LET YOU KNOW ABOUT UMEA DESIGN INSTITUTE IN SWEDEN !!!

Design Discussions students and schools
1

One of professors at Umea Design Institute told me that he will offer me a job after my graduation if I come back to Umea Design Institute after my summer internship. At that time I was told that the design firm, where I had an internship, would offer me a full time job after my summer internship. I came back to Umea Design Institute. However, the professor says he hardly remembers what he said.


One of things at Umea Design Institute surprised me was official racism at lectures and classes. Most of time, Asian and American students were targeted.
There have been so many racism happenings at Umea Design Institute. Here are some instances.
In a class, one Swedish student said ‘stupid America!’ loudly in front of other international students and teacher after teacher explained on America style 2D drawing.
In a big hall, it was an open seminar at Umea Design Institute. The lecturer was from Volvo car company, and he underestimated Asian car makers badly several times in front of many international students and other people. Even one of Swedish students told him that if you say that continually Asian people may feel bad.

One of teachers from Denmark showed some factory pictures of China with racism personal opinions at the open seminar.

At the open seminar, one teacher showed many bad pictures of Taiwan and talked to people about racism explanations on Taiwanese cultures.

Well, I experienced this kind of stupid official racism so many times at the Umea Design Institute during my study. Whenever I had a meeting with Master Program Coordinator, I told her on this matter so many times. However, her reaction was just saying that ‘you are too sensitive.’ I thought why this kind happing is occurred at Umea Design Institute is because Umea Design Institute is located far from the main university campus meaning that it is isolated from main campus. Also only a few people, who do not understand the word of ‘international’ and cultural understandings, have managed this school from many years. So, they do not realize what is going on at this school. Also, they looked they would like not to understand other countries cultures even most classes have the name ‘International Master Classes.’ Most of International classes have a half of Swedish students meaning that Swedish culture is the most acceptable culture and forced to international student to follow Swedish cultures.



Getting Master degrees from universities requires one or two years study in European countries. At Umea Design Institute, getting Master degree is very different from what you think.

There was a researcher, quitted his university study and had an internship at some companies in the USA. So, he did not have any bachelor degree. But after one year stay as a researcher at Umea Design Institute, he received Master degree. How is it possible???


The town of Umea is located far and far away from Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden. It takes about 13hours to get there by a bus from Stockholm. Umea town is an educational town, small population in a small area. Most big buildings belong to Umea university. Umea is a very calm town and isolated in north of Sweden. The weather in Umea is very unstable and worst, for example, sunny in the morning, raining afternoon, and snowing in the evening in a day. In the winter the sun goes down around 3 or 4p.m., and goes up about 6 or 7a.m. In the summer the sun goes down around 11 or 12a.m., and goes up 2 or 3a.m. This weather condition makes people mad, hardly see people smiling especially in the winter.

2

okay, what you’re trying to criticise about Umea is possibly legitimate, I don’t know. But you’re making this very much sound like you’re just angry and want to pay them back for not giving you the job. Doesn’t help the credibility of the point you’re trying to make, imo.

3

please gooddesign.

if you want to make a point, dont post it on every goddamn post subject.

thank you

4

gooddesign:
you are poisoning yourself and the forums with your opinions about Umea. So far, I don’t discover much in your criticism that could not just as well be attributed to personal hatred, failure, or simple overreaction.
Every country has idiots, and some of them reside at design schools. That ist true for pretty much every place you visit, including my own country as well as yours, which I might guess is either Russia or Poland.
Now that we all know that criticizing America is racisim, just let it rest and move ahead. Think positive, think about what you may have learned there or elsewhere. Begin to put a quality portfolio together and start looking for meaningful employment. Why, though, in Sweden, if everything there - inlcuding their people - treat you so badly?
Wipe your tears off, clean your nose, and begin to face reality.

