West Creative Industries supports the emergence and consolidation of new educational courses combining science, creation and technology, responding to new professional realities in the creative, engineering and innovation professions. The aim is to raise awareness of economic and digital issues among creative people, and of creativity and interdisciplinary work among students in Human and Social Sciences and in Information and Communication Sciences and Technologies. The programme also develops continuing education in creative skills in all economic sectors.
To this end, it is intensifying inter-institutional relations involving in particular the Universities of Nantes, Angers and Le Mans, the École de Design Nantes Atlantique, the Alliance (Ensa Nantes, Audencia, Centrale Nantes) and ESBA-TALM. Collaborations are possible with all the establishments in the region within the thematic scope of the programme.
Calls for projects in Initial Education
WCI promotes the development of interdisciplinary initial education within its thematic scope, exploring a hybridization of skills between science and creation. The programme supports institutions through a call for projects and assistance in setting up inter-institutional initiatives. Three types of actions will be supported up to 2020, from the emergence of new collaborations to the structuring of new educational courses:
- interdisciplinary and inter-institutional modules (subject of the first call for projects in 2017), prefiguring new courses and training ;
- cooperation projects within existing courses, for example a teaching unit or an option dedicated to interdisciplinary student projects ;
- double degrees and co-degrees on innovative themes.
The WCI calls for Initial Education projects, aimed at partner institutions, support these new proposals. In 2017, six short interdisciplinary projects were selected.
Inter-institutional pedagogical actions
In 2016, an “Initial Education” working group was set up within the WCI programme to structure discussions between institutions on their educational practices. With the support of the Centre for Pedagogical Development of the University of Nantes, the representatives of the partner institutions meet monthly to co-construct a shared pedagogical activity. This collective intelligence approach aims to encourage :
- the sharing of pedagogical resources for the setting up of inter-institutional educational projects (hybridization of courses, common modules, double degree programmes, etc.)
- discussions on educational practices (e.g. project-based learning)
- the emergence of large-scale student projects (e.g. the Creative Challenges)
The proposal of the “innovative pedagogies” cycle including regular high points illustrates this shared dynamic. In this perspective, a pedagogical workshop on “48 hours to transform pedagogy through design” was created. The first workshop was held at the Domaine de Roiffé in November 2017, and the second at the Domaine de Port aux Rocs in November 2018.
Attractiveness of regional education : Creative Challenges
WCI organizes and coordinates an annual Creative Challenge for students in Nantes, Angers and Le Mans (since 2018-2019). This year-long creative marathon gets to the very heart of current scientific and societal challenges: the industry of the future, energy, the city of tomorrow, health and well-being, sustainable urban systems, etc. Every year, a theme is identified in partnership with the local stakeholders involved in the conception of the event. The goal of these Creative Challenges is to showcase and extend the reach of courses in the Loire region by harnessing the expertise of the network’s education stakeholders and inspiring novel collaborations involving the arts, sciences and technology.
Continuing education in creativity
WCI actively contributes to the elaboration of a continuing education and professional development offer that fosters creative thinking in other industrial and service sectors, in particular with the creation of a “soil-less” Creative School. A wide range of themes can be addressed here, such as the input of artists in business, innovation through the planning of workspaces, third places, etc.
Other funding arrangements
For the implementation of this roadmap, and in addition to the actions carried out by WCI and the funding commitments of the institutions, a set of programmes and funding arrangements will be mobilized: Creative Europe projects, Erasmus+, the Investments for the Future programme, regional calls for projects, etc.