Raffles: la dolce vita

SYDNEY: Fifteen students and two lecturers from Sydney's Raffles College of Design and Commerce have commenced a 19 day study tour of Italy.

The delegation will visit Rome, Florence and Milan, where they will tour the studios of prominent international designers and liase with students from each major university. The group will be joined by students from across the world including China, Indonesia and Korea who specialise in design disciplines ranging from interior, graphic and fashion design.

In Milan, the group will be hosted by prestigious European graduate school Domus Academy. Three former students of Raffles College, who took part in the 2004 tour of Italy, have already graduated with a Masters degree from Domus, with two opening their own design consultancy offices in Manly and one working in the US.

Raffles College associate professor Bob Chung said the tour was of great benefit to students and teachers alike.

“The last group of students who went to Italy returned to Australia with a new focus and vision. I saw a marked change in them; they were more lively and participated more deeply in class.”