The questions we are most often asked at the moment are:
What is «Design Technology?»
What do you mean by «Humanitarian Studies»?
Are they two separate school subjects?
These are natural questions, as they are not subjects that are typically offered at Zurich’s Gymnasium schools. Let us provide you with more information in this newsletter.
Warm regards,
Neal Brown, School Director
and the whole Tandem IMS Management Team
Design Technology
Design Technology, also known as Design and Technology, is a specialised subject taught in the UK up to A-Level and later at university. It is also part of the International Baccalaureate programme in many international schools worldwide. Course content varies slightly by country, but these lessons have been integral to curricula for over 30 years.
At Tandem IMS, our ‘Think Tank’ has been hard at work developing the future curriculum for the Tandem IMS Gymnasium. We aim to incorporate the latest technologies and industry-relevant skills while drawing from the experience of these established international academic programmes. Our team, including experts from ETH, Google, and various other industries, has engaged in stimulating discussions with professionals from the UK and Dubai, both of whom have extensive A-Level teaching experience in design.
The growing importance of 'Design Thinking' is noteworthy as well as the term 'Strategic Design'. We had the opportunity to discuss this with a professor from ZHdK (Zürich’s Arts University), who leads the CAS Design Thinking, the CAS Design Leadership and the CAS Design Cultures. Such courses take students far beyond the skills of just “design technology”.
Design Technology → Design Studies
A 'Design Curriculum' must indeed include cutting-edge technologies and equip our young people with the skills needed for their future careers. However, 'design' must also encompass thinking, ideation, creation, ingenuity, risk-taking, responsibility, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Therefore, we have simplified the term to 'Design Studies' to better reflect the evolving landscape of design education and industry needs.
'Design Studies' includes a broader and more contemporary range of disciplines, such as design thinking, strategic design, and user experience. This change signals our commitment to providing a holistic and adaptive curriculum that keeps pace with new technologies and methodologies, preparing students for diverse and dynamic careers in design and a vast number of other fields requiring creative, solution-oriented minds.
Humanitarian Studies
Our research has revealed an inevitable correlation between Design Studies and Humanitarian Studies, uncovering fascinating topics that emerge when design is considered alongside humanitarian issues. Through analysis with our experts and extensive reading, we find that design is increasingly linked to ethics, human user considerations, psychology, the environment, and sustainability. Consequently, we have integrated Humanitarian Studies into our curriculum, making it a subject that ranks alongside all the traditional Matura subjects.
Curriculum Summary
In addition to all of the core Matura subjects, Humanitarian Studies and Design Studies will each have separate stand-alone lessons. However, through our unique and future-oriented curriculum, our overall ‘Pathway’ of Design Studies, will also lend itself to elements of design and design-thinking, being integrated into all subjects at various stages. All of these core subjects from the traditional Swiss Matura will be studied at the same academic level as is expected of other Zurich Gymnasium schools.
Meet Our Team Members
Alex Minder has been a member of the Tandem IMS Advisory Board for 12 years. He has held senior positions in marketing, controlling and Chief of Staff roles. He holds a PhD in Natural Sciences and an Executive MA in Arts Administration
To complement his extensive experience, Alex is currently completing a school management diploma at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Lucerne. In his spare time, Alex is also Vice President of the "Extras" association at the Zurich Opera House. We are delighted that Alex will be joining our team full-time next year to lead Tandem's business and strategic development alongside our School Director, Neal Brown, as we embark on this exciting journey with the Gymnasium.
Next Information Evening
Please block your calendar for our next gymi information evening on Wednesday, 2nd October 2024, from 19:00 to 21:00. The event will be held at the Reformierten Kirchgemeindehaus in Küsnacht (GoogleMaps). You can register here.
Pre-Enrolment
We are delighted to announce that pre-enrollment for Progymi and Kurzgymi is open. To get started, simply click this link to access the form.
