Elisava Madrid will train entrepreneurs in the creative industries
Elisava, the prestigious School of Design and Engineering, will land in the capital this fall with a new center. This will be a place for education, creation, and the promotion of entrepreneurial projects by combining education and business to train cross-disciplinary profiles in creativity and design.
This innovative project will make Elisava Madrid the first university in Spain exclusively focused on training entrepreneurs in the creative industries.
Address: C/ del Teniente Cnel. Noreña, 15 (Madrid)
Due to the upcoming inauguration of this inspiring project, we had a chat with Santiago Albert, Director of Master’s and Postgraduate Studies at Elisava, and with Edgar Gonzalez, Director of Elisava Madrid.
Santiago Albert: How did this project come about?
The idea of extending Elisava‘s educational activity to other geographical contexts and formats is not new. Just six years ago, Elisava embarked on a new venture with an online school that is now a reality called SHIFTA.
After establishing our Postgraduate School in Barcelona as an international reference project and consolidating our dominance in Business Design, the idea of opening a new educational space in Madrid emerged. Finally, the joint experience with Folch Studio in the Beyond Branding Master’s program opened the doors to expanding our collaboration to other challenges. All of this has paved the way for turning the idea of Elisava Madrid into a reality, a joint project of Elisava and Folch Studio.
Santiago Albert: Who are you targeting with this project?
It might seem like we are targeting the world of design and creative industries, and we are, but only partially. Our proposal, by extension, is aimed at bold and visionary professionals who seek to challenge established norms and lead innovation in both business and social contexts, as well as resilience and sustainability.
We also target entrepreneurs willing to explore new frontiers, envision emerging futures, and transform entire industries or develop social projects through creativity and disruption.
Edgar Gonzalez: With over 25 years of experience in the sector, what are the main challenges you face as Director of Elisava/Acid House Madrid?
Ironically, the challenges and opportunities that arise with the deployment of Elisava Madrid are closely related to the brand and the great reputation of an institution as solid and established as Elisava. With over 60 years of history, collective memory always associates it exclusively with the city of Barcelona. Initiating a project like this is a fantastic and very exciting challenge.
Throughout my career, I have been involved in the start-up of various educational projects, all related to creativity and innovation. However, establishing an institution like Elisava in a city like Madrid at this time seems like a truly fascinating project. This is due to both the golden moment the city is experiencing, the opportunities the industry offers, and the solid reputation of an institution like Elisava.
Edgar Gonzalez: Why should an entrepreneur consider studying at Elisava/Acid House Madrid?
In addition to our groundbreaking educational model, it is worth considering that Madrid is in a spectacular moment. It has changed a lot, especially in the last 4-6 years. Its growth and all indicators place it as one of the most prosperous and innovative regions in the world.
“The opportunities emerging in Madrid right now are unique.”
The opportunities emerging in Madrid right now are unique. The influx of proactive individuals and large companies, together with the open and welcoming nature of the city, make it an unparalleled talent magnet
It is important to remember that one of the most important factors for success and happiness, especially for restless young people starting their careers, is moving to a big city with good opportunities. And Madrid, currently, is a great candidate.
Edgar Gonzalez: This project means that thanks to this project, Madrid will host the first university in Spain focused on training entrepreneurs in the creative industries. What can you tell us about this?
Traditionally, education in creative industries – art, design, architecture – has lacked a component related to business and entrepreneurship.
Most education in this area of knowledge, even today, is still based on a model focused on “beaux arts”, where the creator is understood as an isolated genius in an ivory tower, disconnected from what happens in their immediate environment. Nowadays, the old model of creation is no longer valid. Creation, once considered a personal exercise, has evolved to involve many more agents. Moreover, it must now be connected with everyday reality to address the current and future challenges society faces. Media and social networks have played a crucial role in this change, amplifying its impact.
In this context, creation and entrepreneurship have become inseparable. Creative Economy According to a report by consulting firm Deloitte, it is expected that the creative economy will generate 8 million new jobs by 2030 in nine major economies, including Spain. This data highlights the strong demand for professionals in the field of creative economy by companies and consulting firms. The creative economy is a rapidly growing sector of the global economy and provides a new paradigm.
Therefore, Elisava Madrid will become a pioneering university in offering training in a field that has been unexplored in our country so far: the confluence of design and creativity with business.
A New Pedagogical Model
To achieve this, it will employ a new pedagogical model that will feature professors such as Christer Windeløv-Lidzélius, former director of Kaospilot, a Danish university pioneering in pedagogical reinvention. Additionally, Elisava Madrid will be led by Edgar Gonzalez, an educator with over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of design, technology, city, and innovation in universities such as IE University or IE Business School.
Disruptive educational models like this, with a practical approach – students will work closely with companies and institutions, focusing on real cases and current challenges – and oriented towards the reality of the market, are already successful in leading universities such as Kaospilot in Denmark or Minerva in San Francisco (USA), as they put the relevance of creative thinking at the center, as well as the transformative role of creativity in the competitiveness of companies. All this, together with the strong shift in social paradigm, marked by the emergence of innovative trends that put users at the center and disciplines such as artificial intelligence, highlight the need to train a new generation of entrepreneurs.
Acid House Madrid
The headquarters of Elisava Madrid is located in Acid House Madrid, a creative center that will open its doors in spring in the Legazpi neighborhood, just a few meters from the Matadero Contemporary Creation Center.
Its deployment in the capital of Madrid will begin with a markedly educational focus. Like the Barcelona space, the new headquarters in Madrid will be designed by Arquitectura-G, winner of the 2015 Mies Van Der Rohe Award for Emerging Architect and the 2022 FAD Architecture Award.
In this case, the project involved giving new life to an old warehouse, previously used as a car workshop, turning it into an open and bright space of 300 m2.
This amazing space is surrounded by plants, and also featuring different areas: a space for conferences, talks, and workshops, where courses and master’s degrees will be taught, an art and design gallery, a library, and a coworking area.
“The headquarters of Elisava Madrid is located in Acid House Madrid.”
Elisava Madrid Master’s Programs
The first Master’s programs, limited to 20 places each, already have open registrations and will begin in October. They will be offered in Spanish and English, in both in-person and semi-presential formats.
Some of them will be:
1. Beyond Branding
This one-year Master’s program explores how brands behave and are conceptualized today, analyzing the current landscape of brand communication and studying how global changes have influenced brand aesthetics and business models.
2. Research for Design and Innovation
This Master’s program provides the knowledge, skills, and tools – qualitative research, trend identification, scenario design, and innovation methodologies – needed to help any organization increase its ability to thrive in any unpredictable future.
3. Strategic Design
This Master’s program combines strategic design, systemic thinking, sustainability, and applied social sciences to devise new approaches in the field of business and social innovation.
4. Creativity & Design Leadership
This Master’s program integrates leadership, design, and creativity to develop management skills and capabilities in the creative sector. This master’s program is delivered in a hybrid format in Madrid.
Opening: Spring 2024
First Masters: October 2024
More information at this link.
(*) Photographs provided by Elisava. Cover photo by Arquitectura-G via Acid House Barcelona.
