This article is the continuation of the last one published in the July issue about higher education opportunities on textile and apparel in abroad. According to academic curriculum, quality of education, scholarships offered and admission requirements the world have been categorized in three blocks; USA/Canada, UK/EU and Asia/Australia. Higher education opportunities at the USA/Canada block have been already discussed. This one continues with EU, Asian and Australian universities.
UK/EU
International level education scopes on textile is diversified and as it is an applied subject the curriculum and syllabus is need based. As a result higher education in different countries offers different subject matters. USA is undoubtedly the place where the major research on textiles takes place, but there are obviously other universities in Europe and Asia where you will get long research heritage. When EU is in concern, we talk about especially German and UK. In Asia Japan, South Korea and Australian Universities are known to offer higher education on textiles and apparel.
Recently textile education in China is becoming important as well as they are offering number of scholarships in higher studies. The most important thing about these regional universities is that you don’t need to sit for GRE which is considered burdensome by many. Numbers of scholarships are offered form renowned European and Asian Universities but you must have a good research back ground and a rich student profile to be eligible.
The University of Manchester, UK
Manchester is named as the city of science in Europe and Manchester University is one of the ancient universities of the world. School of Materials at the University of Manchester is an excellent centre for textile graduates for higher studies. Manchester offers versatile postgraduate taught programs:
Advance Engineering Materials, International Fashion Retailing, Polymer Materials Science and Engineering and Textile Technology are the major interests for textile graduates.
The postgraduate degree in Textile Technology is based on technical textiles covering a wide range of topics in the latest developments in this field, including nonwovens, composites and geotextiles, automotive textiles, impact protection, sportswear, and medical textiles. Advanced manufacturing processes and techniques, Textile materials performance evaluation, Yarn and Coloration technology are the other research fields here.
Those who are keen to establish career or conduct researches in the retailing industry, a M.Sc. in International Fashion Retailing can be the solution. The syllabus covers a wide range of industry-relevant subjects, including: Design and Innovation Management, Fabric structures, Fashion consumer behavior and International fashion retailing. Research facilities are also available on the complete range of spinning and dyeing processes.
The M. Sc. degree in Polymer Science and Engineering leads to comprehensive education on polymer processing, composite materials and technical textiles. Ph.D. at the Manchester University is one of the prestigious degrees of the world and most of the Manchester alumni are working in research and academic organizations successfully.
Manchester University offers the Commonwealth Scholarship for international students and a special scholarship for Bangladeshi student along with Tanzania and Uganda named as Equity-Merit Scholarship every year.
Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Program (CSFP) are offered through the Ministry of Education of Bangladesh every year and a no. of textile graduates has already been enrolled in Manchester University with this scholarship.
Commonwealth Scholarship is a completely merit based award and only awarded to students with exceptional academic track record and research works. Publications in the International Journals and a good IELTS score will help. One can get yearly updates about the CSFP from the University Grand Commission (UGC) website easily.
The Equity and Merit Scholarship is offered to the meritorious but economically challenged students so that they can pursue post graduation from Manchester University and comeback to their respective countries to serve better. The scholarship covers full tuition fees, return international air fares and living expenses.
Applicants must have a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5. However, some courses require a score of 7.0. Above mentioned subjects can be studied under this scholarship. If your profile matches with the eligibility criteria, Manchester University can be a great place for postgraduate studies. MU is ranked among the top 30 universities of the world.
University of Bolton, UK
University of Bolton offers a variety of postgraduate textile degrees. A master’s course in Advanced Materials is offered which is emphasized on technical textiles. Numbers of research projects are running under direct supervision of renowned Professor Dr. Shuvash Anand at the Institute of Materials Research and Innovation (IMRI). The major areas of research activities include:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Slash and cut resistant materials and smart body armour shields.
- Thermo physiological comfort for sports- and active-wear garments.
- Novel technical nonwoven and knitted structures.
- Atmospheric plasma coating and finishing
- Durability of textile materials
- Preparation and processing of performs
- Novel utilization of textile waste materials
- Geosynthetics
The Ph.D. degree is offered in Engineering, Design with Textile specialism. Tuition fees at the University of Bolton are one of the most nominal in the UK context. They do not have specific scholarships for international students that cover full tuition fees with living allowances but they have some waivers offering according to entry qualifications. Outside scholarships although, can be approached to study at University of Bolton like the commonwealth scholarship for instance. Under UNIDO fellowship program, some Bangladeshi students have got the opportunity to study in the university.
University of Leeds, UK
University of Leeds offers six taught masters programs as listed below and three research degrees:
- PhD, MPhil and MSc by research.
- MA Design/MSc Design
- MA Advertising and Design
- MA Fashion, Enterprise and Society
- MA Textile Innovation and Branding
- MSc Advanced Textiles
- MSc Medical Textiles
PhD is offered on advanced textiles and medical textiles. At Leedsyou will become part of a lively postgraduate culture and a member of one or more of the School’s leading research centers. Specialist learning facilities include spacious design studios and research laboratories, and extensive resources for graphics, textiles and fashion design.
