Creativity - IDA Ireland

CREATIVE ECONOMY »
‘It doesn’t matter
whether you’re
studying geography
or industrial
design; the
problem-solving
techniques are
the same’
AWARD-WINNING DESIGNER DAMINI KUMAR IS
EUROPEAN AMBASSADOR FOR CREATIVITY AND
INNOVATION, A PRESTIGIOUS ROLE TO WHICH SHE
WAS APPOINTED BY THE EU COMMISSION IN
JANUARY 2009, IN ORDER TO FOSTER THE PRINCI-
PLES AND VALUE OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
AT ALL LEVELS OF EUROPEAN SOCIETY. An international
expert in design, creative thinking and innovation, Kumar
regularly advises organisations and government on these areas
that she believes are critical to the future of the economy.
One of the areas about which Kumar is most passionate is the
introduction of creative thinking tools and techniques into the
Irish education system, something she has already piloted at
National University of Ireland (NUI) Maynooth where she is
currently director of design and creativity.
“My aim is to take students from all the different disciplines
and roll out creative thinking tools and techniques modules. It
doesn’t matter whether you’re studying geography or industrial
design; the problem-solving techniques are the same.
“Rather than just training employees within organisations,
which I am already doing, I believe it is better to also bring creative
thinking into the education system so that young people
will have the skills needed in any profession to foster innovation.”
The NUI Maynooth pilot project last September involved
three different groups: business students, product design students
and a group from the education department.
“The courses weren’t directly related and the students
weren’t sure why they were there in the beginning. By the end
of the module they could see how they could use what they had
learned when teaching second-level students and also in their
personal lives.
“It involved a change of mindset and they felt inspired. People
tend to associate creativity with being artistic, but anyone
can start thinking creatively,” says Kumar, who is running a
pilot in mid-May, training staff in two departments in NUIM in
creative thinking tools and techniques.
“I am not attached to one academic department now [previously
she was linked to the industrial design department] and
want to foster creative thinking skills across the campus.
Broader than this, I want to try to work with other institutions
Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2011 INNOVATION IRELAND REVIEW 5