Spectacular fourth time running: Berghs awarded “School of the Year” in Cannes

Wed, 21 Jun, 2017, 15:02

Cannes 21st June, 2017

For the fourth consecutive year, Berghs School of Communication in Sweden has been awarded “School of the Year” in AKQA’s Future Lions in Cannes. The school had the most student groups of all the 100 finalists and is thereby noted as having the highest and most even level of quality and innovation among the participating schools. All in all, 2,100 students from more than 400 schools submitted. This is Berghs’ sixth award since the contest was first arranged in 2005.

The price ceremony is held today at 4 pm in The Debussy Theatre, in Cannes.

“The students from Berghs show a great understanding of the future of communication. This is the fourth consecutive year the school wins this award, which proves that their approach towards building young talent is a successful one.”

- Richard Waterworth, Head of marketing EMEA, Youtube at Google

Each year, the best of the communications industry meets to compete in what is the world’s largest advertising festival, Cannes Lions. AKQA:’s Future Lions invites students from the world’s leading communications schools to create innovative communication using new technology and implementing new ideas: “Solve a problem in a way which was not possible three years ago”.

Each entry is judged anonymously by a jury of industry experts, including representatives from Google. The jury members do not know which students or schools are behind each entry.

The 100 most innovative entries make it to the final and the school with the most student groups in the final is noted as having the highest and most stable level of quality and is therefore awarded “School of the Year". This year, more than 2,100 students, from 64 countries submitted entries. Berghs has been awarded the title four years in a row, and six times in all, since the contest was first arranged in 2005.

“For one institution to win School of the Year four times back-to-back is a remarkable achievement. Berghs is an outstanding school which produces diverse and captivating creativity, year on year. To win Future Lions School of the Year six times is an exceptional achievement. One that may not be equaled.”

- Ian Wharton, Creative Director på AKQA Group

During the past year, Berghs has focused further on developing the students’ ability to work across different disciplines, which probably contributes to the high, innovative level of their entries. Also, Berghs has developed several new programs within the school’s concept:

Berghs Studio: a creative studio where we connect the agency side, clients and young communicators to enable new opportunities for all three to prosper and develop.
Berghs Upgrade: intensive 12-week course to enable you to change your title on your CV and make a career shift – in the midst of your career.
International collaboration: We have created a new educational program together with the London based consultants The Future Laboratory.
Berghs Advanced: an intense study-abroad semester, full-time on-site in Stockholm, that gives international students a set of professional communication tools before starting start their careers.

- A day like this I am reminded of the outcome of the continuous development work which is carried out at Berghs, but above all we are incredibly proud of our students who deliver top class ideas and innovations year after year, says Camilla Wallander, CEO at Berghs School of Communication.

The ten groups of students who were shortlisted in 2017 and thereby ensured the title “School of The Year” are:

Google Aware

Teodor Hässler, Nicklas Silfverhjelm

Case: https://vimeo.com/213751979

UPS By The Way

Teodor Hässler, Peder Renvall, Charlotte Illemann, Simon Mikkelsson Nolin

Case: https://vimeo.com/200547843

Google Fellow

Ida Carstens, Mårten Huzell, Marcus Lundwall

Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3XN4mtMsvk

No Change

Anna Salonen, Edvin Thorbjörnsson, David Lindh, Hanna Lundberg, Alice Kruger