Workshop: Design for Social Innovation - let's build a multi-disciplinary network of practitioners!
Back to overview| Author |
 Pierre Echard |
|---|---|
| Co-Author | Pierre Echard Natasha Daix Joy Sfeir |
| Description | Join us to build the foundations for an action-learning network which could monitor opportunities, broker relations, connect expertise, learn, and showcase social and environmental innovation. A network where creatives from visual arts, design and spatial arts, could connect with all other disciplines, to co-create learning journeys and field-based action research projects. As an artistic institution we have many of the required the creative skills, but we are interested connecting with social and hard scientists, engineers, policy makers, experts in education, in mobility, nutrition, migration etc. to fully address systemic challenges. |
| Topic | Co-creative, transformative learning environments |
| Format | Network studio |
| Bio | Pierre has nearly 30 years of experience in managing environmental and social innovation projects with businesses, non-profits, intergovernmental agencies and academia. He began his career living several years in Africa and Latin America, where he managed urban environmental projects with NGOs and UN agencies until the early 2000s. Returning to Europe, he then spent a decade supporting large and small business on Corporate Social Responsibility, social and circular business development and eco-innovation, before engaging in Design Thinking for environmental and social innovation with young social entrepreneurs. These complementary dynamics converged in 2019 with the creation of a master’s Degree in Design for Social Innovation at ESA Saint Luc Arts College in Brussels, a unique programme of applied learning through field projects, where he teaches methodology and studio work. He also co-manages the ESA Saint Luc research and innovation unit, which designs and implements multidisciplinary action-research social innovation projects. In September 2022, a new specialised master’s programme will be launched, supported by the Belgian Development Agency ENABEL, where a dozen scholars from Africa and Latin America will join students from Europe to work on design for social innovation for future cities. |