In Part 2 of our series of columns in Ljuskultur the focus is on lighting education. We present some of our actions and ideas for improving training for professionals working with light through the LCN network.
Our goal is to facilitate collaboration for knowledge exchange and we envisage collaborations happening on several levels. One is about teaching the future generation of lighting professionals. A lecture exchange programme has already started within the network, where we have lectured on our own specific lighting-related subjects for students from our partner institutions.
We see this exchange of courses as the start of joint courses where we bring students together from different areas and with different backgrounds. Combining interdisciplinary student groups has many benefits. It unites students not just with other kinds of thinking about lighting and related research (science, technology, design) and it also brings together teachers and researchers. This creates interesting contact opportunities with the business community and the general public.
Life-long lighting education
But of course, learning as a lifelong process where knowledge from other disciplines can inspire new projects and new solutions. That’s why we have a vision about a platform for further learning and discussion through seminars, workshops, webinars or conferences.
The pandemic has taught us that there are great digital tools that we can use to exchange education and knowledge all over the world at any time. Online events are shorter, can be more focused and are often recorded. However, on the other hand the lack of direct and personal audience feedback can challenging for live-broadcast events. Also the equivalent of informal discussions before, between and after the lectures are almost impossible to create.
We see it as one of the Light Collaboration Network’s tasks to develop hybrid events, where personal meetings take place mixed with online elements that encourage knowledge exchange within established areas, but also include interested groups from other fields in an easily accessible way.
Let’s start with an event about perspectives and discussions related to lighting research and education between academic and industrial partners with different lighting-related knowledge.
You are welcome to participate in our inaugural Light Collaboration Network online symposium on June 3, 2021 at 13.00–16.00.