Presentation

Educational aims

Specific objectives: The main objective of the course is to provide graduates with a solid preparation concerning the development of processes and products for industrial production and advanced craftsmanship, forms of communication and innovative services, starting from the design culture and specific design methodologies. Educational programme The programme is designed to dialogue with the evolutionary scenarios relating to the material and immaterial resources present in the territory, training designers able to contribute positively to the identification, valorisation and best use of these resources in the economic and socio-cultural development processes expressing innovation, with particular reference to the various productive and entrepreneurial aspects relating to the agri-food sector, therefore to the cultural and productive peculiarities of the contexts expressing its excellence, with a view to sustainability. The degree course develops the skills and competences of an expert designer oriented towards the valorisation of territorial resources and the opportunities and potential offered by the increasingly pervasive technologies and digital culture; with a specific attention to the socio-cultural and productive and entrepreneurial dynamics of to-date food production, as an expression of territorial excellence and identity, but also of user awareness paths in the processes of sustainability and social innovation. The proposed professional and scientific profile fits fully into that potential for development and innovation of territorial production systems (particularly in the Mediterranean areas) expressed by the agri-food sector and by the areas, even closely connected, of production of goods and services, such as tourism, hospitality and cultural production, care and valorisation of the environment and communities. Designers must develop the ability to collaborate with different professionals in the development of complex strategic design processes aimed at articulating innovative production of goods, integrated and advanced communication products, technological services for sales proposals and responsible use of cultural products and offers, even in traditional production contexts proposing themselves for the quality of their territorial productions in broader or global contexts. The educational objective of the Degree Course consists in: - providing methodological design tools for the valorisation and implementation of productions and activities that are an expression of a territory and its cultural identity, also interpreting new needs and opportunities not yet expressed by territorial stakeholders; the used methodologies will experiment with innovation processes in all phases of the project, from research to conception, from engineering to technical and environmental control of production processes, to the introduction of the product into market dynamics, to the social and cultural implications; - providing disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge to develop the ability to interact in complex and evolving territorial and sectoral contexts; also through the organization of work groups and design processes that explore the complexity of development scenarios, social and environmental sustainability and develop specific strategies for production, communication and integrated services, enhancing multidisciplinary contributions and exploring the dynamics of multiculturalism; - preparing professional designers with a strong humanistic component, creativity and technical ability to manage the design of artefacts and systems for setting up public spaces, together with advanced communication processes (interactive, digital, multimedia and intermedial) rich in narrative elements aimed at highlighting and interpreting, with contemporary tools and languages, the identity aspects, including immaterial ones, of the territory. - experimenting complex sustainability processes, also based on the enhancement and reactivation of complete supply chains in territorial production, especially centred on food production; thus, developing the skills for analysis and research on project experiences and interdisciplinary sharing, within scenarios that reflect the issues of the necessary ecological and digital transition of Made in Italy productions; - developing self-entrepreneurship proposals calibrated on the potential of new products and new ways of enjoying traditional productions, also for the purpose of qualitatively expanding the tourist offer integrated with the various aspects of hospitality, catering, enjoyment of cultural and environmental assets, also through e-commerce and social media tools. Educational programme In compliance with the indications provided by Ministerial Decree 270/2004, all thematic areas (design, scientific-technological, historical-humanistic, economic-productive) that contribute to the definition of the educational path identified by the course project are adequately represented through the contribution of professors from four Departments of the University of Palermo and defined in relation to the characterizing profiles of each discipline. Each subject or thematic area assumes a well-defined role within the student's educational path and with respect to its placement and development in the two-year period. The Degree course organizes teaching mainly through disciplinary and interdisciplinary design workshops, integrated courses and individual teachings for specific in-depth study, providing for forms of collaboration with companies, for the development of projects and prototypes, strategies and innovative services. The workshops are distributed over the two-year period in a balanced manner with respect to the weight of the other subjects foreseen for each year of the course. The training path is completed with differentiated activities (internship, conferences, seminars, workshops, and elective courses), enabling the integration of training through teachings related to other areas and the acquisition of knowledge and skills of context and sector, useful for entering the job market and for the development of new entrepreneurial proposals. In the second year, a laboratory will be activated specifically aimed at developing innovative and strategic project proposals for the territory, also through the most advanced methodological approaches and technological tools; in the laboratory students, also with the support of other teachings, will be able to develop in a critical and interdisciplinary way their final project for the achievement of the 2nd cycle Degree in class LM-12. The course also aims to establish a close relationship among the final exam, the topics addressed, and the skills acquired through company internships, favouring the establishment of a concrete and non-episodic relationship with the productive fabric of the territory, but also with companies of national and international importance.

work perspectives

Profile: Senior Designer Functions: The professional and scientific profile of graduated designers is that of a project expert able to relate to different contexts, sectors and aspects of production through a specific ability to establish virtuous interactions between industrial processes, technical-scientific innovation, territorial development dynamics, relevance of environmental, social and cultural aspects in production phenomena at different scales that affect the territory. Skills: The main areas of expertise corresponding to professional specialization profiles are: - Design of the sustainable industrial product in its various material and process articulations and at different production scales. - Management of interactive, multimedia, dynamic and three-dimensional digital processes, in the design of advanced communication and information for corporate and territorial identity. - Setup for permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, of a cultural and commercial nature. - Design of events in institutional, commercial and urban spaces. - Processes, products, packaging and communication for sustainable circular agri-food. - Interaction design for the web. - Design of technological services for companies and individual users. - Experimentation and development of new materials obtained from production waste and biomaterials. - Development of sustainable systemic projects and strategies for the sustainable development of the territorial production system. - Development of start-ups and innovative businesses. Career opportunities The main career opportunities for the expert designer are represented by: - manufacturing companies. - agencies for the supply of technological products and services. - design studios for exhibition spaces and events. - generation of innovative start-ups based on design-driven production. - private or public research centres to support business innovation, especially SMEs, - professional offices and communication agencies. - public and private bodies responsible for territorial development and promotion actions. - cultural and creative companies. Note: the ISTAT list of professions does not contain definitions that allow for a pertinent description of the skills and professionalism of the profiles trained by the Degree Course in Design and Culture of the Territory, which have long been present in the market of intellectual and creative professions. In the absence of more appropriate categories, the macro-areas with the greatest affinity are reported in the table.

Characteristics of the final exam

The final exam consists in the presentation of a thesis developed under the guidance of a supervisor and any co-supervisors, who support its interdisciplinary nature. The thesis must express the ability to experiment and originality and must lead to specifically project-related outcomes, presented in a broad and innovative cultural scenario. The thesis may be developed within a company internship and consist of an innovative project proposal as the result of a concrete professionalizing experience. The aim of the final exam is to verify the student's acquisition of a solid and personal method of approach to the definition and solution of project problems in the disciplinary area and in the chosen themes and of a scientific ability that can be developed in specific training paths for research.