Doctoral Courses System 4 Design Erasmus Project

Project Title

Doctoral Courses System 4 Design

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Context
DoCS4Design amplifies the impact of the design discipline in the society through PhD level education. It will achieve this by building a Critical Ecosystem of Research (CER) to interconnect learners and educators from different PhD design programs in relevant HEIs and to corroborate the links between design research (DR) and the broader socio-economic context. Through the CER, new models for PhD design education will foster the development of learners’ entrepreneurial mind-set.
Design is widely known as a discipline that connects different knowledge and envision innovation’s trajectories, tackling present and future challenges. The abrupt technological evolution of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the changes in the professional field determined by the shift toward the knowledge economy are increasing complexity of innovation and societal challenges. Professionals with cross-sector competences are effectively covering key roles and DR is inherently interdisciplinary; systemic and collaborative approaches, consolidated by design, are successfully addressing these issues. DR is becoming a powerful driver for innovation in many domains; hence, how to train design researchers through PhD education urge to be consistently and jointly addressed.

Main objectives
DoCS4Design aims at developing an international PhD Network of Excellence (Network), a lever to acknowledge how DR contributes to effective innovations. It is paramount to equip HE design learners and educators with novel approaches, training highly qualified experts with interdisciplinary and systemic capacities, able to adapt to a techno-digital future, to a changing labour market and to evolved institutions. The Network will outline forefront educational models that will flow into the CER, supporting capacity building for tertiary level educated workers to amplify their impact on academia, industry, government and society (Quadruple Helix innovation model) and fostering a mutual exchange within the Knowledge Triangle.

Activities
The Network will collect and develop means to nourish the construction of the CER. It will build a MAPS ECOLOGY to inform training models and an ECOSYSTEMIC LEXICON, a bottom-up methodological vocabulary for the design cultural impact on the entrepreneurial mind-set. Educators will employ the outputs to advise learners approaching interdisciplinary domains. It will develop a LIBRARY and a WUNDERKAMMER OERs, valuing the existing differences among the partner HEIs as richness, avoiding standardisation. The Network will outline a bold methodological framework, the UNIQUE CURRICULUM, to improve career management skills and interaction between PhD and private/public stakeholders; define policy recommendations (DRIVERS FOR INNOVATION), to drive public sector innovation by design, providing routes to work with other HEIs and policymakers.
In terms of competences development, DoCS4Design foresees 1 short-term joint staff training on advising, 2 intensive study programs for HE learners enrolled and teaching staff on research codifying and entrepreneurship, and 1 blended mobility for learners on ecosystemic impact. These, along with 2 transnational MEs, will test and support the project’s IO development.

Participants
The Network involves design educators and researchers within leading HEIs that similarly develop PhD programs that focus on scientific and technological knowledge production: TU Delft, Politecnico di Milano, Aalto University and Imperial College. Associated partners: Illinois Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University. These HEIs, from the same EU roots, have made design sprout in different branches starting from the mid 20th century. Differences among partners will ensure outstanding outputs, extending their impact within the Quadruple Helix dimensions.

Methodology
DoCS4Design outline a pedagogical approach based on different areas of knowledge, namely understanding, building, identifying, codifying, enhancing and driving, to emancipate PhD design education beyond academic boundaries, questioning its ecology, and developing the CER. Qualitative methods will connect individuals towards a wider innovative educational change. The Network will closely collaborate and exchange during meetings, activities and events.

Results, impact, benefits
The project will empower learners with a strategic view to shape the DR horizon to meet EU societal and entrepreneurial challenges. The key impact will derive from connecting design PhD education with industries, companies and public sectors where qualified designers cover key roles. DoCS4Design will maximise the uptake, multiplying the impact both at local and transnational level, both in professional and public avenues. Being disseminated through open access channels, the results will widen their impact, influencing PhD design education in many HEIs. The project values inclusion of diversities as a key factor for advancing and answering contemporary challenges.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 427107 Eur

Project Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT & Country: NL

Project Partners

• AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
• POLITECNICO DI MILANO
• IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE