Hot 50: HYPER ISLAND

Swedish college Hyper Island is hugely respected in interaction design circles as an educational force that takes its students beyond academic studies.

Established in 1995 by Jonathan Briggs, David Erixon and Lars Lundh, it started running courses in Karlskrona in 1996 and now also operates in Stockholm. Subjects include digital media, interactive art direction and motion graphics. There is a focus on leadership, team-playing and management, as well as creative and technical skills. But it is not just the content and quality of teaching for which Hyper Island is known.

It has set up incubator units for practising designers to work on real projects alongside the students – something London’s Royal College of Art is now planning on its new Battersea campus. It is an exemplar in educational practice and prides itself on building links with the interactive and digital industries.