Esmod, LCF, RISD and more continue the transition to remote learning

As the impact of Covid-19 escalates worldwide and lockdowns are enforced from London to New York City, fashion and design schools have postponed graduate showcases and are continuing the challenging process of transitioning to remote learning while students relocate.

London College of Fashion (University Arts London)

On Monday, March 23, UAL suspended students' access to academic buildings and fully transitioned to remote learning using online platforms Moodle and Collaborate. The university has decided on an online showcase of graduate work and plans to provide students with a physical showcase later in the year, alongside rearranged graduation ceremonies. On UAL's official website, the university has published a "Coronavirus: Teaching, learning and assessment FAQs" addressing practical questions from students such as: Won’t the quality of my work be affected? How can you ensure that all students are assessed equally, given the different locations we are all in?

Rhode Island School of Design

To protect its community and ensure the successful completion of the spring semester, RISD calls for unity and radical imagination in the face of uncharted territory. As of March 15, all on-campus classes and events have been canceled. Academic facilities closed on March 17 and students living on campus were encouraged to move out as soon as possible. On March 30, virtual classes began and are being taught remotely until the end of the semester.

President of RISD, Rosanne Somerson stated on the university's website, “What lies ahead will no doubt challenge us, but I have complete faith that our creative community can work together to ensure academic success and the best possible outcomes while maintaining vigilance and implementing necessary health precautions. No one navigates difficult situations and uncertainty better than artists and designers. I have every confidence that with flexibility, creativity and grace, we can come together as a community to persevere through this extraordinary time together.”

In addition, RISD is focused on supporting and assisting its students during this challenging time of transition by providing: funding to defray travel and moving costs, continuation of student employment income, financial hardship assistance and more.

Esmod

In accordance with the decisions taken by the President of the French Republic and the French State, Esmod Fashion Design and Esmod Fashion Business (ISEM) establishments and campuses in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes and Roubaix closed from March 16, for an indefinite period. Students are following their training and preparing for exams via distance learning solutions, which Esmod continues to update their community about via their website and emails.

AMD Akademie Mode & Design

Since the Robert-Koch-Institute assessed the Covid-19 risk situation in Germany as “high”, AMD Berlin has decided to minimize the risk of infection and to slow down the chains of infection by restricting in-person contact. For this reason, the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences announced that all attendance courses at the AMD Akademie Mode & Design would be suspended from March 16 to April 19. No one can say at the moment whether a regular course of instruction can actually resume from April 20. If classroom teaching cannot take place by then, AMD Berlin is prepared to continue to offer remote learning-90 percent of the university's instruction in many study subjects can already be provided virtually.

Photo: screenshot of LCF's website