Ateneo strengthens innovation partnerships at the Don Norman Design Awards Summit 2025

Representatives from Ateneo de Manila University participated in the Don Norman Design Award (DNDA) Summit 2025, a premier global gathering that celebrates and advances Humanity-Centred Design (HCD+) as a driver of sustainable, inclusive, and socially responsive innovation, held from 19–21 November 2025 | Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore. The 2025 summit marked the first time the DNDA was held in Asia, hosted by Singapore Polytechnic (SP).

Representing Ateneo were Dr Ezekiel Denzon of the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM), Mr Steve Chaves, and Ms Mariela Alcaparas of the Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO). The delegation joined design educators, innovators, and practitioners from across the world in exploring how HCD+ can shape the future of education, business, and community development.

A Global Summit on Humanity-Centred Design

The three-day DNDA Summit brought together institutions and organizations committed to building humane and sustainable systems through design. Through three focus areas, namely: education, business, and community, participants engaged in interactive workshops, guided tours, an “unconference” session–where participants got to design their own topic to talk about–panel discussions, and networking sessions, which culminated in the DNDA 2025 Award Ceremony honoring outstanding global HCD+ projects.

Laureates hailed from diverse regions, including Singapore, Colombia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United States, Canada, India, and Brazil. While the Philippines had no laureates this year, local participants gained valuable insights from award-winning initiatives addressing community empowerment, environmental stewardship, public health, and social equity.

Renewing the DT|UX Regional Consortium Partnership

A key highlight of Ateneo’s participation was the renewal of its partnership with Singapore Polytechnic under the Design Thinking and User Experience (DT|UX) Regional Consortium. This consortium brings together leading educational institutions from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China, India, and the Philippines to advance research, education, and training in design thinking, human-centred innovation, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

The renewed partnership reaffirms Ateneo’s commitment to:

• Strengthening regional collaboration in HCD+ education
• Expanding opportunities for Philippine students, faculty, and innovators
• Co-developing programs, exchanges, and design-innovation initiatives
• Supporting community-oriented design practices aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Through this renewed network, Ateneo aims to contribute more strongly to Asia’s growing movement toward socially responsive, sustainability-focused design.

Why This Matters for Ateneo and the Philippines

Ateneo’s presence at DNDA25 demonstrates the University’s continuing dedication to developing design leaders equipped to navigate complex societal challenges. The summit showcased global exemplars of HCD+ in action — offering benchmarks and inspiration for integrating these practices into Ateneo’s own academic programs, innovation initiatives, and partnerships.

For the Philippines, participation in DNDA25 and the DT|UX Regional Consortium opens possibilities for:

• Developing locally relevant HCD+ projects
• Empowering communities through design thinking
• Strengthening the country’s design innovation ecosystem
• Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration among universities, industries, and the government

With support from AIPO, JGSOM, the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Research, Creative Work, and Innovation (OAVPRCWI), and the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education (OVPHE), Ateneo continues to champion design as a tool for social transformation — grounded in empathy, systems thinking, and sustainable impact.

Moving Forward

Ateneo looks forward to bringing global insights from the DNDA Summit back to the Philippines and to helping nurture the next generation of Filipino innovators who design not only for users but also for humanity as a whole.

As the University deepens its engagement with the DT|UX Regional Consortium, more opportunities for training, research exchanges, joint programs, and design-driven community projects are expected in the coming years.