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.