The search for an enhanced design education as link between emerging countries: The cases of Mexico and China

Design can be regarded as an important tool for the development of societies, and that is why the development of design along with the emergence of new technologies, have been important to the growth and prosperity of nations. Such is the importance of design, that its impact can be witnessed not only by looking at the past, but also by looking at the way how it plays a relevant role in a contemporary knowledge society in which, its members share common Sustainable Development Goals towards the creation of a better future.
Beside this, design, just as any other discipline-profession, has its roots in education; that is why design education also plays an important role, since it has a direct impact on the planet and the societies which lives in it. Design-education cannot be analyzed and understood by adopting a single or narrow-minded perspective, since every single learning space, group of learners, group of educators, as well as the contexts in which they are inserted, are different from each other.
This comparative study aims to contribute answering a variation of one of the key questions of the Cumulus Monterrey 2024 conference, “How can design-education be used as a catalyst for positive social change in a globalized world?”, by doing a juxtaposition of the elements present in different dimensions linked to design-education in two analogue countries, Mexico and China, while also including additional inputs from other regions to create a more comprehensive view on how to advance design education in emerging nations.