How the Next Generation Is Thinking About Diversity Through Design
Judging at TISDC 2025:
By Piotr Swiatek, Design Policy & International Projects Manager at PDR.
This October, I had the opportunity to return to Taiwan as a juror for the Taiwan International Student Design Competition (TISDC), one of the largest international competitions for emerging designers, with over 16,000 submissions this year from across the globe. The 2025 theme, “Diversity" invited students to explore coexistence, fairness, access, culture and difference through design.
What struck me was the breadth of interpretation. Many participants went beyond traditional inclusion narratives and considered non-human perspectives - designing for animals, ecosystems and shared environments. Others focused on pressing human issues: invisible disabilities, emotional health, ageing demographics and resilience in the face of natural disasters. It was refreshing to see students broaden the scope of who and what design serves.
In my evaluation, I paid particular attention to areas we champion at PDR:
- Strong problem framing
- User insight and research
- Testing, prototyping and iteration
- Potential for real-world social and environmental impact.
Not every project managed to fully embody the theme, which is perhaps unsurprising, as diversity is complex and difficult to resolve in a single solution. Yet the overall message from this generation is clear: young designers want design to be useful, humane and socially engaged. They see design as a means to connect people, improve systems and build fairer futures.
Competitions like TISDC offer an invaluable platform for emerging talent to share ideas internationally, challenge assumptions, and develop their practice. I’d love to see more students from Cardiff School of Art & Design (CSAD) take part next year, it's a fantastic opportunity to test ideas on a global stage and gain visibility early in one’s career.
It was a privilege to once again participate in the final selection, representing PDR through our association to BEDA - the voice of European Design. I returned energised and optimistic about the next wave of designers, who are determined to build a more inclusive world, one thoughtful project at a time.
Photo credits: Duan Mu, NooDLE, and Stella.