The university offers a postgraduate research scholarship for the international students. To be eligible applicants should demonstrate a track record of excellent academic performance, as evidenced by either a first class degree or evidence that the applicant’s performance is in the top 20% of their group.
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Manchester Metropolitan University is another opportunity in Manchester for higher education in textiles. MMU offers versatile courses under its Apparel Department. If you are searching for a fashion merchandising degree in Europe, MMU can be a great place. Postgraduate degrees are concentrated around fashion innovation and international fashion business marketing management. Some bursaries and scholarships are available from MMU but for full funding you have to look for scholarships offered through the British Council.
University of Westminster, UK
MA in Fashion Business Management is a course to look for at the Westminster. This course will equip you with the strategic decision-making, leadership and problem-solving skills you need to become an entrepreneurial and visionary fashion business leader of the future. This course equips you for a business management career in the domestic or international fashion industry. Delivered by a teaching team with a wide range of experience both in industry and academia, the course offers an innovative and relevant fashion business curriculum that focuses on preparing your entry into senior roles in business and management within the industry.
University of Westminster is a generous scholarship provider and they are no. 1 in UK in supporting overseas student. Bangladeshi students can try for the Westminster International Scholarship offered every year. WIS pays your full tuition fee, accommodation and living expenses and also the airfare from your country to London.
Niederrhein University, Germany
The Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology at Niederrhein University, Germany is one of Europe’s largest study locations for textile engineers. At Niederrhein, the faculty of textile and clothing technology accounts the most numbers of international students in Europe; around 25% students here are from 25 different countries makes it a cordial place for international students. A wide range of degrees are in offer with the best professors of textile and clothing arena are the features at Niederrhein.
Masters degree is offered in two titles, Textile Products and Management of Textile Trade & Technology.
The field of Textiles in the Master of Textile Products program provides graduates with an understanding of how intelligent and innovative processes and textile products are created along the whole production chain and through to industrial manufacturing.
The subject extracts are classified in three terms, Clothing, Design and Textiles.
The Master’s program in Textile and Clothing Management is divided into two fields of study: Trade & Retail and Technical Textiles. The subject extracts include Human Resources Management / Financial Management, Product Development, International Trade, Supply Chain Management and Special Textile Technologies.
Finding Scholarship is an issue in Germany as the universities don’t charge tuition fees. But you have to finance your stay and contribution towards semester fees and health insurance. German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the only source from where you can get full funding studentship in Germany although; Niederrhein is not included in the DAAD scheme for now. Requirements and application procedures can be easily collected from DAAD website. DAAD sponsors every year a good number of students from Bangladesh. DAAD finances studies at the Technical University of Dresden which is another famous university in Germany for textiles.
Apart from the above mentioned universities in Europe University of Ghent, Belgium and Boras University, Sweden are famous for their textile postgraduate studies.
Asia/Australia
Asian and Australian Universities are popular for inviting scholars from round the world to their universities. When textile and apparel is concerned South Korea and Japan are the pioneers in this region. You would find a huge number of universities and institutes in China that offers textile and postgraduate education but Only Korean and Japanese Universities are introduced here for their immense popularity.
Separate articles will be published on textile education in China in upcoming issues of Textile Today. Some of the Australian Universities are also conducting huge research projects on advanced textiles and they can be one of the best choices for the students as they used to offer lucrative scholarship programs as well. Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT) is a world renowned university in the Indian subcontinent that has rich textile technology research opportunities.
Shinshu University, Japan
Division of Creative Engineering and Division of Chemistry & Materials of Department of Textile Science and Engineering at Shinshu University offers advanced postgraduate courses on textile engineering and material science. They are developing their students into capable researchers and engineers who are knowledgeable about both traditional and advanced textile engineering. The graduate program emphasizes experiences in research, and students are actively involved in research projects in these fields.
Shinshu University offers research grants and hires students with excellent academic background and research potential to use their state-of-the-art engineering labs for post graduation study. The famous Monbukagakusho Scholarship sponsors international students to study in Japan and it is offered every year to academic scholars from all around the world.
South Korean Universities
South Korea has became a popular place in the recent times for international students as they are providing huge funds for basic and applied research in most of the universities. Textile and clothing is a common subject here unlike the other countries as mentioned earlier. In most of the universities you would find a Clothing and Textiles course under the department of Natural Science. South Korean Universities have regular funding for research students; you just have to find the right supervisor for you to match research interest. Some of the major Universities that you can approach for are:
Seul National University, Yeungnam University, Kyung Hee University, Inha University, Pusan National University, Hanyang University, Konkuk University and Chonbuk National University.
But for doctoral and post doctoral degrees, the research areas are immense and you can easily find a world class research facility in Korean Universities specially on polymers, advanced materials and nano-technology.
