Edinburgh Napier University

Tell us a bit about yourself and the course you’re studying.

I am Yohana, a museum professional from the Philippines. I am a curious individual, always seeking to visit places, try new experiences, and learn about other cultures. My undergraduate degree in Behavioural Sciences taught me to understand human behaviour by combining the fields of Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology. As part of the curatorial team of the National Museum of the Philippines for eight years, I took on diverse roles from field and archival research to collection management, media production, exhibition design and installation, and implementation of educational programs. In 2018, I applied and was accepted to participate in The British Museum International Training Programme (BM ITP) which was held in the UK for six weeks. The experience of being part of their global network encouraged me to pursue further studies, and in 2023 I started my postgraduate study in MA Heritage and Exhibition Design at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU). The modules in this course teaches us how to make research-based designs, and consider storytelling techniques that are immersive and makes use of multi-sensory approaches. 

Why did you choose to study at Edinburgh Napier University? 

My decision to study at ENU was partly because of the city, and partly because of the specific course I wanted. My career led me to working specifically on exhibitions, and so I do not wish to study a general museum degree that I found in most UK museums, such as curatorial or museum studies. I specifically looked for a degree in Exhibition Design, and in my search, I found that it was only Edinburgh Napier who offered it in the UK. After some research on student experience and course modules, I decided that I wish to study at ENU because of its skills-based and practical approach to learning. By a stroke of fate, I was granted a leadership training conducted by the BM ITP which includes a visit to Edinburgh in 2022 to attend the Museums Association Conference. I immediately fell in love with the city. The leveled streets, the gothic architecture, the hidden wynds and closes, its proximity to nature, and the abundance of art spaces and museums cemented my decision to choose ENU as the perfect place to study.  

What are the key skills you learned during your time at Edinburgh Napier University?

In my design and interpretation modules, I learned how to create not just a technical floor plan for exhibitions, but also a thematic bubble diagram which identifies moods and themes for each section; a visitor flow plan which keeps in mind wayfinding; and a map of interactives and other immersive experiences planned. Thinking critically to create designs that appeal to audiences who learn differently—perhaps through visual, auditory, or tactile experiences. Research modules encouraged me to design new methods of data gathering and not confine ourselves to traditional ways such as interviews and surveys. Ethnography and recording soundscapes for example are new ways to evaluate exhibition spaces. With my classmates, I also conceptualized, developed, and installed an exhibition as part of our art direction module. We not only took on roles of exhibition managers and designers, but also curated and made our own artefacts to display. In the sketching for hardware and software module, I learned coding and wiring for simple interactives, which will help understanding and conceptualizing interactions for exhibitions. 

How would you sum up your student experience at Edinburgh Napier University? 

The skills-based approach of ENU to learning met my expectations, as I perform best when the evaluations rest on producing a creative piece of work. All the professors encourage students to think outside of the box, which is a breath of fresh air. Being in a university in Edinburgh where you can easily be inspired by nearby museums and heritage spaces is very helpful as a student. There were instances where we held our classes outside of the university, such as inside a museum, an art gallery, and even in an underground bunker (for a design proposal). Access to materials, equipment, and facilities in the university is something I found helpful as well. Having a design studio exclusively for our course is the best, as we have our own space to test and build thing, whether it is a light projection or a 3D model of an exhibition. Overall, I Ioved my experience at ENU, I wish I could stay longer!  

What are your plans for your next steps after graduating?

After graduation, I plan to continue pursuing a career in the museum setting. I plan to live up to the title, “Exhibition Designer,” and thus take on a role which will allow me to design as diverse exhibitions as possible, catering to different audiences.  

How do you feel these skills will help you/make an impact on your future career?

The soft skills I gained include better collaboration and time management. This will help as I aim for an exhibition designer position where project management is an essential skill. Speaking with curators, contractors, directors, conservators, and collection managers is a regular task for an exhibition designer. The importance of collaboration among peers will help me communicate better with stakeholders of a project. 

Do you have any highlights of studying at Edinburgh Napier University?

Mostly it is when we visit sites like the Barnton Bunker and Jupiter Artland or galleries such as the Talbott Rice Gallery and Burrell Collection in Glasgow that makes me remember why I wanted to study here. Being so close to art and cultural spaces and using them as a method for teaching is definitely a highlight.

What was your favourite module/project?

Naturally, my favourite modules are those that require us to conceptualise and design an exhibition. In Design for Heritage and Culture, I was tasked to create a narrative, and draw and design an exhibition for a fixed space, about the island of St. Kilda. In the Interpretation and Design module, I prepared a visual interpretation plan for the Barnton Bunker. A surprisingly interesting module is the Sketching for Hardware and Software. Coding and wiring interactives were entirely foreign to me, so I was apprehensive at first. However, the assessments not just looked at our technical skills but also our storytelling capability. The module encouraged me properly contextualise the interactives and highlight the message I wish to convey.

What advice would you give to anyone considering your course?

I say be open to everything. “Empty your cup,” as a Buddhist saying goes. We go into a master’s degree having many expectations, full of knowledge and skills gained through previous experiences, but we must be able to “empty our cup” to accommodate for new ideas, skillsets, and learning methods. Also, never overestimate your time when studying and completing assessments. Three trimesters for three sets of modules is actually very tight, and doing things as early as possible will save you the stress of cramming within the last week of submissions.