The Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) is expanding its educational offerings for the academic year 2024/25 by introducing a Master of Arts programme (Second Level Academic Diploma). There are ten new courses that IED has presented to the Ministry of Universities and Research (Mur) based on the broader vision of the DesignXCommons manifesto, which focuses on design applied to the commons. The new programme is transversally oriented based on the concept of the common good. Its goal is to formulate new design questions anticipating future challenges and to identify emerging sectors.
“At IED we have always promoted design as one of the main levers through which to improve the world. A catalyst for multiple perspectives to generate positive change. This means observing the world and, where necessary, developing solutions to meet the needs of the planet (including humans and all other species) in a conscious manner, fostering harmony between individuals, technology and the environment”, says Riccardo Balbo, Academic Director IED Group. “This vision, embodied in the DesignXCommons concept, guides IED’s ten Master of Arts courses: the core value is the same, i.e. design contributes to the definition, regeneration, implementation, integration and sharing of the commons.”
The vision, which is already being implemented by IED in its three-year degree programmes, has been incorporated into the IED Master of Arts courses to create a continuous and dynamic learning environment. Students can actively participate in interdisciplinary projects with experts from various fields, experiment with innovative methodologies, participate in governance models, and engage in sustainable practices. These are essential for the success of transformative interventions and the management of common resources.
“The development of IED, owned by a non-profit Organisation, is part of a profoundly positive and responsible evolution that has led to its transformation into a Benefit Corporation in Italy. Clearly, IED has integrated into its corporate objectives what has always been part of its DNA: to generate shared value for the community and the environment while committing to operating responsibly, sustainably, and transparently. Balbo concludes: “Based on this approach, the natural evolution of the new IED Master of Arts programme can only be viewed from the perspective of Design as a project value for the common good”.
