News

University Wide Art Studies steps into the spotlight with workshops, exhibitions, lectures and pizza

On November 1st and 2nd, learn more about Art and Creative Practices across disciplines at the first ever U-Create Seminar.
screen_shot_2016-10-18_at_10-47-04_en.png

Multidisciplinarity can be something of a buzz word in education. The idea of it is frequently cited, but it’s difficult to spot in the wild. As stated by Chair of the University Wide Art Studies committee and Head of the Department of Art, Professor Kevin Tavin, “The truth is we know that multi- or transdiciplinarity is something that is easy to appreciate, but harder to model in the classroom. Students come to University inherently disciplined, which makes sense. We wanted our University Wide Art Studies to be something of a slow boil. Something students can opt in to at their own pace.” So, University Wide Arts (UWAS) courses are being built one-by-one; the first was last semester with Tavin’s Introduction to Visual Culture and Creative Ways of Seeing the World, and now quickly ramping up to courses including Design TheoryAudio Across Disciplines, and Crystal Flowers – a course that looks at the connections between mathematics and beauty. 

In coordination with the launch of this initiative and to make the conversation available campus-wide, representatives from across Aalto prepared their first ever U-Create Seminar taking place November 1st and 2nd at the newly opened Learning Center (Otaniementie 9, Espoo). Speakers include President Tuula Teeri, Vice President of Education Eero Eloranta, Provost Ilkka Niemelä, Vice President of Art and Creative Practices Anna ValtonenJulie Marie Lemon from the University of Chicago, and Christopher Rose from Rhode Island School of Art and Design.

This two-day event stands to celebrate creativity, research, experimentation, art, teaching, and exhibitions, but the producers are promising this won’t just be a a traditional lackluster lecture series, Tavin expands, “creativity is this thing we often talk about as being valued or necessary beyond the arts, beyond the discipline.  But talk is cheap, so this forum will be a space for action with inspiring exhibitions, talks, and debates between students, visiting artists and scholars, lecturers, and faculty members.” He jokes, “Oh we’ll have free pizza too.” 

The full list of UWAS courses which are open and available to all students regardless of discipline is available online at uwas.aalto.fi and the full schedule for the U-Create Seminar can be found at uwas.aalto.fi/ucreate and you can register for the event at Eventbright

  • Published:
  • Updated:

Read more news

Lennart Engels, Karolin Kull, Ágnes László, Julia Postrzech and Valenti Soler won the Habitare Design competition 2023.
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art, Studies, University Published:

Team of Interior Architect and Contemporary Design students won the Habitare Design competition 2023

The Habitare Design Competition is intended for students studying art, design, and architecture in Finland. This year ‘s theme of the competition was “Tools for togetherness”, which required the teams to design and implement new types of tools to promote togetherness and interaction on a human scale or more widely.
ITP-opiskelijoita kesällä 2020. Kuva: Petri Anttila
Studies Published:

ITP belongs to the Aalto University’s summer

Once again in summer 2023, students in the Information Technology Program solved a variety of business challenges
Hopeful Globe podcast
Studies Published:

WiTLAB guesting on the Hopeful Globe Podcast

Aalto WiTLAB has guested on an episode of the Hopeful Globe Podcast by the University of Turku. The Hopeful Globe Podcast series is a collaboration between Institutes of Higher Education, sharing inspiring stories across the globe.
Abhiteg Jammu with a dog
Studies Published:

Abhiteg Jammu: There's so much untapped talent because of the language barrier

'Coming to Finland as an Indian student means that I lack the implicit understanding of the Finnish culture to be able to truly connect with someone. I don’t know the local way to communicate, or what’s the emotional intelligence like.'