|
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||||
| contact us | ||||||||||||||||
DEFSA Conference 2009“Opening gates, between and beyond design disciplines” The Twelfth National Design Education Forum (DEFSA) conference is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in collaboration with Inkanyezi Event Organisers, the event facilitators of the 2009 International Mohair Summit. Theme and aim of conference DEFSA considers the participation of design education in the 2009 Mohair Summit as an auspicious opportunity to strengthen and build on the partnerships between government, industry and education. One of the aims of DEFSA is to ensure that liaison is maintained between the higher education sector, education authorities and the design industry. It is envisaged that the Mohair Summit could provide academics, educators and designers the unique opportunity to engage and interact specifically with the Mohair and Wool industry. The twelfth national DEFSA conference encourages speakers to investigate and debate the manner in which boundaries between design industry, government, community and design disciplines could be addressed within the following conference theme: Sub-themes The theme and the aim of the conference will be addressed under the following sub-themes: 1. Opening gates to new terrains Explore and investigate new terrains as presented through new and revised Higher Education legislation, policy and qualification framework. Present innovative opportunities and challenges for design education. 2. Opening gates between design disciplines Overlap, collaboration, interaction and exchange between design disciplines 3. Opening gates beyond design disciplines Interactions, collaboration, exchange with the community, industry and other disciplines such as business, science, agriculture etc. Contributions that design education interventions make towards social and economic development. 4. Opening gates to environmental awareness Contributions that design education interventions make towards the environment and a sustainable future. An important focus of this theme is to celebrate “2009 United Nations Year of Natural Fibre”. Conference structure The conference is a 2-day event with parallel sessions. The conference will comprise plenary sessions and presentations around the conference theme and sub-themes. Accommodation Accommodation in and around Graaff Reinet is very scarce. DEFSA has managed to secure accommodation for its conference delegates in Nieu-Bethesda, a small and scenic village 53km from Graaff Reinet. Nieu Bethesda has an unspoilt, safe, quaint and friendly atmosphere. Accommodation is at guest farms and cottages. It takes 45 minutes to drive from Graaff-Reinet to Nieu-Bethesda: 30 km on the N9 and then 23km on good dirt road. If delegates drive home in the dark after functions they should drive carefully and watch out for Kudu! Please contact Tjaart van Heerden, Travel Specialist on +27 0722 683 184 for more information or to make a booking Please note that accommodation is scarce, so please book early. Once the village is "full" delegates will need to stay on farms in the area and will be separated from the Nieu Bethisda group. 2010 Special Edition A special edition of Image & Text, devoted to selected papers presented at the 2009 DEFSA conference, will be published in 2010. Authors will be approached to develop their papers into articles depending on suitability of the topic and on condition that the article meets the criteria set by the journal. Image & Text is a Department of Education accredited design journal. Contact details for all enquiries: Tanya Smit |