Firstly Leeds-based furniture student Ali Alaskari is heading to Milan to show his work. Ali, 23, who lives in Hyde Park, will exhibit his work at the Politecnico di Milano after winning a design competition. Eight other Leeds College of Art and Design students from the BA (Hons) Interior Design and BA (Hons) Art and Design courses will also be exhibiting in Milan. Ali is originally from Bahrain and moved to Leeds in 2006 to study at degree level. When he has graduated, Ali will return to Bahrain to teach high school students for five years. Ali explained, “I chose the college due to the first rate machinery and workshops and because I love the city of Leeds. Winning this competition means a lot to me.” The students were set a design brief for furniture to be used by young children and in primary schools. The winning design was Ali’s concept The Independent Child. The winning design develops five to seven-year-olds by giving them options of how the children can use their school furniture. Ali was presented with a cheque for £300. Now Sponsors Vari Tech Ltd will offer work placements to the three students who have developed the most innovative concepts. Meanwhile another of the college's students Jessica-Lee Mitchell has won the opportunity to sell her hand-made cards in Leeds City Art Gallery’s Craft Centre. Jessica-Lee, 18, from Morley is studying for her A-levels the college. Her greetings cards began as a coursework project on recycling but developed into a hobby that is turning out to be very rewarding. She was overjoyed to be asked to produce 20 cards for the gallery which are now on sale in the Craft Centre. Jessica-Lee says “I have always been interested in card design and I wanted to incorporate the use of recycled materials into my cards – luckily I am a natural hoarder so had lots of resources to work with when creating my designs”. Leeds College of Art and Design is also the venue of a one-day conference, on Friday 16 March 2007, looking at case studies of research into design and teaching, and questioning the contemporary design curriculum. | 
