The lab of 16 students, or the class of 50, are practices of the past. There are more students, but less money for instructors. Family funding of education has become increasingly difficult as disposable income dwindles. Alumni are a traditional source of money for education, however designers are not usually significant contributors when considered in the context of a university budget. Designers rarely donate buildings or create fellowships for advanced studies in interior design.
Research funding is an extremely valuable source of revenue to colleges and universities.
There is a direct correlation between the monies likely to be generated by the findings of research, such as a new wonder drug for which the public would pay millions, and the dollar amount invested in discovery or development. It seems unlikely in today's financial climate that purely aesthetic elements of design will find significant research funding. It is reality that in education and in practice an increased demand exists for technology and pragmatism. In the practice of design, firms vary as dramatically as do the programs. Some firms are known for their fine aesthetic design, others for their practical programming.