Idas, Hongik University

The core potential of industry in the 21st century is to pursue “Quality of Life”. Design is an effective and systematic vehicle to enhance quality of life. We can compete with developed countries only if we become a country endowed with a strong design capability. The International Design school for Advanced Studies(IDAS) has set two goals: to educate designers in global competitiveness and to disseminate design awareness to influential leaders. The first goal, IDAS offers Masters programs and a Ph.D. program in design. Gearing towards globalization, it maintains half of the faculty with foreign designers and emphasizes foreign exchange programs. While maintaining global standards, IDAS also cultivates potential by selecting students from diverse backgrounds and gives the students a holistic perspective towards solving problems. The nature of design is “problem solving” and it requires an accurate understanding of a problem. Innovative design is possible only when diverse viewpoints are introduced through a product development as leading design companies have shown. IDAS owns the Design Innovation Center, the first to be designated by the Korean government that provides quality service with fully digitized equipments and educates students and designers up-to-date management techniques. It also owns the International Design Trend Center that provides in depth information on worldwide design trends. It is essential to read and drive trends to become a leading design country. Since 2010 IDAS has received the government grants for Convergence Design Education, New Growth and BK21 Plus programs. The second goal, IDAS motivates changes in our society through design awareness. Around 270 graduates of the New Millennium Course founded the IDAS KOREA, an alumni association, and created the IDAS movement, Intellect and Design as Assets for the future Society in order to further develop competitiveness. IDAS KOREA supports our school with scholarships and donations, and has become our guardian. IDAS is a small and unique school where every member feels like family. Students obtain tailored education according to their needs and future plans, and alumni receive lifetime service enrichment. It means that once you become a student of IDAS, you are a lifetime member. The future is created and built by us. If we don’t dream tomorrow today, it won’t come. Let IDAS be your ‘Dream factory’. You, the brave dreamers of tomorrow, are the future of Korea and the world. Once IDAS, forever IDAS!