d-school AFRIKA UPDATES

Design-led mindsets for becoming a different kind of thinker and doer in an uncertain world.

Join Our Global Design Thinking Conference Watch Party

18 September 2025 | Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika, UCT

All day, or when you choose.

Curious about the Foundation Programme in Design Thinking?

Join our d.scover Online Info Session to find out what it’s all about – and whether it’s the right fit for you. This session offers a valuable opportunity to learn more about the programme structure, hear from alumni, and ask any questions you might have before applying.

Hosted by Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT, our Design Dialogue series in 2025 offers a monthly opportunity for the design thinking community on the continent to come together to connect and network with others in the field, share knowledge and experiences, and co-develop valuable insights specific to Afrikan contexts of design thinking teaching and practice. Whether you’re new to or an expert in the field, all are welcome in this space for reflection, connection and critical engagement with our dynamic field.



In May, we will be hosting our first in-person event where a panel of experts will take a “deep dive” into the relationship between design thinking and organisational change.

Are you ready to explore design thinking and how it can shape your future as a creative problem solver?

A design-led mindset is quickly becoming one of the most crucial assets to have in today’s modern working world.

Hosted by Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT, our Design Dialogue series in 2025 offers a monthly opportunity for the design thinking community on the continent to come together to connect and network with others in the field, share knowledge and experiences, and co-develop valuable insights specific to Afrikan contexts of design thinking teaching and practice. Whether you’re new to or an expert in the field, all are welcome in this space for reflection, connection and critical engagement with our dynamic field.

A design-led mindset is quickly becoming one of the most crucial assets to have in today’s modern working world.

Curious about design thinking and how it can shape your future? Join our upcoming d.scovery Online Info Session to explore the Foundation Programme in Design Thinking and other programmes at the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT.

Our first session will feature a conversation between leading design thinkers from Kenya, the US, and South Africa, offering diverse perspectives and insights. It will be designed to invite audience questions and participation too.

The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town has partnered with IE University to host one of two global venture days of
the Tech4Democracy competition. Join us as we’ll be unveiling the best democracy-affirming technologies and startups from Asia-Pacific and
Africa. The winners will participate in the Global Final in Washington D.C.

The University of Cape Town has partnered with IE University as the host school of the 13th edition of the Reinventing Higher Education (un)conference that will be designed to be inclusive so that it reflects the aspirations we have for building a more equal and just society. This event will enable all the attendees at the event to have a voice and feel that their voice matters.

Join us for a high-impact master class with George Kembel, co-founder of Stanford d.school and keynote speaker at the d.confestival.

Join us for an impactful workshop ‘Creativity in Research – Gaining clarity, driving insights, making progress’ by Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kernbach.

The 2022 d.confestival was a conference-meets-festival hybrid hosted by the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika in Africa’s first-ever purpose-built design thinking building at the University of Cape Town. Following the 2012 and 2017 events held in Potsdam, the 3-day festival celebrated the influence of design thinking in the worlds of management, public policy, research and education. The theme of the event was ‘Design Thinking Matters Now’, a provocation to reflect on the impact and relevance of design thinking to the priority challenges of our time.