Design Factory Global Network

🌐✨ World Design Factory Day is on the horizon! Every year, the global Design Factory community comes together for WDFD: a day dedicated to celebrating Design Factory culture and the people who make it thrive. This year, it will take place on 12 May, with Design Factories around the world contributing to a wave of activities, conversations and shared moments that highlight creativity, collaboration and the impact of our network. WDFD is members‑only meeting, a tribute to the educators, students, researchers, and partners who push boundaries, experiment boldly, and bring ideas to life. It’s a moment to reflect on our shared values and the vibrant community that connects Design Factories globally. 🔗 Learn more about WDFD and the network here: /insights/ #WDFD #DFGN #DesignFactory #GlobalCollaboration #InnovationCulture #CommunityCelebration #24HoursOfInnovation

📦 UnBoxed26 Call for Submissions! 🎉 Hey DFGN community, UnBoxed 2026 is here, and we are joining RTU Innovations Design Factory in Riga, Latvia, to celebrate our work and ideas! This is your chance to share your teaching practices, spark new conversations, and connect with educators and practitioners from around the world. 📢 The Call for Submissions is OPEN until May 18th! Whether you have a method that transformed your classroom, an experiment still in progress, or a question worth unpacking together, we want to hear from you. Share the call with your colleagues or people from your institution who might be interested or have projects and insights to share! 💬 Find your perfect path at UnBoxed 2026! With three tracks and three participation formats (Experience, Fishbowl or Pitch) there’s a place for every kind of innovator. And if you’re still shaping your idea, we’ve got you covered. Say hello to Research Idea Booster 2026, created to support research idea development from day one! 🔎 Contributions are welcome from educators, experts, and practitioners affiliated with Design Factories and their universities, or organisations looking to establish one (an invitation is required for the latter). Learn more and submit your contribution at 🔗conference.dfgn.org (link in bio). Join us, share your expertise, and be part of the future of teaching and learning. Let's unbox what's possible! ✨ #unboxed2026 #designfactory #DFGN #RTUdesignfactory #learningontheedge #designeducation #callforsubmission

Discover IdeaSquare Planet, a transformative learning experience developed at CERN IdeaSquare, as presented in the @dfglobalnetwork 's latest Deep Dive focusing on circular economy principles in educational practices. With such an approach, we push students to think bigger and bolder on adventures that have no right answer and no clear framework to follow. It hinges on a question: What if humanity were compelled to start anew on an entirely different planet? How could we make choices that prioritise sustainability? You can read the DFGN Deep Dive here: /wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DFGN-Deep-Dive-Circular-Economy.pdf

Super excited to share that the first DFGN Deep Dive is out! What’s a Deep Dive? It’s our report series that explores how different Design Factories around the world approach a shared theme, not by listing ready‑made templates, but by uncovering patterns, stories and practices across diverse educational contexts. Out now: Circular Economy principles in educational practices from Design Factory Global Network! When we asked from the network what topic should be explored first, Circular Economy came back as the clear answer. 15 Design Factories took part in in‑depth interviews, resulting in a rich collection of practices that show just how creatively educators bring Circular Economy principles to life. You’ll find examples such as: 💡Educators who visit scrapyards and wetlands; 💡Educators who invite kindergarteners to final presentations; 💡Educators who build campfires in classrooms; 💡Educators who take students to imaginary exoplanets and bring them back with a new point of view! Rather than a catalogue of plug‑and‑play methods, this Deep Dive offers windows into how educators in different places, with different partners and constraints, craft meaningful learning experiences rooted in Circular Economy thinking. “I hope that reading this report will sparked an idea to explore, a tool to try, or a question to sit with," shares Project lead Floris van der Marel. "I hope this report serves as the basis for connection. The educators in this report are not hard to find. I hope that you find them.” Access the Circular Economy principles in educational practices report here: /insights/ #aaltodesignfactory #educationalpractices #designfactoryglobalnetwork #circulareconomy

