Design for Sustainability

Learning Objectives

The study programme for the Level II Academic Diploma in Design for Sustainability aims to further develop the skills already acquired in the Level I Diploma in Design. The course aims to develop specialist skills in the field of design in relation to sustainability, defined as the interaction between three complex systems: the global economy, global society and the physical environment of the Earth. The Level II Diploma in Design for Sustainability was created in conjunction with the entry of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome into the global framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). In harmony with the UN SDSN, pursuing the global priorities outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the 17 sustainable development goals that form the core of the 2030 Agenda, the Study Plan for the Level II Diploma in Design for Sustainability takes into account the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – to teach students how to design solutions for the development of people’s lives and communities, sustainable scenarios for the cities and territories of the future. The analysis of complex systems and the design of innovative concepts on an urban and territorial scale are crucial, capable of triggering beneficial processes of social transformation and increasing the circular economy through the search for innovative and recycled materials. At the end of the two-year course, graduates will be able to manage the conception, design and implementation of works, products and design processes, in accordance with the methodological approach to sustainability. Graduates will also be able to articulate their theoretical and technical skills both as a link between the worlds of research and production, and as professionals capable of interpreting the relationship between design and sustainable development. The learning objectives also include the ability, at the end of the training period, to manage the sustainability processes imposed by the European Community within corporate organisations. Students will have the opportunity to acquire a systemic approach to Design for Sustainability and to anticipate the possible evolution of the design project as a physical terminal of systems of social interaction and relationships. Graduates of the Level II diploma course in Design for Sustainability must acquire in-depth theoretical and design training in the field of Design as well as specific methodological, analytical and technological tools related to the field of Sustainability studies.

Final assessment

The final assessment for the Level II Academic Diploma in Design for Sustainability consists of the presentation and discussion of a project carried out under the guidance of one or more supervisors, and involves the development of a piece of work based on several design themes, including of an interdisciplinary nature, related to the training activity of the study programme. The thesis in Design for Sustainability will consist of a theory-and-design thesis accompanied by technical drawings, presentation boards, prototypes and 3D models, and will be written under the supervision of a thesis supervisor. Students will be able to structure the research topics of the two-year specialisation course and, through the final assessment, highlight the full design specificity acquired during the training programme.

Career prospects

As Design for Sustainability is becoming increasingly central to the planning activities of companies and public administrations focused on activating social communities and redeveloping environmental, urban or natural contexts, at the end of the training course, graduates will have access to a wide range of professions, including:

• Sustainability Designer, capable of designing and developing new sustainable concepts in various areas of Product Design;
• Eco Designer, Furniture Designer, Industrial Designer, Urban Designer and Landscape Designer at companies, associations and public and private institutions;
• Independent professional activity providing design consultancy services for private and public entities;
• Collaboration with professional firms and technical offices specialising in the fields of Product Design, Public Space Design, Design Systems, and Eco Design;
• Sustainability Officer, responsible for sustainability processes required in Europe;
• Consultant in multidisciplinary teams for project design, creation of sustainable products and services in national and international projects, in public and private contexts.

Knowledge and understanding

Graduates must have acquired knowledge and understanding in their field of study, enabling them to develop and apply original ideas, including in a research context.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Graduates must have acquired knowledge and understanding in their field of study, enabling them to develop and apply original ideas, including in a research context.

Independent thinking (making judgements)

Graduates will be required to integrate and further develop the independent judgement skills acquired during their first-level academic and university courses.
They will also need to demonstrate critical thinking skills and evaluate possible alternatives: critique and problem solving

Communication skills

Through their thesis and accompanying projects, graduates must demonstrate that they can clearly and effectively explain the link between the theoretical work presented and the profession they intend to pursue.

Learning skills

Graduates will develop independent cultural and scientific research skills that will enable them to pursue their professional careers – but also in teaching – to remain fully up to date in your specific area of expertise.