A new teaching methodology for a critical, responsible and technology-savvy mindset in fashion design

ongoing

Skill mismatch is a long-standing issue in the European industry, and it is accentuated by the type and pace of technological change. The skills required by the systematic introduction of Artificial Intelligence and automation in the production and supply chain range from technology design and use to critical thinking, creativity and initiative. With VERSE we develop a new teaching methodology for the greening of the fashion design sector that turns the classroom into a multinational and multidiscipline entrepreneurial setting, while equipping students with digital and deep tech competences, critical thinking and a responsible mindset towards society and the environment. The methodology, which is based on a Design Thinking approach and includes entrepreneurship-applied philosophy, will be replicable, transferable and will systematically associate labour market actors to every stage of the educational process. The fashion design sector has been chosen for its high symbolic and economic value as well as for its high impact on the environment. The partnership brings together Higher Education Institutions (including a prestigious Mechatronics, Information Technology and Mechanical Engineering Departments), VET providers (including the oldest fashion school in the world) and Labour Market Actors (affiliated to regional Employers’ Associations). All the partners have a long record of innovation in their respective fields and vast experience in international cooperation.