Innovative Horizons: Leveraging Design Thinking for Institutional and Academic Change in Higher Education

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the concept of 'Design' within Higher Education has often been associated with approaches like 'Universal Design for Learning' and 'Co-Design in Classroom Settings'. While these applications are immensely valuable in enhancing the classroom experience for students and teachers alike, there is a burgeoning movement that extends the use of Design Thinking beyond conventional boundaries. Design Thinking—a methodology traditionally reserved for designers—has found its place in Higher Education, not just as a pedagogical tool but as a transformative approach in academic practices, policy formulation, and institutional management.

The emergence of initiatives such as the Maynooth Innovation Lab (Mi:Lab) exemplifies this shift, showcasing how Design Thinking can transcend its role from aiding teaching co-design to influencing decision-making processes and policy development within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This Special Issue will explore how academics and HEI leaders are incorporating Design Thinking into their work, reshaping educational landscapes, and fostering innovative practices for both students and staff.

This Special Issue aims to catalyze a comprehensive discourse on the transformative potential of Design Thinking in Higher Education, extending beyond traditional pedagogical applications to influence academic disciplines, institutional strategies, and policy frameworks. This Special Issue proposal not only fits within the broad scope of the Education Sciences journal, but also has the potential to contribute significantly to its aims by showcasing cutting-edge research that bridges theory, practice, and policy in education through the lens of Design Thinking.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Case studies of Design Thinking applications in Higher Education settings.
• Theoretical perspectives on the integration of Design Thinking in academic and professional practices in Higher Education.
• Innovations in Higher Education management and policy-making through Design Thinking.
• Interdisciplinary approaches to implementing Design Thinking in Higher Education.
• Reflections and critiques on the challenges and opportunities of adopting Design Thinking in Higher Education environments.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Threase Finnegan-Kessie
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• design thinking
• higher education innovation
• educational policy and design
• interdisciplinary teaching methods
• curriculum development strategies
• academic administration
• collaborative learning environments
• educational technology integration
• creative problem-solving in education
• leadership in higher education