Architecting the GCC’s largest high school design education program with the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation.
The Concept
To cement Dubai’s status as a global design hub, design education must be embedded at the foundational level of the school system. Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) enlisted Bon Education to support the university in developing a nationwide design initiative that moves beyond traditional awareness. By equipping high school youth with industry-validated design tools and training educators in design pedagogy, the program positioned the university as a vital bridge between the K-12 system and the broader creative economy.
Industry
Higher Education / Creative Industries
Goal
Cultivating a regional mindset that values design as a critical driver of economic and social innovation, while simultaneously introducing youth to rewarding careers in the design field.
Services
Program Design, Curriculum Development, Scalable "Train-the-Trainer" Operational Model, Corporate Partnerships, Multi-Year Recruitment of Schools, and Scaling of Operations
Impact
20,000+ youth engaged; 1,000+ teachers trained; 30+ corporate briefs solved.
The Opportunity
The primary opportunity was not just university visibility, but boosting regional perception of design as a critical industry. To support Dubai’s goal of becoming a global design capital, the university needed a way to:
Spark regional interest
Move high school students from passive awareness to an active desire to pursue design as a high-value career.
Support the school system
Provide a tangible, value-added way to support regional schools by training their staff in modern innovation tools.
Drive economic vision
Create a visible, scalable model that demonstrates how academia (DIDI) and youth can solve real-world corporate challenges, feeding directly into Dubai’s creative economy strategy.
Our approach
Bon Education collaborated with DIDI, beginning with the question, “What would it be like to put a design studio in every high school in the region?” This deep exploration eventually led to DIDI Project Design Space - an annual program that teaches students how to think and work like designers while solving innovation challenges for real clients, including top global brands and regional government entities.
To enable high schools to deliver the program, we designed a custom, modular design education curriculum with DIDI. This curriculum served as the backbone of the program each year, providing students with the foundational knowledge and skills to tackle innovation challenges using design thinking and other innovation tools and mindsets.
Additionally, we enlisted 3+ challenge partners each year to pose unique innovation challenges to students. These challenges were based on real problems or opportunities the clients faced, spanning topics from sustainability to blockchain to fashion.
Each year, the program journey consisted of a blend of virtual teacher and student workshops delivered by DIDI faculty and the DIDI Project Design Space team, teacher-led design clubs, and a regional student design competition. At the annual finals event, teams presenting outstanding solutions received live feedback from DIDI faculty and client leadership.
This became a win-win-win solution: the university successfully cascaded design education to regional high schools, teachers and students learned critical design and innovation skills, and corporate and government partners connected meaningfully with the next generation, gaining new insights into their perspective.
After nine years of partnership, Bon Education completed a full handover of the program to DIDI. Today, DIDI leads and delivers the program independently. What began as a shared question has become a lasting institution, owned and driven by the DIDI team.
The Results
National Sector Alignment
Successfully bridged the gap between higher education, the school system, and industry, positioning DIDI as a central pillar of the UAE’s creative infrastructure.
Scale & Engagement
20,000+ youth participants across the region, creating a new generation of design-literate citizens.
Capacity Building
1,000+ teachers trained from 275+ schools.
Program Partnerships
Secured 30+ corporate and government partners over a 9 year period including Nike, WWF, EY, MoCCAE, LG, EY and Samsung.
More
Projects
Empowering Youth to Explore Critical Industries for the Future
Collaborating with regional governments and leading organizations to ensure a steady pipeline of talent for priority industries in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Bridging the Gap Between University and Employment
Supporting graduates in securing employment through workforce readiness training, career coaching, and industry experience projects.
Delivering a World-Class Graduate Program
Designing and delivering a world-class decade-long program that transforms top global graduates into leaders and lifelong ambassadors for Dubai.
A Program for Program Professionals
Hosting a global community of program directors, L&D managers, community organizers, civil servants, and CSR professionals who support one another in leading high-impact programs.
