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Business Insider Ranks Rhode Island School of Design #1 in Survey of The World’s 25 Best Design Schools
11/28/2012
Survey looked at the
most valuable design programs for fueling “the golden
age of design in startups”
PROVIDENCE,
RI – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has been ranked
#1 in Business Insider’s survey of
The World’s 25 Best Design Schools.
According
to their site, Business Insider’s
rating is based on a simple and pragmatic survey that asked product designers,
art directors and others how valuable each design school’s program really is.
85.1% of respondents agreed that RISD’s programs are top notch as we enter “the
golden age of design in startups,” where highly skilled creatives specializing in
product design and UI are critical.
Among the design-driven companies Business Insider cites
as “leading the charge” in this new era is Airbnb – founded and run by
alumni Brian Chesky (RISD 2004
ID) and Joe Gebbia
(RISD 2005 ID/GD), who recently became a RISD trustee. Other leading
companies noted for their commitment to design were Apple, Pinterest and
Square.
“Acknowledgement of RISD’s emphasis on ‘artrepreneurship’ from the technology
and business world is great news for all of us who love this iconic
institution,” notes RISD Board Chair Michael Spalter.
“Art and design will drive innovation in the 21st
century like science and technology did in the last century,” notes RISD President
John Maeda. “This Business Insider
ranking is a testament to RISD’s work to prepare students for success in a wide
array of fields, and recognition that now, more than ever, design-focused organizations are disrupting industries
and sparking innovation.”
As
President Maedaoften talks about,
America is investing in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education to ensure
a prosperous future – but a growing movement led by RISD is arguing that we need the “A” for Art
to turn STEM to STEAM to keep our country competitive. More information about
this movement can be found at stemtosteam.org.
Business Insider technology and startup reporter Megan
Rose Dickey explained the rationale for the survey in her article: “What
companies [like Apple, Path, and Airbnb] have in common is that design is at
the core of their businesses. But which school is best suited to get you the
design job you want?”
Link
here for the complete
article with the full slideshow of rankings.
About RISD
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has earned an international reputation as
the leading college of art and design in the United States. Approximately 2,400
students from around the world study at RISD, pursuing full-time bachelor’s or
master’s degree programs in a choice of 19 studio majors. RISD is known for its
phenomenal faculty of artists and designers, the breadth of its specialized
facilities and its hands-on, studio-based approach to learning – one in which
critical thinking informs making works by hand. Required courses in the liberal
arts provide an essential complement to studio work, enabling graduates to
become critical and informed individuals eager to engage with the world.
Through the accomplishments of its 26,000 alumni, the college champions the vital
role artists and designers play in satisfying the global demand for innovation. Founded in 1877, RISD
(pronounced “RIZ-dee”) and the RISD Museum of Art help make Providence, RI
among the most culturally active and creative cities in the region. For more
information, visit www.risd.edu, our.risd.edu
and stemtosteam.org.
About Business Insider
Business Insider is a fast-growing
business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry verticals.
The flagship vertical, Silicon Alley Insider, launched in 2007, led by
DoubleClick founders Dwight Merriman and Kevin Ryan and former top-ranked Wall
Street analyst Henry Blodget. One year after launch, many more verticals joined
Silicon Alley Insider, from Clusterstock to Money Game, The Wire, and more. The
verticals have been relaunched under one brand to focus on building the leading
online business news site for the digital age. Business Insider is dedicated to aggregating, reporting, and
analyzing the top news stories across the web and delivering them to you at
rapid-fire pace. http://www.businessinsider.com/about
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