The expansion of the education in design in Italy. A comparison with the European frame

In a framework where Architecture Schools are seeing sharp declines in Italy due to reduced numbers of new enrolments and a general crisis of vocation and opportunities, there is a parallel phenomenon of growth in the number of institutions and training offers in the field of design; the proliferation of design schools is a phenomenon recognizable not only on the Italian landscape, but also in the whole panorama of the new international training “market.” This contribution examines on what foundational theoretical and practical bases the most advanced training models in the field of design are currently organized, starting from the experience of comparison and research developed over the years as a member of the Centro Studi Domus, where the author was involved in researching the subject of design education, covering both architecture and design. This activity was carried out through meaningful experiences in two specific areas: the first was the critical review of training in international architecture and design schools of the highest reputation, gathering the views of Deans and Directors to outline on which issues and topics the design field is redefining its spheres of teaching. The second area involved overseeing the selection of architecture and design schools for the supplement to the journal Europe’s Top 100 Schools of Architecture and Design, the fifth edition of which came out in 2016.