5

the weather makes umea an evil place? i hardly think so. as for employment ‘promises’, or raise promises, i think every design has learned the hard way that bosses often talk the talk , and you need to get everything in writing. :slight_smile:

6

Swedish student-centered education at Umea Design Institute

At the first party in my dorm, one Swedish student shouted that all international students must learn Swedish language and Swedish culture because international students do not pay for tuition fee. It was really bad sign to me, but I did not realize what was going on there yet.

During my study at Umea Design Institute, it seemed that most educational goals of International Master Courses at Umea Design Institute were how to improve the design and English skills of Swedish students by using international students. Usually, international students have design careers, graduated from famous design universities, or native English speakers. Also, it seemed that each International Master Course was organized based on plan because at each class, native English speakers were placed. I saw only a few of Swedish students were good at designing. Rest of them only looked rich, having rich parents in my class. After a few months stay at Umea Design Institute, one small Swedish female classmate said to other classmates “I did not get any thing from him” in front of me.

After my presentation, one Swedish classmate asked me a question sarcastically “So, do you really want to live this kind of house?” At that time, I was talking about recent housing trend in my country.

Why these kinds of happenings were occurring at Umea Design Institute?
Since at the each course, about a half of students were Swedish students, so the atmosphere of class followed what they said and what they do even teachers were Swedish. Swedish students were usually making gossips on other international students behind international students. Of course, International students make mistakes because they do not know about Swedish cultures. Also, International students hardly image that Umea Design Institute is run under only Swedish culture. There were no signs and words, which tell International students about this matter, on the website and the school advertisement of Umea Design Institute. “He is a real gay!!!.” This is one of gossips which was made by Swedish student and targeting on American researcher at the Umea Design Institute.

The professor of my course usually talked with Swedish students in Swedish in a class even this class was International Master Course run in English.

Swedish people, students, researchers, administrators, staffs, and teachers, at Umea Design Institute do not like that international students talked about this kind of matter. It seemed that international students do not have any speaking freedom at Umea Design Institute. Of cause, some of them were kind and nice.

7

At Umea Design Institute,Sweden, I saw one student in MA Transportation Design had to quit his study after just one year study because the professor in MA Transportation Design did not accept his study anymore. However, two years later, he was shown at the degree exhibition, Umea, Sweden and he received MA degree. However, nobody at Umea Design Institute had seen him in any MA courses for the last two years.

It is a mystery that how he could complete his MA study without taking courses at Umea Design Institute.

At Umea Design Institute, the professor in MA Transportation Design is changed in every year. Instead of professor, one lecturer usually directs students during the semester and some important days, presentations and project kick-off days, the professor comes to Umea Design Institute to teach students in MA Transportation Design

8

Dude, after you spammed this forum for over a month straight with your hate of UMEA, no one cares what you say anymore. It all just seems made up now. And one more thing, if you’re going to try to spread hate like this, here’s an idea: WRITE SOMETHING COHERENT!

9

Hey gooddesign

I’m a student right now at Umea Instirute of Design, and I completely disagree with you. some of the factuly is international as well, and in my class there is only one swedish student and almost no one is the same nationality (I study Advanced Design Visualisation).

I have not seen or heard of any signs of racism or dodgy business whatsoever. What year did you study there, maybe it’s changed since then, or I am to near sighted that i don’t even noticed. I doubt it, specially me being Mexican. At least 10% of the students is Asian , 30% swedish, and the rest from all over, so not a lot of room for racism.

The faculty and the students are really into making UID a great place. Sounds to me like you are just bashing because of some personal issue, or you think that you can get a better chance of being accepted if you convienced people looking in these forums no to apply.

Have a nice day.

10

Dear GreatDivide,

thank you for your comment.

you misunderstood!

i just inform people, who have interests in umea design institute, about other facts of umea Design Institute which i did not know when i applied for this school.

if you do not belive what i have written here, i can mention people’s real names here. then, you can check what happened to them.

here i have not mentioned anybody’s name because i respect their privacy! that is all.

GreatDivide, ask me if you want their real names. it is up to you now!

11

You’ve gone well past “informing” people.

12

Thanks Yo!