Abstract:

The digitization of societies is now an undeniable fact. The need for designers with skills in this field of practice is therefore urgent. In turn, increasing globalization has been accelerating the dissemination of trends, techniques, and the use of new technologies, requiring a growing need to constantly update skills in many areas. These needs and the pace of change have a clear impact on the educational field, particularly in disciplines that are mainly characterized by the intersection of several areas of knowledge, such as Web Design, Interaction Design, Digital Design, among others.

In this context we are witnessing the growth of different types of learning, which increasingly cross the formal, with the non-formal and informal, in multiple contexts and formats. An example of this are Executive Education courses, whose historical path has been marked by a clear evolution, however characterized by several challenges that currently result in various offers and models that are questioned both by academia and by the industry.

For that matter, it is aimed to characterize Executive Education at IADE – Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação da Universidade Europeia, during the period between 2012 and 2022 in post-graduate courses related to Interactive Digital Design.

This institution presented a constant specific training offer in these areas, aiming to respond to society needs during this period and having attracted a vast number of students, many of them with active professional activity, arriving from different sectors and fields and with various expectations.

The main goal of this study is to deepen the knowledge on Design Teaching for Executive Education in areas related to Interactive Digital Design, clarifying the student profile, contextual and societal aspects that made this ten-years case study.

Correspondingly, it will be presented a contextual analysis of the student’s profile that attended postgraduate courses in the areas of Interactive Digital Design at IADE delimited between 2012 and 2022, addressing key-factors to better understand and determine its background such as: What is the age range and education background field of the students? What skills do they hope to develop? What expectations do they bring?

It is expected to bring a better understanding of the audience and students background who attended this specific field of study of Executive Education at IADE, promoting a ground base knowledge in this field for the outlining of strategies for future evolution, and allowing the support in the design of new curricula.

The collected data, overall considerations and findings of this case study may be useful as well to a broader audience serving other Higher Education Institutions, enabling new perspectives over the curricula design in the field of Interactive Digital Design post-graduate courses. Additionally, that may offer added value in fostering a better insight in the relation and cooperation between academia and companies in this field.

For that, it is expected to create a preliminary reflection on the dynamic balance between the student profile and the offered curricula, also describing the established connection with companies and key players in the sector and the related societal contexts that were considered significant during this ten-years period.

Keywords:

Executive Education, Design Teaching, Interactive Digital Design, Industry 4.0, Academy-Company Cooperation.