Last week, from April 13 to 17, 2026, the Visual Arts and Visual Communications Design (VACD) study program at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) was proudly represented in an Erasmus+ staff exchange at ESDIR Escuela Superior de Diseño de La Rioja in Logroño, Spain.
Representing IUS were Asst. Prof. Dr. Emir Hambo, VACD Program Coordinator, and Ermina Ušanović, VACD Assistant, who participated in a dynamic academic exchange centered on teaching, learning, and creative collaboration in the field of design.
As part of the program, Asst. Prof. Dr. Emir Hambo led a two-day Design Thinking workshop for third-year Graphic Design students. On the first day, students were introduced to the core principles of Design Thinking through collaborative exercises, including the spaghetti tower challenge, which encouraged experimentation, teamwork, and rapid prototyping. The second day, titled “Design Thinking: Speculative Design and the Future of the Book,” focused on critical thinking, conceptual exploration, and creative problem-solving within an intercultural learning environment.
At the same time, Ermina Ušanović delivered a two-day lecture and workshop for first-year Graphic Design students on the theme of visual metaphors. Through a combination of theoretical input and hands-on exercises, students explored how abstract ideas can be transformed into visual form using symbols, shapes, and color. The workshop emphasized the power of visual language as a universal means of communication and encouraged students to think creatively about meaning-making in design.
Beyond the workshops themselves, the exchange created a valuable platform for the sharing of knowledge, the development of pedagogical approaches, and the strengthening of international academic ties between the two institutions. It also fostered meaningful dialogue, fresh perspectives, and creative experimentation across different design contexts.
Through participation in initiatives such as this Erasmus+ exchange, IUS continues to support international academic mobility, encourage cross-cultural collaboration, and expand opportunities for both staff and students within the global educational and creative landscape.
