Six of the three-day colloquia that make up the course will take place between October and June 2008 at the Amsterdam headquarters of the Association of Dutch Designers . A seventh will be held in Geneva in February. Each will comprise lectures, discussions, coaching, presentations, excursions, and a public talk. The colloquia delve into themes such as media representations of multicultural society, the urban context of visual identity, and the generation of common values in a segregated society.
Prospective students can apply for the 25 places until 15 August. Applicants should be graduate designers working in the field or otherwise possess a relevant background. They should be willing to actively contribute and to think outside disciplinary boundaries. Designers, public- and private-sector clients, communication professionals, photographers, architects, academics and journalists are welcome to apply.
Applications from prospective research fellows are also being accepted. Fellows will come from design agencies, private companies and public institutions such as governments and universities.
The course will be followed by a symposium in September 2008 in Amsterdam. A book will be published the following year.
A group of professionals established the colloquium themes at an expert meeting in March. Among them were designers, artists, scientists, politicians, communication specialists and entrepreneurs.