Silvia Ojeda Garcia

Lecturer, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh

Silvia Garcia is the Programme Director for Interior Design at SCF, bringing over 15 years of international experience across Latin America, Europe, and Asia. With a background in architecture and advanced studies in education, she specializes in culturally responsive spatial design and place-making methodologies. Her leadership focuses on developing student-centered curricula and fostering inclusive learning environments in multicultural classrooms. She guides students through conceptual exploration and professional preparation, emphasizing material research, contextual understanding, and cross-cultural dialogue in design education.

Silvia Ojeda García is Lecturer and Programme Director for Interior Design at SCF (Edinburgh), with over 25 years of professional and academic experience across Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Trained as an architect in Chile and Spain, and with postgraduate studies in management, photography, and education, she began her career in architectural and interior practice before moving into higher education. Her international career has included senior design roles in Vietnam and academic directorship in India, where she developed industry partnerships, international collaborations, and curriculum initiatives that connected students with practice on a global scale.

Since joining Edinburgh College of Art in 2015, Silvia has taught across design programmes and contributed to the University of Edinburgh’s transnational education partnership with SCF. In recent years, she has served as Convener of the School of Design’s undergraduate and postgraduate taught exam boards, contributing to quality assurance and academic governance. This dual engagement enables her to build strong connections between the School of Design and SCF, bridging contexts and highlighting best practice.

Her teaching interests centre on the cultural dimensions of spatial design, the role of memory and material in placemaking, and the translation of mixed-media references into three-dimensional space. As Year 2 Course Organiser at SCF, she guides students in discovering design as both process and dialogue, encouraging them to explore form, material, and concept through analogue and digital methods, innovative idea development, contextual research, and professional practice. As a collaborator in Year 4 delivery, she supports students in balancing professional practice with design theory, ensuring they are well prepared for the challenges of the industry.

At programme level, Silvia’s leadership focuses on curriculum design, feedback strategies, and student-centred learning in multicultural classrooms. She is committed to fostering inclusive, reflective, and globally engaged design education—an environment where students can test ideas, embrace experimentation, and build resilience as designers. In 2025, she obtained a PgCap qualification and Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, with her studies devoted to exploring feedback strategies in multicultural classrooms and gaining deeper insight into learning and dialogue in transnational settings.