Is the design profession at risk thanks to globalised hordes of web-savvy amateurs? Florian Schmidt discusses this in Issue 74 of eye magazine.

Leading Icograda's Education Portfolio on behalf of the Executive Board for the 2009-2011 term, Vice President Omar Vulpinari outlines new initiatives for 2010.

Design education is failing to equip students with the necessary skills to work in public services if it remains solely focused on product and industrial design, according to a new paper published in June 2009 by theRoyal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).

On 2 October 2009, Icograda Education Network (IEN) Member Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) was recognised for the third time by BusinessWeek as one of the top design schools around the world.

Running for already 10 years, the designhistory.org website is the product of Nancy's organisational training as a graphic designer, her observations as a teacher and her studies in graphic design history.

Design research in the twenty-first century has been a fundamental aspect of national and international design agendas. As an intrinsic aspect of its strategy, the Faculty of Arts & Architecture has established the Design Research Institute, committed to the integration of creativity, innovation, knowledge exchange and research.

International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) aims to inform and inspire typographers, graphic designers, writers and educators engaged in the field of visual communication. The ISTD Student Assessment scheme is the most thorough and effective and is used as a benchmark by educators around the world.

Recognising the vital role design can play in creating a prosperous economic future for South Africa, leading retailer Woolworths, together with the Western Cape Education Department, launched their educational initiative, Making the Difference through Design, for the first time in January 2006.

Meredith Davis looks at the importance of design research in contemporary design practice. From an American perspective, Davis addresses the trajectory of design research programmes in universities and discusses the pre-requisite conditions for establishing research degrees.

Michael Erlhoff portrays his outlook on the emergence of design studies in China. Evoking elements such as the Chinese economic reform and existing socioeconomics as significant factors affecting the advent of Chinese design education, Erlhoff raises key issues such as whether or not traditional design pedagogy has a hampering affect on modern design studies.