Sharing and developing design thinking between the EU and Australia: lessons learned from an ICI-ECPScott Thompson-Whiteside and Gavin Melles

‘SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE’: Researching the EU from Australia and New Zealand

Acknowledgment• This presentation is based on a project funded with

support from the European Commission and the Australian Government between 2009 and 2013.

• The primary aim of the funding was to encourage student mobility between Australia and Europe and the co-creation of curriculum in the area of Design Thinking.

• This presentation and publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Overview• Student Mobility in Australia: trends and questions• EU-Australia student mobility• ICI Education and Cooperation Program• Design Education Partnership• Focus on Design Thinking• Discussion

Student MobilityShort term mobility Global Mobility

• In 2011, 12.3% of completing Australian undergraduate students enrolled onshore in Australian universities had undertaken an international study experience during their course, up from 12.0% in 2010.

• An equivalent figure for US undergraduates in 2009/10 was 9.5%

• In 2011, a total of 20,906 international study experiences at all levels were reported by the 36 universities that participated in the survey. This was a 14.0% increase on the number of experiences reported in 2010. This statistic counts all international study experiences, including those of less than 12 months.

Participation in student mobility: trends and frameworks – mixed messages• Need for greater integration of research and focus on

details of student motivations and frameworks (Harman 2005)

• Motivations & Realities of Internationalization differ (Altbach 2007; see Doyle et al 2009)

• Growth within (advanced economies) in Europe but globally stagnant (Rivza & Teichler 2007)

• Design & Creative Industries model for the new economy (Matheson 2006)

• Student Mobility has demonstrated increased intercultural awareness, increased employment opportunities and increased learning outcomes (Bolen 2007)

• Top six destinations for Australian students (2008-10) in order are: USA, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Japan

ICI-ECP• ICI-ECP activities provide funding for international

curriculum development projects between the EU and the Partner ICI-ECP countries.

• The primary objective is Student mobility between Australia and the EU. Students were funded for one semester (typically 4-5 months).

• Funded projects typically had secondary objectives related to joint programs, courses or curricula and longer term research cooperation.

• Consortia were required to represent institutions from different Australian States and different EU countries. Projects were funded bilaterally between the EU and each Partner Country.

• http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/bilateral_cooperation/eu_ici_ecp/

Building on existing relationships

• The Design Education Partnership and Knowledge Transfer project was built upon longstanding exchange links between Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Art and Design Helsinki (TAIK), now known as Aalto University.

• The project involved four institutions in Europe and three in Australia. In total 84 students, 42 in each direction, were funded. Approximately 15 staff were mobilized in support of curriculum development and other forms of academic collaboration.

Building on existing relationships• Lead Project Partners

▫ Swinburne University of Technology (Australia)▫ Aalto University (Finland)

• Other Partners▫ Politecnico di Milano (Italy)▫ L’Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique (France)▫ Business Academy Southwest (Denmark)▫ University Technology Sydney (Australia)▫ Griffith University (Australia)

Key Objectives• Student Mobility between EU and Australia• Widening and strengthening existing consortium links• Developing opportunities in both the higher education and

vocational education sectors• Developing innovative core curriculum among the partners

with a view to creating joint degrees• Mutually enhancing teaching, research and industry

linkages between Australia and Europe.

Design Thinking: a common mindset & language?

• Systematic creative technique taught at Stanford/IDEO

• Introduced at UG level since 2010

• Diffused and leveraged into other courses and activities across the faculty of design

• A focus for curriculum innovation in EU ICP

Key Outcomes• 78 exchange students (40 EU and 38 Australian) • Joint development and sharing of ‘Design Thinking’ across

institutions• Establishment of Swinburne Design Factory in collaboration

with Aalto University.• Swinburne Design Factory is a multi-disciplinary platform

that works with industry clients in design-led innovation. It uses design thinking (essentially a user-centered problem solving process) to generate innovative solutions for clients.

• Swinburne was recently recognised by the Australian Government, along with University Technology Sydney for its approach to design thinking and innovation in design (Creative Australia Policy 2012)

Final report Self-assessmentNo Type of Output Title (if applicable) % of realisation

1  

Curriculum Establish, distribute shared understanding of DesignThinking

 

80

2 

Academic credit 

Contract between partners 

100

3 

Student mobility 

Online mobility handbook 

100

4  

Student services Online mobility handbook includes language, culture

information

 

100

5 

Evaluation 

Construct exchange evaluation framework for project. 

60

6  

Staff exchange Collaborative advancement of current design thinking

curriculum via staff mobility.

 

80

7 

Dissemination 

Dissemination of post-project findings, recommendations 

80

8 

Continuity 

Proposed follow-up activities 

80

Looking to the future• Further development of the design

thinking and innovation agenda.• Further growth of Design Factory

and similar collaborative partnerships

• Continuing international curriculum developments

• Frameworks and themes for future exchange and degree programs

• Europe-Asia-Australia – future directions – E.g. 2014 Study Tour to Tongi University Design Factory (China) and Aalto Design Factory (Finland)

Discussion• Opportunity to fund exchange and develop networks• Degrees of commitment among partner institutions• Common mindset, e.g. design thinking, and interests

across partners?• Contribution to the creative industries and design

education agenda?• Developing exchange models and partnerships• Dealing with administrative issues across seven

institutions in five countries• Examining motivations and integrations

• Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 290–305.

• Australian Universities International Directors’ Forum. (2012). Outgoing International Mobility of Australian University Students : Analysis for the VIDC Universities ( VIDC ).

• Bolen, M.C. (2007) A Guide to Outcomes Assessment in Education Abroad, The Forum on Education Abroad

• Daly, A. J. (2005). Australian and New Zealand University Students’ Participation in International Exchange Programs. Journal of Studies in International Education, 9(1), 26–41.

• Doyle, S., Gendall, P., Meyer, L. H., Hoek, J., Tait, C., McKenzie, L., & Loorparg, a. (2009). An Investigation of Factors Associated With Student Participation in Study Abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education, 14(5), 471–490.

• Findlay, A. M., King, R., Smith, F. M., Geddes, A., & Skeldon, R. (2012). World class? An investigation of globalisation, difference and international student mobility. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 37(1), 118–131.

• Harman, G. (2005). Internationalization of Australian higher education: A critical review of literature and research. Internationalizing higher education, 119–140.

• Melles, G., Howard, Z., & Thompson-Whiteside, S. (2012). Teaching Design Thinking: Expanding Horizons in Design Education. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 162–166.

• Banks, M., Olsen, A., & Pearce, D. (2007). Global Student Mobility: An Australian Perspective Five Years On 07. IDP Australia

• Matheson, B. (2006). A culture of creativity: design education and the creative industries. Journal of Management Development, 25(1), 55–64.

• Rivza, B., & Teichler, U. (2007). The Changing Role of Student Mobility. Higher Education Policy, 20(4), 457–475.

• Swinburne University, & Aalto University. (2012). Design Education Partnership and Knowledge Transfer (Progress Report: ICI ECP Sixth Round - Joint Mobility Projects).