GDTA Annual Conference 2025: “Design Thinking for Good”

This year, we gather under the theme “Design Thinking for Good” to explore how design can create lasting, positive impact in education, health, sustainability, community resilience, and beyond. d.confence 2025 is the annual conference-festival of the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA), held each year by a different member institution of the network. In 2025, the conference will be hosted by Yasar University in Izmir, Turkey. The event is designed to promote the positive impact of design-oriented thinking and to contribute to the sustainable and human-centric development of cities. It brings together academics, designers, entrepreneurs, civil society actors, public institutions, and private sector professionals to foster an inspiring environment for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration.

Date & Location

Yasar University
İzmir, Türkiye
18–19 September 2025
Organized by the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA)

Program

The two-day program will feature keynote speeches, interactive panels, global workshops, and design safaris across the city — all centered around collective wisdom, empathy, and responsible innovation.

September 18, 2025:

Open Symposium (Yasar University) – An open, international-level symposium with speakers. Topics: Sustainable Design, Social Innovation, City and Society, Technology and the Cities of the Future.

September 19, 2025:

Half-Day Workshops – Interactive workshops where participants can develop projects and learn new methods.

Site Visits – Visits to design and innovation centers, social enterprises, and related urban areas in Izmir. On-site observation and review of best practices.

Evening – Entertainment A social event to bring participants together.

Registration

Join us in Izmir as we connect changemakers from across the globe, share transformative practices, and imagine a future where design truly serves humanity.

Registration opens in June.