For an M.Sc. degree in Clothing and Textiles the following universities can top the list.
Yeungnam University
YU probably is the only university in South Korea that offers courses both in textile engineering, clothing & fashion and even materials engineering. So if you are looking for a complete textile university in Korea, YU is the one.
The graduate courses for the department of textile engineering and technology provide various technologies in convergence related to the advanced textile engineering and technology.
The curriculum includes advanced yarn and filament spinning, yarn texturing, weaving and composites, textile machinery, advanced dyeing technology and advanced textile finishing technology and so on. The processing technology of each article mentioned above is also studied and analyzed with various physical properties to enhance the quality of textile products.
The goal of the department of Clothing and Fashion is to nurture creative, proactive, and talented fashion specialists for global fashion businesses. The program provides a systematic curriculum including fabric development, planning, designing manufacturing, and marketing for fashion merchandise. Various industry experiences such as field trips, internships, guest speakers, and real world business projects are incorporated with in-class activities.
You can also enroll in a postgraduate program under the department of Advanced Organic Materials Engineering and conduct researches on technical textile materials as well. So YU provides you a great package of study in the field of textile and clothing.
Pusan National University
The study of clothing and textiles at PNU is developed according to the call of the time. It offers a practical field of study that nurtures experts in the textile and fashion industry and enhances the quality of life by applying scientific developments to clothing that can fill the needs of our everyday lives. The Department of Clothing and Textiles at Pusan National University offers training in an environment that is equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia facilities.
The taught subjects are 1)Fashion Design, which teaches the specifics of creative costume design based on studies in the areas of Traditional Korean Costume, Costume Aesthetics, and History of Costumes; 2) Textile Science, which deals with the materials of clothing; 3) Pattern Engineering and Clothing Construction, which teaches the design of patterns so that a constructed design can become wearable; 4) and numerous other fields, including Textile Environment and Fabric Art, Textile Design, Fashion Merchandising, Marketing and Fashion Distribution.
Inha University
The Department of Fashion Design and Textiles of Inha University offers comprehensive studies which encompass humanities, arts and culture, and science and technology, and aim to produce professionals who understand the entire scope of the apparel industry – from raw materials to design, manufacturing to sale of apparel. Course work includes apparel and textile materials basics, fashion design, manufacturing process design and clothing construction, merchandising planning, marketing, distribution and sale.
Seoul National University
SNU is considered as one of the best research universities in South Korea. Clothing and Textiles department of SNU is also outfitted with an advanced course curriculum that includes basic textiles, fibre properies, clothing history, performance and ergonomics, design and trading. If you feel interested in the subject matters, SNU can be the place for you.
Kyung Hee University
The Clothing and Textiles major at Kyung Hee University is a nationally-ranked program offering the best in teaching, faculty expertise, and research. Clothing and Textiles focuses on the scientific study and analysis of the materials for clothing, clothing design, construction methods and distribution processes to achieve integrated knowledge. The Clothing and Textiles major seeks to produce capable, creative scholars and professionals performing excellence in academics and private sectors through teaching inter-reactions between human beings and clothing environment, as well as skills, knowledge and creativity.
Australian Universities
Australia is a great place for higher education and austaralian universities are famous for basic research. RMIT University is the best university in Australia when textile education is concerned. University of Technology, Sudney, Australian National University, Deakin University and University of South Australia are the other places you can look for. But you must have an attractive research background with greatv impacts as these universities offer postgraduate research places in core textile sciences like, advenced fibre, nano-tech and material sciences.
RMIT University
RMIT University through its school of Fashion and Textiles offers diverse postgraduate courses. As a renowned research university you can choose your degree by research or by taught program.
The Master of Technology (Fashion and Textiles) program enables students to develop an advanced body of knowledge that you may apply to a range of stimulating, real-life research contexts. Areas of research focus:
- advanced materials
- performance and sports textiles and apparel
- forensic textiles
- health and well-being
An academic IELTS (minimum score) overall band of 6.5 with no individual band below 6.0 and a great academic profile is required to secure a place in the school.
One of the best options in Australia for textile education
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is designed for industry technologists, designers, merchandisers and marketers wanting to undertake original research in the disciplines offered by RMIT’s School of Fashion and Textiles.
You will work within specific research fields, namely:
- design practice, process and presentation
- textile futures: advanced materials and performance textiles
- entrepreneurial and cultural studies.
These research fields reflect the research supervisors’ expertise along with the available resources and collaborative relationships with industry and other research organizations.
RMIT school of Fashion and Textile is ornamented with around 20 high profile faculties with a variety of research areas. International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) is offered every year for international students that sponsors full tuition fees, stay at Australia, establishment cost, health insurance and even expense for your dependants. IPRS is the most prestigious scholarship offered in Australia targeting research scholars from around the world for post graduate studies.
