Educational Bridge of Border Crossing Identities

In this paper we describe an educational method of bridging the cultural and digital divide between three universities, faculties and disciplines directed by three national coordinators which has involved more than 500 students' across its three years of operation. The initiate, Border Crossings, acts as a metaphorical bridge between and describes collaborative experiences across Interiors, textiles and Jewellery disciplines from design schools in Slovenia, USA and Scotland which aims to influence future collaborative practice. The aim of the Border Crossings platform is to explore shared responses to identity and culture through the specific lens of each discipline. Invariably, one's personal and creative identity is framed by as sense of place [i.e. geographical, disciplinary, and or socio-cultural] however in this familiar landscape there is a wider 'global' imperative sand 'richer' digital potential that creative institutions struggle to adapt to. Whilst a sense of place offers some common ground it also lends itself to convenient cultural cliches which convey one national, professional and self-identity; a cultural shorthand which defines us. ‘Educational Bridge of Border Crossing Identities’ the ‘Design In Practice’ themed session at the 3rd Architecture, Landscape, Interiors, Culture & Emotions [ALICE] ‘Bridges Between Design and Management’ conference, November 5, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia. The conference sought to raise awareness design management, global issues and explore current economic situation affects designers’ approaches to design problems.