Senses of Place, Senses of Taste: The Development of Cohort Identity in the hands of Proactive Cultural Learners

Successful postgraduate courses in art and design rely upon strong relations between participants. Transitions from undergraduate experiences in different disciplines, from different universities and different countries and cultures, present challenges to tutors aiming for group cohesion and developing collective learning experiences. The intensive nature of study requires immediate adaptation to surroundings, the establishment of reflective working processes and the sharing of spaces, knowledge and skills. This paper describes the experience of a group of students who were introduced to their new course, their new university (in some cases) and their new colleagues. It describes how they responded by developing their own initiatives, in particular the organisation, preparation and sharing of an “international meal”. This initiative led to advanced experiences of co-production and shared learning experiences beyond the curriculum. The entire cohort became more deeply engaged in studies and took more active interest in the work, ideas and cultures of others. The actions taken by this group responded to a number of challenges and have significance in consideration of: the learning environment, peer-to-peer learning, building positive learning communities, intercultural exchange and the development of “the continuous classroom” through active use of learning spaces reinforced via social media. The initiatives are described from a staff and student perspective and include external examiner’s comments and observations and possible future directions for similar ideas and activities to support the learning experience.