One Big Hive: AIS hosts design thinking workshop for second consecutive year

In celebration of the Season of Creation, the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability (AIS) hosted a design thinking workshop titled "One Big Hive: Reimagining the Campus" last 15 October 2024. This initiative was part of the university’s Talakayang Alay sa Bayan (TALAB) event, a platform for reflecting on pressing national issues.

This year’s theme “Integral Ecology: Caring for our Common Home,” called on the Ateneo community to heed the cry of the Earth and promote sustainability in line with the principles of Laudato Si’. The event aimed to nurture a deeper understanding of sustainability and showcase how the university embodies integral ecology on campus.

AIS, through its Climate and Disaster Resilience and Organizational Sustainability programs, organized a two-part event featuring a Sustainability Walk and a design thinking workshop. The Sustainability walk, led by A Mata, Program Officer for Organizational Sustainability, and Ivy Geraldine Ferrer, Program Officer for Climate and Disaster Resilience, took participants on a guided tour of the Higher Education complex to highlight existing sustainability initiatives. Students were encouraged to ask questions and engage in discussions to better appreciate the university as a living laboratory, as well as its efforts in becoming a more sustainable university.

Following the walk, the students took part in a classroom activity facilitated by Daniel C Ratilla, Program Head for Climate and Disaster Resilience. Participants were asked to reflect on issues they care about, writing down their thoughts on honeycomb-shaped worksheets. They were then guided to select key themes and brainstorm solutions, culminating in a large honeycomb of design solutions to make the campus more sustainable and mainstream integral ecology.

The workshop continued with group discussions led by Marimar Baticulon, Program Head for Organizational Sustainability, who encouraged students to share their insights from the walk. Baticulon highlighted the role of universities as “engines of social transformation,” emphasizing the importance of solving complex problems and driving sustainability through education and strategic alliances. Students were also given the space to share their key takeaways on sustainability efforts in the campus.

AIS will offer and host additional workshops for the community in the coming months. To stay up to date on such offerings, kindly refer to AIS’ interest check on public trainings and workshops HERE.