All roads lead to Planet

- What I like most about Design School Kolding is definitely the solidarity among the students, but also the relationship with the faculty and the staff. You quickly settle down and help each other – it’s like family, says Pernille Karlsen, who is currently studying for her Master’s degree in Communication Design on the ‘Design for Planet’ line of study.

And family is indeed what Pernille has missed, for she is a widely travelled lady who has spent the last few years in New York, USA, where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at the State University, NY.

With her first degree under her belt she landed a job in the marketing department of a medium-sized company, but she soon realised that she wanted to do more. She wanted to make a difference – in particular within the area of the environment. When she had the choice between a volunteer job in Costa Rica and a Master’s degree in Design at Design School Kolding, she chose the latter:

- I was offered a volunteer position in Costa Rica, but I had also applied to Design School Kolding on the ‘Design for Planet’ line of study. I had never heard of it before but I soon discovered that it was brand new. I thought it sounded fascinating and something that was right up my alley. I missed Denmark and my family, so when I was admitted to the programme in Kolding it was obvious that I had to come home.

Pernille Karlsen appreciates the knowledge she gained at the State University of NY which she can apply constructively to her Master’s studies, so she can now concentrate on what she is passionate about:

- Graphic design is not my only pursuit, of course. Sustainability is my main focus, and it offers many more opportunities, she concludes.

From business back to school
Another Master’s student enrolled in the ’Design for Planet' programme has a wealth of experience from the textile industry. As former CEO of two companies Anne Mygind is already well versed in running a business, from production to product. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Design Management from IBA in Kolding, and after graduation she went straight into business and started her first company:

- I ran the company, which sold garments to the home health care sector, for 10 years. Subsequently I launched a new company that also sold functional clothing, to the Police among others. My focus has always been on function and sustainability. The garments should not be produced based on the ‘use-and-discard’ concept. The product life is the essential feature – and that aspect is also in focus in my new freelance company, which develops products for children, which I run parallel to my studies, Anne Mygind explains.

Hungry for more knowledge Anne Mygind’s desire to strengthen her focus on sustainability, in particular within the field of industrial design, made her initially apply to Design School Kolding’s Professional Master’s programme. However, she soon realised that she and her new business would benefit more from a Master’s in ‘Design for Planet’, so she changed her mind and was accepted on that line of study.

- The new lines of study were all super attractive. In principle I would have liked to enrol in all the programmes, but I chose ‘Design for Planet’ due to its focus on sustainability. I have met numerous highly competent and inspiring teachers each with his or her strong area of expertise. Acquiring new knowledge and engaging in sparring enriches the learning experience as well as the supervision. There is room for me to incorporate tasks from my business into the projects, which is really cool, says Anne Mygind.

Open House
During Design School Kolding’s Open House on 30 January from 10–17 you will have the opportunity to learn more about the school’s three-pronged Master’s Degrees: ‘Design for People’, ‘Design for Planet’ and ‘Design for Play’.