First City University College launched the 15^th edition of SEQUENCE, its annual graduation showcase at 1 Utama Shopping Centre today. The exhibition, which was opened for public viewing from Saturday, 8^th July until Sunday, 9^th July is showcasing First City UC’s final year students’ work from the Faculty of Design & Built Environment.

This year, 108 graduating students from the BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Interior Architecture & Design and BA (Hons) Furniture & Product Design programmes put up their projects on display based on the theme, “Beyond The Limit”. The theme epitomises the students’ sacrifices and willingness to work beyond their normal limits to go the extra mile in order to achieve their goals. With this determination, they are ready to face the challenges once they join the workforce, equipped with the quality education and training they received at First City UC.

The launch of the showcase was well-attended First City UC’s executive management team, academic staff, representatives from Nottingham Trent University UK, Guest of Honour Dato’ Eric Lee and the delegates from Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Furniture Industry Association (KLSFIA), industry key players and prospective employers.

Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Teo Chiang Liang, Director of First City Corporation said in his speech at the launch, “We have been inviting practicing designers to SEQUENCE and over the years we have seen our graduating students offered employment at this event, which is a testimony of the quality of our students. I would like to commend our academics staff at the faculty for their dedication in nurturing and educating our students. The countless awards clinched by our students are testimonies that First City UC’s staff is top-notch and very much in touch with the latest developments in the design industry.”

First City UC takes pride in its design programmes that offer holistic design education –  combining its experience in running UK franchised programmes for over 20 years, harnessing on the vast knowledge and teaching ability of its academic staff and complementing it with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment such as 3D printers, laser cutter and Macintosh laboratories.

The Faculty of Design & Built Environment is well-known for its strong industrial linkages which provide real-life experience in the industry in its effort to provide the best learning experience for students, allowing them to explore and work on actual projects outside the usual theatre lectures. It works closely with the Graphic Design Association of Malaysia (wREGA), Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) and KLSFIA in co-hosting events, participating in exhibitions organised by the associations and attending various talks held in collaboration with them. In addition, the Graphic Design department arranges annual overseas design study trips during which students participate in workshops conducted by the host universities – the latest being the trip to Beijing, China in April. For students in the Interior Architecture Design programme, the faculty organizes their participation in the renowned FIABCI Brown Paper Bag Seminar, MIID competitions and various other workshops and exhibitions. Students’ learning experience is further enhanced through participation in competitions both locally and internationally, where they have emerged as regular winners of design awards and accolades such as the MIID Reka Awards, Nippon Paint’s Asia Young Designer Award and many more.

Starting September 2017, the faculty is offering a new postgraduate degree programme, the Master of Design Management to complement and provide a new pathway from the existing foundation, diploma and degree programmes currently available. Practising designers and degree holders are encouraged to take advantage of this new course, as it provides them with skills in design management which can help them to expand their knowledge through related fields in branding, design thinking, entrepreneurship and design innovation. With this myriad of skills, graduates will be able to advance themselves and secure senior management positions in the design field and industry.