Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation holds its first graduation ceremony

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) held its first graduation ceremony at Dubai’s Museum of the Future on June 6.

The graduating cohort – part of the first intake of the university when it officially opened its doors in 2018 – successfully completed the region’s first integrated bachelor’s degree in design.

Read: Dubai launches new educational institution for design and innovation

DIDI offers the region’s first and only curriculum exclusively dedicated to design and innovation. Its Bachelor of Design (BDes) is the first multidisciplinary programme in the Middle East of its kind to offer four design disciplines: product design, multimedia design, fashion design and strategic design management.

The programme was specially designed and curated to address the growing demand for future-focused and talented designers and innovators regionally and globally.

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture and member of the Dubai Council, who attended the ceremony, said: “The graduation of the first Bachelors of Design class from DIDI represents another milestone in our progress towards a new vibrant creative economy. This is an incredibly proud moment for the students, parents, faculty, and Dubai. DIDI, the first multidisciplinary design programme in the Middle East of its kind, is one of many pioneering programmes that encapsulate Dubai’s forward-looking spirit. For us to achieve our ambition for Dubai’s creative economy, we need to make sure the infrastructure and the right programmes and institutions are in place for future and current creatives to develop, grow and flourish. This is not only for our community in Dubai, but for the region and beyond. DIDI is an example of a successful Dubai endeavour aimed at developing the local creative and cultural ecosystem offering, starting with our youth, who are the future of the sector.”

Malek Al Malek, DG of the Dubai Development Authority (DDA) and chairman of DIDI, said: “Our leadership’s focus on building a knowledge and innovation-driven economy relies on a robust and agile education system that prepares students to leverage the opportunities and jobs of tomorrow – a vision that we share at DIDI. In a world transformed by digital capabilities and technologies, the need for skilled, entrepreneurial professionals and innovators is greater than ever.

“The future is for ambitious and dynamic creators, innovators and entrepreneurs who can contribute to advancing economic strategies and strengthening vital industries. From the beginning, we laid foundations for a curriculum that elevates design thinking and equips students with technical and practical skills, as well as the principles of entrepreneurship across key sectors.”

Mohammad Abdullah, DIDI’s president, stated: “This is an immensely proud moment for DIDI and all involved at the university. Tonight, witnessing our first graduates is truly a privilege that supports the university’s efforts to accelerate growth in the creative sectors and contribute towards developing a diversified and innovation-driven economy for Dubai, the UAE and the wider region. The ceremony is both inspiring and appropriate, as our graduates have hope and curiosity for the future.

“Design is woven into so many facets of our lives and matters now more than ever as it holds the key to innovation. As Dubai and the UAE continue to make their presence known in the global dialogue on innovation and creativity, we at DIDI will continue to challenge thinking and take design and innovation skill-sets and capabilities in the UAE and wider region to new heights. With the skillsets needed for the careers of the future, we are eager to see where our graduates will go from here as they pursue careers of impact and avenues for the positive advancement of society.”

Showcasing the talents of the graduating students, ten graduation projects were also displayed at the Museum of the Future during the ceremony. These were selected from the university’s first graduate exhibition, which was held at Dubai Design District (d3) over the last two weeks showcasing the students’ work, ideas and concepts.