By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
It is undeniable that Germany is one of the countries in Europe that is at the forefront of innovation. Hence, the Gestalt principle and design became very popular until now.
With the Philippine investment bureau delegates now in Europe to invite companies to invest in the Philippines and at the same to explore possible collaborations with other entities, a visit to Hasso Plattner Institute and meeting with Professor Ulrich Weinberg took place and discussed significant outcomes for the future of design thinking in the Philippines. In the meeting, HPI provided a comprehensive briefing to the Philippine delegation to shed light on the inner workings of HPI and the diverse curriculum offered to both private and public sector organizations. This exchange of knowledge is aimed to bolster support for design thinking in the country.
HPI offers innovation-oriented and practice-based studies with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in “IT-Systems Engineering” and master’s degrees in Digital Health, Data Engineering, Cybersecurity, and Software Systems Engineering. In addition, HPI offers a supplemental study program in the innovation method of Design Thinking.
The HPI also took this opportunity to update the delegates about the progress made regarding the proposed partnership between HPI and the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP). This partnership aims to establish a design thinking academy in the Philippines, poised to elevate the nation’s design thinking capabilities, starting with the initiation of the Philippine Design Academy + Policy Lab in 2024. The program will commence with a capacity-building initiative for innovation hub managers from Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs). The training will begin with a three-day session in Germany, exposing participants to the renowned D-School in Potsdam, followed by subsequent training sessions to be held in the Philippines.
The meeting between with the Philippine delegates and Professor Weinberg also represents a significant step forward in advancing design thinking initiatives in the Philippines. The collaboration between HPI and the DCP is expected to foster innovation, drive economic growth, and equip Filipino professionals with the necessary skills to tackle complex challenges and prepare them to be globally competitive.