Universities will cease to exist when learning has degenerated into what we now call research and when their teaching has become mere instruction.
There is no design without devotion. No progress without persistence. No education without commitment.
We explore what it truly means to stay with the process, to teach, to learn, and to design with purpose. Featuring thoughts from Ruskin, Rand, Munari and Vignelli, it’s a reflection on the quiet courage behind every meaningful creative act.
In our latest podcast with Gwen van den Eijnde, Head of Apparel Design at RISD, we discuss his journey from costume design to academia, exploring storytelling through clothing and the role of art schools as spaces of imagination. A reminder that design education nurtures heritage, creativity, and transformative possibilities.
AI is changing design—but not replacing it. Dylan Field (Figma) highlights speed and collaboration, while Pontus Wärnestål (Designing AI-Powered Services) urges us to design for ethics, trust and societal impact. The future of design is human-centred, collaborative and deeply responsible
Unlock creativity and rescue our future: discovering why education’s imagination crisis demands art schools. Dive into how fostering creativity, not just knowledge, reshapes learners, communities, and innovation. Read more to champion the arts, it’s time to rebuild education’s soul.
Towards a Dynamic Discipline of Design reimagines design as a fluid, alterplinary force beyond static definitions. Premiering at MODE 2025, the film journeys from ancient hand-axes to systemic futures, showing design as the table for collaboration, innovation, and leadership. Watch the film and join the dialogue.
Lefteris Heretakis bridges inspiration and innovation in Igniting Creative Minds. This interview explores the universe that fuels his work—his stories, philosophies, and drive to spark both personal expression and collective imagination. From early curiosity to ambitious visions, his journey offers insights to inspire and illuminate creative paths for others.
What if the best model for education wasn’t a school at all, but a calling?
Jesus didn’t build classrooms — he built disciples. His model of formation was voluntary, costly, and rooted in lived practice, not compliance. In my new essay, I explore how returning to this spirit of discipleship could heal the failures of modern schooling and restore calling, commitment, and character to education.
In a world where design education risks drowning in theory, this essay makes a radical call: put feeling back at the heart of design. Drawing on John Ruskin’s timeless wisdom, the Bauhaus, Bridget Riley, and today’s studios, it argues that true design is not about thinking more cleverly but about seeing, sensing, and feeling more deeply. A must-read for educators, students, and practitioners who believe design should be alive, honest, and profoundly human.
In an era captivated by fleeting trends and hollow profits, the voice of John Ruskin, the 19th-century artist, writer, and social critic, resonates with striking clarity. His words, steeped in a reverence for truth, beauty, and justice, offer a compass for navigating our fragmented world. I recently spoke with Companion Lefteris Heretakis, a designer, educator, and podcaster based in Valencia, Spain, whose 30 year career in visual communication design and higher education has been profoundly shaped by Ruskin’s teachings. Drawing on The Elements of Drawing and The Seven Lamps of Architecture, Lefteris shared a vision for revitalising art and design education, urging us to heed Ruskin’s call: “There is no wealth but life.” Our conversation revealed how Ruskin’s principles can guide us towards a future rooted in ethical imagination and quiet, meaningful action.
The Future of Design Education: A Conversation with Jac Batey In a recent episode of Design Education Talks for The…
The New Art School 
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