School Infosys and Rhode Island of Design Launch Pioneering Design Partnership
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Collaboration to develop next-generation creative talent and address transformation challenges of global organizations????
PROVIDENCE, RI – Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced a partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to foster the continued development of top designers at Infosys and explore new ways of solving complex challenges at the intersection of design, technology and industry.
Over the next two years, Infosys will train 1,000 designers across the globe, and has chosen to partner with RISD to contribute to this goal because of the institution’s ability to guide an immersive learning experience steeped in both studio practice and the liberal arts. Beginning with an eight-week pilot this summer, Infosys will partner with RISD to develop a curriculum to build the skills of these designers, helping them acquire design- and human-centric skills in technologies used to address challenges facing Infosys’ global clients. Infosys will focus on hiring designers with these specialized design skills as part of its commitment to hire 500 American workers in Rhode Island over the next five years.
The innovative collaboration between Infosys and RISD will support the creation of a new, dedicated space on RISD’s campus to further explore and incubate the insight and learning challenges that emerge from collaborative academic projects. Through an independent program of reflective experiment, symposia, exhibitions and publication, this space will develop global thought leadership about complexity and uncertainty-offering insights at the intersection of critical creative methodologies, new technologies and an evolving set of cultural challenges. It will provide underlying insight and methodologies to strengthen the skills of top talent to more effectively engage in several critical design domains, including: systems and platforms, user experience, strategy and organizational impact, privacy and security.
Infosys also confirmed it will open a Design & Innovation Hub at 75 Fountain Street in Providence later this summer. The 25,000-square-foot facility will operate at the heart of art, design, humanities, data science and engineering to research and address the transformational challenges faced by organizations today.
“We are excited that Infosys is doubling down on its investment in Rhode Island by strengthening the design talent available to the industries in our local market,” said Governor Gina Raimondo. “The Infosys-RISD partnership will enable industry-leading innovation in design, catalyze economic growth in the state and equip Rhode Islanders with the skills and expertise they need to tackle the design challenges of the future.”
“The partnership with Infosys will help RISD apply our creative insights to assist in building research capacity in Rhode Island. This fits within our mission of making lasting contributions to global society through critical thinking and innovation,” said Rosanne Somerson, President of Rhode Island School of Design. “In an increasingly complex global context, organizations that cannot understand, anticipate and embrace uncertainty will be less likely to succeed. RISD’s unique model of education fosters the ability to work effectively in these environments.”
“As a leader in digital transformation, we’re excited about the benefits this partnership between Infosys and RISD will bring to our clients,” said Ravi Kumar, Infosys President and Deputy Chief Operating Officer. “It will help close the global design talent gap and also prepare our designers to create client solutions at the junctures of several siloed disciplines, including the humanities, liberal arts, public policy, economics and engineering.”
“Our partnership with Rhode Island School of Design will operate at the meeting of design and technology and address complex and disruptive forces, which are both driving and enabling change across every aspect of our lives, businesses and institutions,” said Scott Sorokin, Global Head of Infosys Digital Experience. “This summer, we are launching a hackathon to recruit designers and, together with RISD, we’ll explore new ways of working, conceive new models and develop skill sets, so we can help our clients positively embrace the rapid pace of digital change.”
“Infosys and the Rhode Island School of Design are both globally important institutions. We are pleased that they are teaming up in the design domain — one of Rhode Island’s great strengths — and that they’re doing so in a way that will benefit the company, the university, and our state,” said Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor.
This partnership will also create further opportunities for lectures, symposia, hackathons and research to assist in the development of tailored curricula and workforce development in emerging practices. Infosys’ clients and industry partners will benefit from collaborating with RISD’s exemplary faculty, internationally recognized scholars and subject matter experts interested in exploring emerging fields.??