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Welcome to newsletter #3 of
EU / Design 2 Freedom project
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Integrating PwD-Centered Design into university curricula to address disabilities, fostering inclusive education, and empowering students to create accessible, user-centered products and services.
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Project updates
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Person-Centered Design in Action : Design 2 Freedom at ICERI 2025
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The Design2Freedom consortium proudly presented its research and results at ICERI 2025, one of Europe’s major conferences on education and innovation, held this November in Valencia.
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Our presentation — “Person-Centered Inclusive Design in Higher Education: A Case Study from the Design2Freedom Project” — was delivered by Laura Ruiz Minguet (COCEMFE) during the session Special Education (1).
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It highlighted how the project empowers people with disabilities, educators, and students to co-create more inclusive and participatory learning environments across Europe.
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Our Deliverables Are Now Online!
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All Design2Freedom resources are freely available on our website:
🌍 Experience Map
🎓 Educational Toolkit
💻 MOOC Courses
📘 Good Practice Guide
🔗 Platform – platform.design2freedom.eu
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These tools offer educators, NGOs, and policymakers concrete methods to implement inclusive design in higher education.
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🚀 Next Milestone: The New European Bauhaus Festival 2026
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Design2Freedom has been officially submitted to the New European Bauhaus Festival 2026, to be held in Brussels from 9–13 June 2026.
If selected, our consortium will showcase a Living Lab of Inclusion — an interactive, phygital exhibition where people with disabilities will lead co-design sessions with the public.
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Stay tuned to discover whether Design2Freedom will take part in this inspiring European celebration!
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Some Resources on Inclusive Design and Education
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Following our participation at ICERI 2025, this month’s selection of resources focuses on inclusive design and education — reflecting the themes discussed during the conference.
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This session explored innovative approaches to inclusion in higher and vocational education.
From understanding barriers for students with mental health difficulties to applying person-centered design through the Design2Freedom Project, and fostering collaboration between universities and industry for inclusive employment — the presentations reflected a shared vision of education that values accessibility, participation, and human diversity.
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This session examined diverse challenges and perspectives in special education, from uncovering gender biases in autism diagnosis and supporting autistic girls through awareness projects, to addressing financial literacy gaps among people with intellectual disabilities and the barriers faced by autistic students in mainstream classrooms.
Together, the presentations offered a global view of inclusion, highlighting the need for equity, understanding, and tailored support in education.
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This session explored the evolving role of design thinking in education and innovation — from empowering teachers as creative agents and integrating technology into learning processes, to applying experiential and applied design thinking for complex challenges in interior design, chemistry, and beyond.
Together, the presentations highlighted design as a catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving across disciplines.
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This session addressed the complex dimensions of student wellbeing in higher education — from the rise of political polarization and impostor syndrome to issues of violence risk, cultural orientation, and self-regulation among diverse student groups.
The presentations underscored the importance of psychological resilience, intercultural understanding, and supportive learning environments for holistic student development.
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Creativity & Critical Thinking
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This session examined how artificial intelligence and international collaboration are reshaping creativity and critical thinking in education.
From AI-driven tutoring and creative writing platforms to global competitions and design innovation, the presentations showcased how technology can empower inquiry, collaboration, and imagination across disciplines and borders.
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This session explored cultural diversity and equity in education across global contexts — from teacher preparation for multicultural classrooms and faith inclusion in schools to supporting marginalized identities and ethnic minority youth.
The presentations emphasized belonging, cultural awareness, and equal opportunities as foundations for inclusive and socially responsive education.
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This session highlighted creative approaches transforming higher education — from project-based and agile learning models to values-driven ecosystems and serious games.
The presentations demonstrated how experiential, collaborative, and technology-enhanced pedagogies can foster critical thinking, social connection, and adaptability among students.
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Problem & Challenge-Based Learning
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This session showcased innovative pedagogies that immerse students in real-world problem solving and interdisciplinary collaboration.
From active learning in food technology and application development to international and AI-driven challenges, the presentations illustrated how challenge-based learning cultivates creativity, critical thinking, and practical innovation in higher education.
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COCEMFE, Spain, is an NGO representing people with physical and organic disabilities. Comprising 92 organizations across the nation, COCEMFE spans the entirety of Spain, representing the primary entities serving individuals with chronic diseases. COCEMFE is the coordinator of the D2F project.
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Universidade da Coruña, Spain: public university created in 1989. Specializing on the use of innovative technologies, their initiatives encompass the creation of support products aimed at facilitating access to the information society and the development of digital content for interventions tailored to individuals with disabilities.
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Creative District is an agency for social innovation and strategic development in the creative industries. The organisation bridges creative entrepreneurship and institutional transformation across Europe and Africa, connecting grassroots innovation with public policy and capacity building for sustainable ecosystems.
Its work fosters inclusion, empowerment, and systemic change through design, culture, and innovation.
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VIKO: Institution of Higher Education is the largest accredited University in Lithuania. The university has been awarded the Knowledge Economy Forum for Innovations Diploma. In addition, every year the study programs are revised to respond to the current social and economic requirements of the labor market, meeting the needs demanded by society.
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The Technical University of Košice was founded in 1952. It meets a wide range of educational needs not only in the Eastern Slovakia region, but also in the whole of Slovakia and Central Europe as in many of the specializations it is the only center of education and research in these areas. TUKE established the Access Center for disability on July 2000, as a special pedagogical workplace for students with disabilities.
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Social Networks
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Follow us on the partners' social networks using the hashtag #Design2Freedom,
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and stay informed about our upcoming activities on our website !
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them
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