UCD Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability

This Certificate of Completion is awarded to students who have successfully completed the Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability. This UCD accredited, Level 9, 60 ECTS programme supports learners to: • Apply the Design Thinking process to create innovative, human-centric, sustainable solutions to complex, real-world problems. The five stage process includes skills in insight gathering, analysis, ideation, prototyping, iterative design and testing. • Develop a sustainability mindset through sustainability literacy including a working knowledge of sustainability systems, issues and tools, framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. • Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to determine, lead and review the appropriate and effective application of a Design Thinking approach within a professional environment. • Communicate persuasively, both individually and in teams, proposed solutions, ideas and concepts, using supporting evidence, insights and an awareness of assumptions, to influence different stakeholders, decision-makers and a wider general audience. • Practice reflective techniques to enhance decision-making, draw insights to inform future approaches and enable self directed learning into the future in the fast changing field of sustainability, among others. • Adopt and apply an entrepreneurial mindset - a way of thinking that creates value by recognising and acting on opportunities, making decisions with limited information, and remaining adaptable and resilient - in the design and implementation of sustainability solutions. • Develop transversal skills in creativity, teamwork, leadership, entrepreneurial thinking and action, communication and presentation skills. • Gain a broad perspective of the wider context around sustainability including key trends and underlying causes, an appreciation of synergies and conflicting approaches across sectors, an understanding of the systemic nature of the challenges and need for systemic solutions. Earners have successfully participated in the following learning modules: • Creative Thinking and Innovation • Entrepreneurship - Application & Mindset • Innovation Sprint • Sustainability - Systemic Approaches, Interdisciplinary Solutions • Leadership Development • Design for User-Centric, Sustainable Solutions