Basic Variables of Design Education Approaches Comparison between the Design Education Systems in Egypt and in Germany

Abstract

There are many aspects and different variables shaping and affecting on any approach of design education. These differences depending on many related crossed issues such as; the cultural atmosphere (historical background, language, religion …), economy (wealth, poverty…), the political situation (Power, stability, alliances) and mainly the understanding of the concept of design in itself which varies as well, according to the perspective of the users, designers, design researchers and design academics. According to the researcher’s experience which is more than fifteen years studying, teaching and practicing design in Egypt (Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University) and around six years as a PhD candidate in Germany (School of Art and Design, Kassel University Then Braunschweig University of Arts). There are huge differences between the opinions/visions of professors and design teachers in each country. These differences- and other things- lead to many major variables in framing and constructing the curriculums and design subjects which consider as a real challenge to think or to speak about one common language of design education. The idea of this paper based on a qualitative approach, which focuses on framework of the design education systems in Egypt and in Germany. The paper importance came through diagnosis the varied features and the different aspects of the problem, then discussing how to fill the gap between the variables and presenting a viable strategy to reduce these differences and thus tend towards a common design education discipline.