The project's primary objective was to promote the implementation of Inclusive Design Thinking (IDT) in technically-oriented subjects at higher education institutions. Our aim was to provide lecturers with the necessary knowledge, materials, and support to integrate IDT into their teaching and foster inclusive, human-centred approaches. By doing so, the project contributes to building a more inclusive academic environment and, in the long term, a more inclusive society. To achieve this goal, we established three specific objectives. First, we aimed to provide access to high-quality IDT learning materials for lecturers and the general public; specifically, a detailed e-book and a series of instructional videos explaining the theory and application of IDT step by step. All materials were made available in eight languages and published freely on the project website. Second, we aimed to prepare lecturers to apply IDT through practical training, expert consultations, and testing of methods with students. Third, we aimed to support the implementation of IDT in real-life courses and collect best practices from teachers' experiences to guide future adopters.
We applied for this project in response to the growing need for more inclusive and human-centered teaching approaches in higher education, especially in technical fields. As European society becomes more diverse due to demographic shifts, digitalization, migration, and post-pandemic challenges, education must evolve as well. Education should transmit knowledge and prepare students to understand and respond to real societal needs. One key challenge we identified is the lack of practical tools to help lecturers engage students in inclusion-related topics and guide them in designing meaningful, user-focused solutions. Inclusive Design Thinking (IDT) offers such a tool. IDT enables students to work creatively while considering the perspectives of underrepresented groups. Our goal was to equip lecturers with this methodology so they can empower future professionals to create accessible, equitable, and respectful solutions. We believe that a university education should prepare students to become socially responsible innovators, not merely experts. By incorporating inclusive thinking into everyday teaching practices, we aim to impact how graduates approach their future careers and contribute to a more inclusive society in the long term.