Every student at our campus in Idar-Oberstein comes into intensive contact with the material: (precious) stone. Idar-Oberstein is still the European center for gemstone trading, processing, and expertise. Gemstones from all over the world are available in abundance as well as the tools, machinery, and know-how for processing.
In this environment, all three of our degree programs focus on gemstones through workshop and theory courses; the artistic approach always focuses on gemstones. The phenomenon of (precious) stones is not only approached through techniques but also studied in an artistic and scientific way. The social – historical, current, and eventually future – implications and interpretations of the material, that is, of the gemstone, as artistic, creative, or purely craft artifact are also an essential part of our studies.
The courses we offer are unique. There is no other academic institution in the world with a ‘gemstones and jewelry’ department that can compete with Idar-Oberstein's targeted program, at both BA and Master’s levels. The relevant and dominant industry in Idar-Oberstein sets the conditions to engage with the subject of gemstones.
Eighty-five percent of the students are foreigners. They choose to study in Idar-Oberstein due to its academic program that revolves around gemstones – a feature that is unique and characteristic of the institution and the region. Equally attractive is the offer of the Master’s curriculum in the English language because of the students’ freedom to customize their own study program. Of course, the fact that study at Idar-Oberstein is tuition-free no doubt also contributes to the international attraction of our institution.
Our roughly fifty students from twenty-seven countries are currently enrolled in the three gemstone and jewelry study programs. They are supervised by eight staff lecturers and six freelance lecturers, a student-to-lecturer ratio that allows for intensive consultation and exchange.
Another special feature of Idar-Oberstein is its second Master's program. Next to the regular MFA program, which is accessible to BA graduates who pass an additional exam, we offer a so-called a Continuing Education Master's program for exceptionally qualified professionals without an academic degree.
Unfortunately, it is indisputable that the gemstone industry, and certainly also the jewelry industry, is not particularly interested in well-trained design professionals. Almost all jewelry store windows prove that the dominant jewelry pieces we see are not rooted in design or art. Therefore, for the majority of our graduates, self-employment is almost predetermined.
Gemstone workshop at Idar Oberstein. Photo: © Hochschule Trier.
Based on surveys of our graduates, the Idar-Oberstein curriculum was largely designed in the 2000s to enable them to become self employed in the arts sector. Accordingly, the curriculum is not limited to art and technical courses. Marketing, management, and law are also part of the obligatory study program.
The predictable – and currently rapidly increasing – desolation marking the jewelry gallery sector (the press would probably call it a ‘gallery crisis’) requires that artists even further develop their ability to take initiative and activate the communication and presentation skills that we teach. It also requires that artists are much more actively involved in current social issues; thus, the jewelry themes go far beyond the classic, decorative concept of beauty.
Altogether the situation requires a continuous effort to equip students with nothing less than the expertise to create a sound economic basis. In this sense, this is the society-oriented mission of a university of applied sciences such as Idar-Oberstein.
Our artist-in-residence program had to be suspended for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we are increasingly inviting artists with work that interests us to become our residents without a prior formal application. It is not clear yet whether and when the application portal will be reopened. The artist-in-residence program – as well as the exhibition series ‘Idar-Oberstein schmückt sich’ in the Villa Bengel and our symposium ThinkingJewellery, which is expected to take place again in 2025 – are important bridges to professional practice and are therefore defined as professionalization instruments in the accreditation procedure of our study program.
* Theo Smeets, Professor at Trier University of Applied Sciences, Campus Gemstones and Jewellery, Idar-Oberstein.
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