INTERNATIONAL SEMESTER

Both academically and personally, my six-month international semester at L’École de Design Nantes Atlantique was truly informative and life-changing. I was introduced to an entirely new approach to learning design when I came from The Design Village, which opened my eyes to new perspectives on design practice, education, and collaboration.

Academically, one big difference I noticed compared to TDV was the teaching style. At L’École, the projects had clear guidelines, strict criteria, and fixed presentation formats. At TDV, the projects are usually more open-ended, allowing us to decide our direction. At first, I found this structured approach somewhat strict, but it taught me how to work within boundaries while still being creative, which is a valuable skill for real-world projects.

 

Another important learning was their focus on hands-on work rather than deep research. Although I found this different from what I was used to, it helped me improve my skills in detailing, making models, and learning by doing. In the end of the semester, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at the Cumulus Workshop hosted at L’École. This three-day event brought together professionals, academics, and students to exchange ideas on the future of design, with more than 500 speakers from throughout the world. I had the honor of attending the conferences and getting to know the Cumulus members, and that increased my passion for using design as a tool for change.

On a personal level, this semester was a truly cultural experience. I made friends from China, the Netherlands, Scotland, and France, and through them, I learned how design is thought of differently in other countries. This helped me learn a broader perspective on design.

 

Overall, my international semester at L’École was eye-opening. It helped me improve my technical skills, gave me new methods of working, and helped me grow as a person. I became more independent, patient, and confident living on my own for six months. I also learned many life lessons about managing myself, working with different people, and adapting to a new environment.