Interior design students in Nantes

How did the partnership with Nantes come about?

We collaborate with the École de design Nantes Atlantique in Nantes, France. "I already knew this institute from an earlier role," says Michael Taks. Thanks to my personal connection, we were able to act quickly and set up an exchange agreement. As the school is highly active internationally, they immediately responded enthusiastically about our idea to have interior design students work together.

What programme did the students follow during the exchange?

The programme consisted of an intensive week-long workshop. Students worked intensively in mixed teams on a design challenge for five days, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In addition to the main programme, we organised a visit to a museum and a guided tour of Nantes on Saturday.

Each of our eight students was placed in a French team. A key point of attention during the collaboration was the language barrier. Even though English was the working language, it didn’t come naturally to every team. “In some groups, this was taken into account, whereas in other teams French tended to dominate,” says Michael. As a result, experiences varied: some students found it difficult to contribute their ideas, whereas others felt fully part of the team.

Nevertheless, he sees this challenge as a learning opportunity. Students need to be creative in how they communicate and find alternative ways to understand each other. This helps them become more flexible and strengthens their ability to collaborate.

What did the students learn from the collaboration?

There was a language barrier, but most teams managed to cope with it well. It soon became clear that our working methods differ. Our students found the tight deadline challenging, as the project had a duration of only one week. At the same time, they noticed that their approach is often more efficient and provides greater depth during the analysis phase.

The supervision also differs. At Saxion, we place a strong emphasis on the process and on justifying our choices. In Nantes, lecturers take a more directive approach, which means that students tend to adopt feedback more literally. Furthermore, the project received more intensive supervision compared to what we typically provide. It included support from a professional who joined the teams as a coach for several sessions. That really added an extra dimension.

Did sustainability play a part in planning the trip?

Sustainability is important to students and this is reflected in the choices they make. The Erasmus grant for ‘green’ travel is higher, which encourages students to travel by train. Therefore, almost the entire group travelled to Nantes by train. With a journey time of around twelve hours, it’s quite a commitment, but also a very deliberate choice.

Why is international experience important for Interior Design students?

According to Michael, international experience is essential for Interior Design students. It is enriching in many ways. Students are introduced to a variety of working methods and perspectives, which strengthens their professional skills and contributes to their personal development. “They learn to deal with cultural differences and develop a more open, flexible attitude.” It helps you see yourself as part of a global community.”

The Interior Design study programme actively encourages students to gain international experience. As a result, more and more students are choosing to spend a semester abroad. “Next semester, 27 students are expected to go on a study abroad programme,” Michael says proudly.

Short-term international projects, such as the workshop in Nantes, are also playing an increasingly significant role. We would like to organise this more often, both with partners abroad and here in the Netherlands with students from our partner universities. This autumn, we are organising an international workshop during the Deventer Interior Design Days (DIDD), in the form of a Blended Intensive Programme.