International Design Business Management

Director of the Master's Programme

Prof. Peter McGrory

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of the IDBM programme is to develop world-class expertise in global design business management through multidisciplinary research and learning that cuts across the areas of business, design and technology. The programme trains skilled professionals for key roles in global design business. The program emphasizes the importance of design as a competitive factor, linked with state-of-the-art technology and business models.

The overarching learning outcome is seen to be achievable through developing systemic and integrative competences within the two-year programme. The objective is for learners to gain competence in multiple dimensions on both strategic and operational levels; also to develop and enhance individual abilities to recognize and acknowledge the value in tools, practices and mental models of other professions. This is seen to be needed in complex development projects and turbulent operational environments. Achieving systemic competence is seen to require a deep understanding of multidisciplinary aptitudes in the globalised context, in addition to well developed abilities in strategic foresight and agile working methods.

In terms of knowledge:

• Individuals must widely understand and be critically able to approach the knowledge that is needed to undertake new business ventures in global environments.
• This includes understanding and having the best current knowledge of the systemic nature of global issues and the impact of globalisation; of the multidisciplinary nature of responses needed to address these issues; of the need to possess the best knowledge projections of the future through foresight; and the need to understand agile and flexible operational practices.
• Furthermore, they must master professional specialized concepts, applications and knowledge linked to their own business, design or technology background that are relevant to global business development.
• Additionally, they must be able to understand the issues related to the creation and application of new knowledge within and in between domains.

In terms of skills:

• Operating independently and in teams, individuals must be able to arrive at successful cross-cutting solutions within complex, ambiguous and demanding problem settings and environments. The expectation is that, through integrative thinking, design processes, diversity and cross-cultural elements, the students learn how to operate successfully in multidisciplinary environments and to manage effectively the ambiguity that surrounds the real-life project contexts.
• They are also expected to gain an understanding of and an ability to manage the three modes of learning offered in the programme: individual learning, team-situated learning and community-wide learning.
• Furthermore, individuals must be able to create new knowledge and practices, while applying it in multidisciplinary settings.
• Individuals must be able to execute demanding tasks in expert and entrepreneurial roles, while also being able to develop new strategic and operational approaches in complex and unforeseeable circumstances.
• Within global business settings, individuals must be able to manage and lead initiatives and other individuals. While demonstrating abilities to accumulate personal expertise and knowledge, the individual must also possess the ability to evaluate the action of self and of teams/groups and be responsible for the professional development of others.
• The individual must have excellent presentation skills including written and oral communication skills within the professional sphere, as well as outside of it.

Education Content

The learning outcomes are achieved through compulsory and elective studies. In the three compulsory core IDBM modules, the objective is to build up the systemic knowledge and skill-sets of the students, through intensive courses that are linked to an academic year-long joint industry project and linked teamwork. The Business component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary business perspective within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision, business modeling and incorporating best business practices. The Design component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary design thinking perspective within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision and incorporating best design management practices. The Technology component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary engineering and innovation management perspectives within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision and incorporating best business practices within the project scope.

Studying consists of the three compulsory modules (Business, Design and Technology) and a joint Business/ Design/Technology 5+5+5 ECTS industry project. Parallel to lecture courses, the IDBM industry project deepens the understanding of the participants of the real-life processes of firms that are engaged in global design intensive businesses. Developing new business, product, and service concepts with the firms enables a deep understanding of the business enterprise context, and allows the students to develop their multidisciplinary skills and abilities. Skills in project management and business planning are also developed through the projects.

IDBM ARTS Major Studies 90 ECTS

 Alternative and Elective studies 30 ECTS