Creative Technologies Lab | dokuWiki

Vision: The DTI Summerclass envisions a world where creative collaboration across disciplines and cultures drives sustainable innovation. We aim to empower the next generation of changemakers by bridging design, technology, and global perspectives to tackle the complex challenges of our time.

Mission: Our mission is to create an inspiring, hands-on learning environment that brings together students, educators, and practitioners from around the world. Through interdisciplinary workshops, lectures, and site-specific explorations, we foster a culture of experimentation, critical thinking, and cross-cultural dialogue. By connecting academic insight with real-world relevance, the DTI Summerclass cultivates creative minds ready to shape inclusive and forward-looking futures.

The DTI Summerclass — short for Design, Technology and Innovation — is more than just an academic program. It is a collaborative space where students, educators, and professionals from around the world come together to explore the intersections of creativity, critical thinking, and technical knowledge. Its core values reflect a deep commitment to rethinking education through real-world relevance, cultural exchange, and future-oriented experimentation.

In essence, the DTI Summerclass is a learning lab for collaborative futures. It empowers its participants to not only imagine change, but to prototype it — together, across borders, and with purpose.

At the heart of the DTI Summerclass lies the belief that today’s complex challenges cannot be solved within the boundaries of a single discipline. We bring together students from engineering, design, the humanities, and beyond, encouraging them to break silos and collaborate across fields. The convergence of technological skills, creative methods, and critical inquiry allows participants to approach problems from multiple angles—generating more holistic and innovative solutions.

International cooperation is not a side effect of the Summerclass — it is a central philosophy. The program is built on strong partnerships with universities from regions including Europe, the Middle East, and more to join. Students from different cultural and academic backgrounds work together in teams, learning to navigate difference with empathy and respect. These collaborations embody a spirit of global solidarity and mutual learning, fostering networks that extend far beyond the classroom.

Workshops, site visits, and public presentations anchor the Summerclass in real-world experiences. Projects respond to local challenges in the Münsterland region while drawing on global discourse. Students leave not only with new ideas but with tested prototypes, implemented experiments, and the experience of making their work visible and impactful in public settings.

The DTI Summerclass is not about polished results — it is about experimentation. Embracing ambiguity, iteration, and failure is part of the process. Participants are encouraged to explore ideas that may be unfinished or unconventional, supported by an environment that values process over product. This open-ended approach cultivates creative confidence and resilience.

Design in the DTI Summerclass is not limited to aesthetics — it is a method for shaping experiences, systems, and futures. Participants engage with speculative design, design thinking, and prototyping to create meaningful interventions. Whether working on sustainable mobility, digital tools, or community-based projects, the emphasis lies on user-centered, context-sensitive innovation that serves a greater societal purpose.

Underlying all activities is a shared commitment to sustainability—in both ecological and social dimensions. Whether rethinking materials, analyzing energy systems, or designing for inclusive participation, participants are invited to reflect on their role in shaping more just and sustainable futures.