What power do collaboration and networking bring to educational institutions worldwide, and how can networking opportunities help us take a step toward the future of education? In this article we share some highlights and practical experiences of the Global Design Thinking Alliance members collaboration – ESPOL University (Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral) in Ecuador and Design Thinking Center, Asia from Kazakhstan.

At Penn State’s Learning Factory, Design Thinkers from around the globe came together to exchange ideas and expand the GDTA network. The 2023 conference marked another step in growing our global community of changemakers.

The GDTA family is expanding! Six new institutions from Europe and beyond have joined our global network, bringing fresh perspectives and energy to our shared mission of shaping the future with Design Thinking.

Asia’s largest virtual Design Thinking summit gathered innovators to tackle complex challenges. Hosted by SLTC in Sri Lanka, the event highlighted how collaboration and creativity can drive real solutions for wicked problems.

GDTA member Universidad Mayor brought global experts together in an exclusive online summit, showcasing fresh ideas and future directions in Design Thinking.

At the University of Cape Town, construction has begun on Africa’s first school dedicated to Design Thinking — a milestone supported by the Hasso Plattner Foundation as part of UCT’s 2030 vision.

Cairo became a hub for startups and innovators from North Africa and the Middle East as the American University in Cairo and HPI D-School hosted a four-day Global Design Thinking Week during the Rise Up Summit.

At the DTAM Awards in Malaysia, innovators who created real impact in their communities were honored for pushing the boundaries of human-centered problem solving.

At the GDTA Conference in New York, five new members joined our growing global network — strengthening our collective mission to advance Design Thinking worldwide.

GDTA President Uli Weinberg joined Egypt’s Global Forum on Higher Education, exchanging ideas on how Design Thinking can transform education and research.

How can Design Thinking accelerate urban innovation in China? Local leaders and innovators came together to explore new paths for sustainable development.

Our inaugural GDTA Conference set the stage for building global standards in Design Thinking education and research — and for promoting diversity across the innovation community.

The GDTA was officially launched 2007 during the 10th anniversary of the HPI School of Design Thinking in Potsdam — marking the start of a truly global alliance.