The Creative Short Talks (CST) platform was launched in September 2021 in response to the COVID-19 lockdown and the need for connection during the challenges of online teaching. Started by Becky Lu (Design Studies) in her classes, CST aimed to create meaningful conversations that extended beyond the online classroom. After discussions with creative friends, contacts, and the Design Studies teaching team, Becky found a way to share their valuable career insights with students—and that’s how the CST series began!
Today, the CST team has grown to include dedicated staff from both Saigon and Hanoi, all focused on inspiring students to explore their identities and aspirations as designers. They believe that creating opportunities and building connections are essential in creative fields like design. The team works hard to support students on their journeys while maintaining strong ties with industry professionals.
So far, the CST series has hosted a variety of speakers from diverse backgrounds and creative disciplines, earning an RMIT Learning and Teaching Award in 2023 for enhancing student learning. In early 2024, the series featured renowned guest speaker Chris Do, a Vietnamese-American Emmy Award-winning designer, director, and founder of The Futur, for CST#20. The event was open to the public and attracted 250 attendees, including local students and members of the creative community.
In August 2024, we co-hosted an event with returning guest speakers from Xilam Animation Studio Vietnam, a 2D animation and post-production studio in Ho Chi Minh City. They previously joined us in 2021 (CST#9) with their Vietnam creative team and again in 2022 with their global team from Paris. For their third visit, we hosted a Creative Show & Tell featuring animated short films, followed by a presentation and meet-and-greet with Xilam interns and RMIT animation students.
In September 2024, we launched the first official CST in Hanoi (CST#27) and welcomed RMIT alumni favourites Anh Duy and Way (Que) Lan from the award-winning branding and creative design agency M — N Associates in Ho Chi Minh City. They later returned for a second Creative Short Talk in Saigon. Additionally, in November 2024, CST#30 featured a visit from Mattel, the largest toy company in the world, at our Hanoi campus. This event helped foster a relationship between RMIT and Mattel, opening internship and employment opportunities for our students.
As we move forward, the CST series is excited to nurture aspiring designers and build lasting connections within our creative community!
