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Ryerson students are going places with their education.

Fourth-year fashion design student Angelica Colucci went to Milan this summer to live, breathe and expand her knowledge of international fashion. Travelling for the first time on her own, Colucci has combined a European vacation with an opportunity to study design in Milan for six weeks. Prior to beginning her courses at the Nuova Accademia de Belle Arti, Colucci travelled to England, Jordan, France and Switzerland.

"I have had it in my mind for a while that Europe is my future. I needed to come out here on my own to give it a test run," Colucci said. "It felt like the time for me to explore and dip my toes into the fashion scenes of different countries."

Colucci is one of many Ryerson students who is having an eventful summer  working, studying, or even assisting faculty with research projects.

The chair of the School of Fashion, Robert Ott, says experiences such as Colucci's can really supplement a university education.

"Travel is an important aspect of experiential learning, allowing students to put each country and culture's nuances into context of the process of design. When we travel, we bring a completely different attitude toward our experiences. We learn to appreciate our commonalities and our differences with the people we encounter. In order to be a successful designer, one must understand the interconnection of all factors," Ott said.

Colucci has found creative inspiration in the sights and culture of Europe. Taking time to photograph, draw and witness the diverse fashion sense of local citizens has enabled her to think creatively about design.

The two courses Colucci is taking in Italy are haute couture from east to west and textiles, which will be used as a credit for her Ryerson degree. Since arriving in Milan, Colucci has learned a lot about the fashion industry not only in terms of technique but history as well. Classes include films and field trips to give students a strong understanding of the Italian scene and Colucci has already started dress designing.

"Through this process I have learned that I need to be a lot freer in my technique. Teachers here would rather see an expressive messy illustration than a perfectly, accurate representation of the body and your design on it. It's been a challenge for me but this creative freedom is what I came here to experience," she said.

Ryerson's more than 60-year-old fashion program focuses on fashion as an art, a business and an intellectual pursuit. There are two streams in the undergraduate program: design and communication. Alumni such as Brian Bailey from Project Runway Canada and Erdem Moralioğlu, whose designs have been worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have become prominent figures in the fashion industry.