Design with purpose

At the heart of the program is a clearly structured curriculum based on real world design requirements. At the same time, it remains flexible enough to adapt to different backgrounds, interests and personal contexts. Rather than covering everything broadly, the program builds a strong foundation in design and enables focused specializations in areas relevant to professional practice. The content links theory with hands-on experience, encourages independent thinking and leads directly to paid work. The curriculum is continuously developed with input from seasoned professionals as well as lecturers and students from German universities. It stays open to feedback and evolving needs, with participants actively shaping the process.

The training takes place entirely online. It is modular and combines a range of formats, including video lessons, one-on-one conversations, support materials, practical tasks, discussions, group projects and individual mentoring. The campus is not just a course catalog but a living platform where learning, exchange and growth happen continuously. The environment supports both collaboration and focused, independent work.

Learning English is also a key part of the training. Not as an end in itself, but as a tool for self-reliance. It helps participants find resources on their own, access global job markets, work independently and feel confident in international settings.

One of the program’s core elements is financial support during training. Participants receive an income that allows them to fully focus on learning. This income is not symbolic. It is based on real needs and provided regardless of background, gender or age. Selection is anonymous and based on motivation, reliability and willingness to learn. Admission decisions are made through practical tasks, not based on resumes or formal degrees.

Some graduates are invited to join the uprella design team and work under fair conditions on a wide range of design projects. These projects often come from economically stronger regions and are carried out by people living in areas with lower income levels. The model deliberately uses cost of living differences to pay fair wages while generating a surplus. That surplus flows back into the program to fund new paid training spots, provide equipment, secure internet access and offer suitable learning materials and other necessary resources. This creates a sustainable cycle that grows with each new generation.

The uprella campus is built on values. It brings to light the political, economic and cultural realities that shape access to education today. These include exclusion based on language, racism, classism, ableism, bureaucratic barriers and global power structures. The people shaping the campus name these realities but do not get stuck in them. Instead, they create concrete alternatives. They focus on collaboration, clarity and constant development.

The program is designed to function independently. It is not tied to individuals or institutions. It runs on transparent processes, clear communication, stable digital tools and repeatable routines. Everything is built in a way that allows others to take over, continue or adapt the program without having to start from scratch.

The uprella campus is not a solution to every problem. But it is a tool that helps people stay capable of action in difficult conditions. It creates spaces for learning, working, reflection and dialogue. And it grows with the people who use it.

With uprella — and with the campus in particular — we do not aim to improve the lives of every person in the world. Instead, we focus on creating real change in specific lives and opening up opportunities where none existed before. For many, this has already worked. Our task now is to make this path available to more and more people.