The role of reflective creative practices to advance social inclusion and sustainability in design education

In a world increasingly shaped by social and environmental challenges, Design education stands as a catalyst for positive change. In this scenario, reflective creative practices are strategic to equip future designers with the needed design culture to address the urgent issues of social inclusion and sustainability. As conventional design frameworks evolve, there is a clear need for an innovative educational approach that promotes critical thinking, empathy, and ethical responsibility. Accordingly, Design schools play a pivotal role as centres to fuel innovative thinking. Through a proposed model focusing on four pathways – “awareness”, “engagement”, “empowerment”, and “impact” – this work demonstrates how experiential learning can transform students into proactive agents of change.