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Topic: Innovation

Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for nine years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. The University Design Institute is uniquely based in a living laboratory of innovation. We collaborate with a network of higher education experts across the globe to catalyze transformation.

Universidad Ean

Dale Johnson, the University Design Institute’s director of digital innovation, recently traveled to Bogotá, Colombia to work with Universidad Ean, a private institution with a mission of promoting sustainable entrepreneurship. The visit in June was part of UDI’s co-design process on advancing the university’s digital learning strategies.



Silhouette of Metro Manila, Philippines skyline.

Sixteen senior academic officials from twelve (12) Philippine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) began their journey as Higher Education Innovation Leaders Fellows of the ASU-led fellowship program as part of the UPSKILL program. 



Leaders from Bemidji State University, Metro State University, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, and the Minnesota State System gather for a photo at the end of the session.

The University Design Institute was recently engaged by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System to facilitate a months-long Design Accelerator with three of its universities to support its Equity 2030 initiative.



Leaders from the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education gather at Old Main.

The University Design Institute welcomed 12 higher education leaders from the Philippines on June 21 and 22 to connect with leaders from across Arizona State University. The trip was part of the United States Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation and Life-long Learning, or UPSKILL, which is a multiyear, multimillion-dollar effort to transform higher education on a nationwide scale in the Philippines.



USAID/Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn (center, in suit and tie) and CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III (center in white button-down shirt) launch the USAID UPSKILL Higher Education Innovation Leaders Fellowship Program. The launch featured the first batch of fellows, composed of 16 senior academic leaders and higher education officials from across the Philippines who will participate in an eight-month learning program, including sessions at Arizona State University, so they can drive innovatio

UDI launched a fellowship program aimed at transforming higher education in the Philippines amidst challenges of access and degree attainment, as part of a larger $30 million initiative. The program will empower senior academic officials to innovate and lead educational reform across 12 institutions, supported by both virtual and in-person training sessions in the Philippines and Arizona.



A student and professor engaging in dialogue in a biology lab.

Inspired by Dr. Susan Blumenthal, Arizona State University’s Public Health Technology Innovation Initiative aims to revolutionize public health infrastructure through cutting-edge technology. The initiative, highlighted at a recent summit in Washington, D.C., focuses on education, research, and community empowerment to tackle public health challenges and enhance decision-making.



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