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Launch of the GDTA African Chapter and Global Design Thinking Convening at the Hasso Plattner School (Cape Town, South Africa)

2026-06-24 07:41
Representatives from 25 African universities gathered for a major convening of educational and non-profit organizations to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the d.school (Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking) at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
The central theme of the event was the advancement of design thinking and human-centered design across the African continent. Maria Stashenko attended the event as a member of the GDTA (Global Design Thinking Alliance) Board and shared her key insights.

Context

At the heart of the GDTA African Chapter's development is the concept of a unique, localized approach to design, which experts call life-centered design. As researcher Phumla Maswanganyi highlighted in her address, this methodology is deeply rooted in local contexts, cultural nuances, and the authentic aspirations of local communities.
Today, this transformative philosophy is driven by four leading educational institutions on the continent:
  • Ashesi University, Ghana (represented by Jewel Thompson);
  • Africa Nazarene University, Kenya (represented by expert John Ngila);
  • HPI d.school, South Africa (directed by Richard Perez);
  • The American University in Cairo, Egypt (represented by GDTA Board Member Hoda Mostafa).
Guest representatives from other continents included GDTA Board Members Maria Stashenko (representing Central Asia) and Anirban Bhattacharya (representing the GDTA India Chapter).

Background

Over the past decade, the HPI d.school in Cape Town has emerged as a premier hub for design thinking in Africa, fostering a vast community of educational program participants, research initiatives, and collaborative projects.
In 2023, the d.school moved into its state-of-the-art new building. Featuring highly flexible spaces, mobile and modular furniture, a spacious central atrium, and carefully mapped-out campus pathways, the venue itself was designed using design thinking principles. The architecture naturally encourages open interaction, dialogue, and collaborative co-creation.

Organization

The campus was transformed into an interactive, vibrant discussion forum where collective reflection and co-creating solutions took center stage.
The program was designed to encourage fluid dialogues between seasoned speakers and the audience. This format allowed diverse perspectives from various disciplines, institutions, generations, and regions to enrich and complement one another.
Alongside the in-person sessions, a continuous live stream made the event accessible to a global audience.

Key Themes of the African Design Thinking Convening 2026

Afrocentric Design Thinking
  • Pedagogy and practice rooted in indigenous wisdom, lived experiences, and everyday ingenuity.

Leadership, Agency, and Navigating Complexity
  • Cultivating adaptive leadership using design thinking methodologies to effectively navigate uncertainty and systemic challenges.

The Future of Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
  • Positioning design thinking as a primary engine driving human-centered innovation and entrepreneurship globally.

Africa in the Global Design Thinking Dialogue
  • Exploring how Africa can shape the global discourse and amplify its contributions through international networks, including the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA).
The launch of the GDTA African Chapter marks a milestone toward strengthening collaboration, elevating the visibility of African design practices, and scaling the continent’s contribution to the global community.

Core Messages

1. From EQ to WeQ

While Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) remain crucial, the future increasingly belongs to WeQ—collective intelligence and our ability to think, learn, and act together. Tackling complex systemic challenges requires more than talented individuals; it demands communities capable of co-creating solutions within a culture of trust and psychological safety.

2. The Spirit of Sawubona and Ubuntu

The gathering embodied the African philosophies of Sawubona ("I see you") and Ubuntu ("I am because we are"). Meaningful innovation begins by acknowledging the dignity, humanity, and unique lived experience of others. Within this framework, collaboration and co-creation are not merely work methodologies, but ways of being in the world.

3. Collective Wisdom as a Source of Solutions

Experts widely agreed that wisdom is distributed across individuals, communities, and systems. When diverse viewpoints converge around a shared purpose, solutions emerge that no single entity could have built alone.

4. An Afrocentric Approach to Design Thinking

Discussions focused on life-centered design as both an alternative and a powerful complement to traditional human-centered design. This approach shifts the lens from an individual user to the interconnected well-being of humans, communities, culture, nature, and future generations.

5. The 5R Framework

  1. Remember: Draw on ancestral wisdom and past experiences.
  2. Reframe: Change how a problem is viewed.
  3. Rethink: Challenge and redesign current approaches.
  4. Resolve: Implement comprehensive solutions.
  5. Regenerate: Ensure sustainable outcomes and long-term vitality.
These five principles help unpack complex challenges and design sustainable futures. They serve as a powerful reminder that how we frame a problem largely determines the quality of the solution.

Outcomes

Delegates from across Africa and beyond arrived with real-world challenges, deep lived experience, and a genuine eagerness to learn from one another, forging strong professional bonds in the process.
As Professor Mugendi M'Rithaa (Mugendi Kanampiu) noted:
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children
This perspective serves as a poignant reminder that design thinking is not just about tools and templates—it is about our responsibility toward human relationships and the future we construct through our decisions.
Maria Stashenko reflected on the event:
This wasn't just a conference about design thinking; it was living proof that the most powerful ideas are born when people of different cultures, generations, and perspectives are ready to learn and co-create the future together
The convening was simultaneously a celebration, a learning ecosystem, and a collaborative platform addressing the questions that will shape the future of design thinking across Africa and beyond