Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation

SUMMARY

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation is a specialised, private, non-profit university located in Dubai Design District, United Arab Emirates. Established to nurture the next generation of designers and creative entrepreneurs, the institute offers a curriculum developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design.

HISTORY

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation was established in 2018 as part of Dubai’s wider strategy to develop a sustainable and globally competitive creative economy. Founded with direct support from the Dubai Government to address the growing need for skilled designers in the Middle East and North Africa region, the institution forms a core part of Dubai’s ambition to become a global city of design, aligned with initiatives such as Dubai Design Week and the development of Dubai Design District.

Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation is positioned as a regional hub for design-led education, creativity, and industry collaboration. partnered with two world-leading design education institutions: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design at The New School. These partnerships influence the curriculum and the interdisciplinary methodology that defines Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation’s educational structure.

The decision to locate Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation within Dubai Design District was strategic, enabling direct connectivity between students and the professional design ecosystem. Instead of traditional academic tracks, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation implemented an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Design programme that encourages the merging of design disciplines. Students are able to create their own learning pathways, working across product design, fashion, multimedia, business innovation, and digital futures.

From its early years, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation emphasised experiential learning and industry immersion. Students regularly participate in exhibitions, hackathons, entrepreneurship challenges, global design week events, and collaborative research with industry partners. The institute also maintains strong ties to local culture and contemporary regional design practices. It incorporates regional narratives, sustainability challenges, and cultural identity into coursework, thereby cultivating a design language that speaks to both global and regional contexts.

Over time, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation has built a growing presence in international creative networks, showcasing student work in global exhibitions and forming partnerships with government organisations, cultural institutions, and innovation clusters across the world. Today Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation’s library is a crucial and valuable resource for research, study, and teaching. Open to all students and staff, the Design Library supports and houses a growing and comprehensive collection of print and digital resources that cover all of DIDI’s courses and disciplines. The library provides access to print and digital books, a material’s library, and the Living Library (Livrary) – an active database of the Humans of the Dubai Design District (d3).

VISION

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation’s founding vision centres on enabling young designers to become problem-solvers and leaders in rapidly evolving industries. The institute recognises that modern design is interdisciplinary and interconnected, spanning technological, cultural, social, and business dimensions. The founders envisioned an educational model that encourages originality, curiosity, and experimentation. Rather than teaching students to simply follow existing norms, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation aims to help them question assumptions and develop new solutions for contemporary challenges. This includes supporting entrepreneurship and design-led innovation with real-world application.

TOP DESIGN COURSES

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation is licensed and its Bachelor of Design program is accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates. The institute takes pride in collaborating with the world’s leading and most prestigious innovation, teaching, and research universities: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and The New School’s Parsons School of Design. Together they crafted a world-class design curriculum, elevating it to the highest standards of learning and education.

DIDI’s Bachelor of Design is the first multidisciplinary curriculum in the region offering four disciplines: Product Design, Multimedia Design, Fashion Design, and Strategic Design Management. The 4-year program begins with an immersive year exposing students to basic visual, digital, and entrepreneurship skills. Then, from their second year onwards, students combine two disciplines to create their own educational journey. The BDes program combines visual literacy, technological fluency, and strategic proficiency. Within each course, whether a studio, workshop, or lecture, students engage in what DIDI calls the 4 Cs: Conceptualisation, Communication, Crafting, and Care. It is accredited by the Ministry of Education in the UAE, Commission for Academic Accreditation.

JOB INTEGRATION SERVICES

Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation provides structured career development programmes designed to help students integrate into the creative industries. The Careers and Partnerships Office works closely with businesses to offer internships, mentorships, and industry-based studio projects that allow students to build professional portfolios. Students are matched with organisations across sectors including design consultancies, luxury fashion houses, architecture firms, technology start-ups, cultural foundations, and corporate innovation units. Many students participate in internships during their studies, transitioning into employment after graduation. In addition to practical placements, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation supports entrepreneurial pathways. The institute provides incubation guidance for student-led projects, start-up mentoring, and opportunities to present innovations at exhibitions and investment showcases.