2010 in Genk Belgium