Design Education Today: Technical Contexts, Programs and Best Practices

This book provides extensive information on the key technical design disciplines, education programs, international best practices and modes of delivery that are aimed at preparing a trans-disciplinary design workforce for the future. It also presents a comprehensive overview of the scope of, and state of the art in, design education. 

The book highlights signature design education programs from around the globe and across all levels, in both traditional and distance learning settings. Additionally, it discusses professional societies for designers and design educators, as well as the current standards for professional registration, and program accreditation. Reflecting recent advances and emerging trends, it offers a valuable handbook for design practitioners and managers, curriculum designers and program leaders alike. It will also be of interest to students and academics looking to develop a career related to the more technical aspects of design. 

Dirk Schaefer is a Professor and Chair in Industrial Design at the University of Liverpool, UK. He is spearheading internationally leading research on Cloud-based Design and Manufacturing (CBDM) and Social Product Development (SPD). Professor Schaefer has more than twenty five years of experience in Computer-aided Engineering, Design and Manufacturing, both in industry and academia. A passionate educator, he also conducts research on Design Education, especially in the context of pedagogy focused on personalized Learning and the delivery of Design Education to learners in Online and other Distance Learning settings.

Claudia Eckert is a Professor of Design at the Open University, UK. She studies design processes in industrial practice and work on theoretical foundations of design research.