MORE than 350 students from 21 countries spread across three continents are exhibiting at the 2019 Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and Architecture Degree Show this week.
The show at the University of Dundee runs until Sunday May 26 and includes pieces from international students.
As a result of a partnership between the University of Dundee and Wuhan University, one of the top Chinese education institutions, China is one of the most highly represented countries at the exhibition.
The agreement sees dozens of students from Wuhan complete the final year of their architecture degree at the University of Dundee with many opting to remain there for a further year to obtain their Masters qualification.
This year, 14 Wuhan students have successfully completed their Masters and are exhibiting their work at the Degree Show alongside their classmates having set their minds to a range of challenges including community participation in planning and the future development of the cities of Mainz and Shanghai.
The exposure to different cultures and urban environments helps the students in this regard, according to Dundee-Wuhan programme leader Penny Lewis.
She said: “Design teaching in China is different, so it is incredibly beneficial for our Wuhan students to be exposed to new learning styles and our students from Scotland benefit from the fresh perspective and new ideas that Wuhan students bring with them.
“The studio culture at Dundee is quite a new experience for them and they really appreciate the opportunity to work both independently and alongside peers on the most important issues facing architects and planners today.”
She continued: “Half of the Wuhan students who graduated last year chose to continue studying in Dundee for their Masters year, which is testament to their experience here.
“They enjoy the flexible learning programme, which allows a lot of choice in the units they study.”
Those exhibiting at this year’s Degree Show have arrived in Dundee from Asia, Europe and North America and have collectively produced visually stunning and thought-provoking artwork as well as design that seeks to solve some of society’s biggest problems.
This year’s exhibition is the first to take place since the opening of the V&A in Dundee several months ago, with Dundee enjoying a tourism boom on the back of it opening.
Last year a record attendance of 16,000 people, generating in excess of £1.5 million for the local economy, took in the show.
