Abstract:

In an era defined by complexity, uncertainty, and diversity, higher education faces the challenge of bridging theory and practice while fostering creativity, critical thinking, and inclusion. This paper explores Design Thinking (DT) as a transformative pedagogical framework that redefines how students engage with knowledge. By combining analytical reasoning with imagination and empathy, DT enables learners to connect conceptual understanding with real-world application. The study examines a first-year undergraduate course implemented at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon, where students from multiple disciplines collaborated in diverse teams to solve authentic problems through empathy, ideation, prototyping, and reflection.

Using an action research case study and a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates classroom observation, student reflections, project artifacts, and surveys to explore how DT reshapes learning experiences and supports inclusive participation. The analysis focuses on how the iterative and human-centered nature of DT promotes collaboration, deep engagement, and social awareness, transforming classrooms into spaces of co-creation and dialogue. It highlights how students develop transversal competencies such as critical thinking, creative confidence, empathy, resilience, and teamwork – skills essential for the 21st century.

The discussion positions design thinking as a pedagogy of praxis that merges doing and thinking, theory and experience, intellect and emotion. Its emphasis on empathy and collaboration creates a learning environment where difference becomes an asset and learning becomes collective exploration. The study argues that DT can serve as a bridge between innovation and inclusion, enabling universities to move beyond content transmission toward participatory and transformative education.

By fostering active learning and reflective practice, design thinking helps prepare students to navigate ambiguity, address complex social challenges, and act as empathetic, creative problem-solvers. This approach invites educators and institutions to reimagine higher education as a human-centered ecosystem – where theory meets practice, diversity fuels creativity, and learning becomes an act of shared transformation.

Keywords:

Design thinking, higher education, critical thinking, creativity, inclusion, empathy, active learning, innovation, student engagement, 21st-century skills.