This innovative partnership is illustrative of the Vega School of Brand Leadership (Vega), a brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), dedication to creating world class graduates for the branding and advertising industries. Started by a group of South African industry thought leaders, answers the need for educating young creative minds in an environment that is as unique as the market they are preparing to enter.

This once-in-a-lifetime internship provided the four selected students with invaluable experience and exposure. The students were coached by Professor Klaus Hesse, Dean of the Department of Visual Communication at HFG, as they worked towards creating a political poster project that will be exhibited in Frankfurt. Tarryn Chimes (Gauteng), Elan Marx (Cape Town), Christy Addy (Durban) and Herman du Toit (Cape Town) had the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest creative minds in the world while gaining insight into a completely different educational culture, adding a unique element to their CV on entering a highly competitive and challenging field.

“I was completely blown away to be given this incredible opportunity,” says Addy. “It’s was amazing to learn from Prof. Hesse and to be able to interact with students from around the world. This experience will follow me throughout my career and give me an edge in the years to come.”

Renowned for its unorthodox methods, Vega has been proving that it is on the right track with the various awards, wins and nominations over the course of 2015, for lecturers and students alike. This includes experiential learning that places the students in real-world environments to prepare them for the challenges of working in the industry, employing successful industry professionals as lecturers to allow the students to stretch their abilities beyond their own perceived capabilities, and facilitating their exposure to industry heavyweights so that they have the chance to make a name for themselves before they even graduate.

“We are very proud of these remarkable students,” says Fay Amaral, managing director at Vega. “We are always excited to be able to offer our students unique opportunity and to witness their growth as a result.”

Registration for 2016 is now open at Vega.

For more information, visit www.vegaschool.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.