We're thrilled to welcome Babson Design Factory to the @dfglobalnetwork ! 🚀 🌍 Now part of a worldwide community of 38 innovation hubs, the Babson Design Factory is where ideas don’t stay ideas. The @babsoncollege Design Factory at the @weissmanfoundry brings entrepreneurship to life through hands‑on prototyping, collaboration, and design‑led learning rooted in real‑world challenges. Because the best way to learn is to build. #DFGN #DesignFactory #BabsonDesignFactory #LearnByDoing #FutureBuilders #EntrepreneurialMindset

The @designfactorypujbog / @arquidisenopuj in @unijaveriana and CaliDF (@ciejaveriana ) in @javerianacali have been part of the @dfglobalnetwork (DFGN) since 2016. As members of the DFGN, we have the opportunity to take innovation to the next level, gaining international perspectives to address challenges similar to those we work on in Colombia, sharing our Latin American perspective with the other countries in the network, and enriching innovation and design learning processes. The strategies we implement at the DFGN include Rat Relays, or agile and international design marathons; learning events such as Deep Dives and Monthly Meetings, where we share knowledge on specific topics; regional events like the recent American Innovation Week; and other global events such as the World Design Factory Day and the International Design Factory Week. Want to learn more about the DFGN? Visit the website: / Want to get involved in an activity? Write to us privately, or you can also write to Lucas, Coordinator of DFJBOG, at [email protected]

Innovation, design thinking, and global collaboration—all in one week. Pace University’s NYC Design Factory hosted leaders from 20 universities in the Design Factory Global Network for International Design Factory Week 2025 + UnBoxed2025—advancing bold ideas in AI, sustainability, and future-focused education. 🌍💡 Check out the photos to see some highlights of global innovation in action, and read more at the link in bio! #PaceGoGetters #PaceU #DesignThinking #GlobalInnovation

@dfglobalnetwork IDFW25 testimonials 🧑‍🚀 Next year - @rtuzic

UnBoxed at IDFW (International Design Factory Week) ✨ An open gathering for educators, experts, and practitioners worldwide. From artistic performance workshops and an incredible keynote with live band improvisation to dynamic discussions where participants rotated in and out of conversation circles, exploring AI in education, innovative teaching tools, and best practices. Live demos, show-and-tells, and poster showcases sparked hands-on collaboration and knowledge exchange 🌍 DFGN colleagues reunited with warm hugs while welcoming new faces from outside the network. Ideas flowed, connections formed, and inspiration filled every conversation! #UnBoxed2025 #IDFW #DesignEducation #DesignFactory #AaltoDF

Some BIG things are happening this month! 👀 DFGN (Design Factory Global Network) events are taking over, so here are some details and numbers from the DFGN Report. 🚀 If you’re ready to join the fun, we have an AMAZING opportunity waiting for you: Rat Relay 🎉Check out our other post for all the details and follow @dfglobalnetwork and @aaltodf for updates and upcoming announcements! #DFGN #AaltoDF #DesignFactory #Innovation #Research

Off to NYC! 🗽✈️ The DFGN team is heading to the biggest annual event of the Network: International Design Factory Week (IDFW) 🎉 For one week, representatives from Design Factories around the world gather to connect, share best practices, and plan new collaborations. DFGN is a network of 38 innovation hubs in universities and research institutions worldwide🌍 This year’s host is Pace University! We are excited for a week full of ideas, energy, and community building 🚀 #DFGN #IDFW2025 #Innovation #DesignFactory #AaltoDF #AaltoDesignFactory

We are excited to share that the "Design Factory Global Network as experienced by our members" report is now available!🌏📖✍️ In a series of focus groups, we explored the network's role, benefits, and the key moments that have shaped the network with representatives from Design Factories across the global network. This report captures those insights and perspectives. Thank you to Floris van der Marel for conducting the focus groups and developing the report, as well as to all the DFGN members’ representatives who participated and shared their insights!🎉 If you haven’t yet, you can download it from the DFGN website or you can read it on ISSUU through the link in our Instagram bio. Feel free to share this research with anyone who might be interested in learning about the network from the members' perspective!💫