SoFA Design Institute partners with Spanish university

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(L-R): SoFA Design Institute Co-Founder and President Loralee Baron-Soong, SoFA Design Institute Director for Academic Affairs Mads Constantino, IE University’s Andrea Pagani, and SoFA Design Institute Co-Founder and Chairwoman Amina Aranaz-Alunan.

IE University in Spain

SOFA DESIGN INSTITUTE, known for producing professionals in fashion, is entering a partnership with Spanish university IE University (Universidad Instituto de Empresa).

With campuses in Madrid and Segovia, IE University is internationally recognized for its integration of design, business, and innovation. Alumni include Colombian politician Carlos Eduardo Correa, singer Sofia Ellar, and beauty queen Diane Leyre.

“SoFA chose IE University because of its distinctive setting at the intersection of design, innovation, and entrepreneurship, a convergence that embodies our own institutional philosophy. Our studio-based instruction and IE’s liquid learning methodology complement each other perfectly, resulting in a natural synergy between the two universities’ approaches to learning,” said Leo Angelo Santos, growth director at SoFA Design Institute in an e-mail. “IE University’s community demographic makeup was equally attractive since we saw that their ecosystem offers global viewpoints. Compared to other European academic settings, a multicultural environment offers more pertinent training for students coming from a Philippine design school to be ready to take roles in the global creative sectors.”

The collaboration was introduced during a launch at SoFA Design Institute’s campus at The Proscenium Retail Row in Rockwell, Makati City, on March 11.

Through this partnership, students will gain access to international internship opportunities, immersive Spanish design tours, exchange programs, and summer school programs with IE University. “These initiatives will allow students to experience diverse learning environments abroad and participate in short-term international design experiences,” said a release.

According to Mr. Santos, the program at IE University equips students with frameworks that are not “typically provided solely in design-focused education.” This includes enterprise validation for design entrepreneurs, strategic brand positioning with a global perspective, and sustainable innovation. “These skills are not just additional knowledge; they are essential proficiencies for designers who need to effectively present the business rationale behind their creative choices,” he said.

“SoFA students gain insights into how design operates within diverse cultural, economic, and regulatory contexts, in addition to participating in exchange programs and summer schools,” said Mr. Santos. He added that Spain has a “distinct role as a bridge between European sophistication and creativity,” along with its history of craft-based industries evolving to meet modern market demands. “(This) provides valuable lessons for Filipino designers facing similar challenges between tradition and contemporary practices,” he said.

The SoFA Design Institute currently has around 300 to 450 students enrolled across their degree programs and continuing education courses per semester, according to Mr. Santos’ count. “We deliberately keep our design studio classes small, capped at a maximum of 15 students (with a minimum of eight students), so each learner receives personalized guidance, meaningful feedback, and ample studio time with their mentors,” he said, though their lecture classes can get bigger.

“IE’s Southeast Asian partnership portfolio previously concentrated on universities. Adding a specialized creative institution signals their commitment to engaging the full spectrum of higher education,” he said about IE’s partnership. “For an institution positioning itself as entrepreneurial and innovation-focused, partnering with a design school carries different symbolic value than partnering with another research university.”

“The relationship could enable potential curriculum co-development. SoFA’s expertise in design thinking applied to Southeast Asian contexts can inform how IE develops programming for emerging markets,” he said.

Meanwhile, the recent partnership will shape how SoFA partners with other universities in the future. “SoFA views the IE University partnership as establishing a template rather than a ceiling,” said Mr. Santos. “Our collaboration with IE demonstrates our capacity to develop substantive international alliances. Our strategic approach involves building a curated portfolio of partnerships, each addressing specific dimensions of our educational ecosystem.

“Future partnerships might address technical innovation in materials, specialization in specific design sectors, or access to emerging markets where Filipino designers have competitive advantages,” he said.

For more information on this partnership and SoFA Design Institute, visit sofa.edu.ph. — JL Garcia