
The opening conference was delivered by Design Wales in Cardiff on the 13th October 2008. The conference, entitled IWDS 2008, assessed the current position of design policy in the world and highlighted the issues surrounding design policy that SEE project will address.
IWDS 2008 focused on design support and promotion programmes and how they are implemented on a regional or national basis. Design policy, incubators, support programmes for SMEs and design awards were among the topics covered by the international speakers. The international event was aimed at those driving a design agenda at a regional strategic level, managing current design support/promotion programmes and also researchers exploring design strategies for economic development.
Opening session
Gavin Cawood, Operations Director, Design Wales
European Innovation Policy and Design
Charlotte Arwidi, Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, European Commission
The Norwegian Design Council
Jan Stavik, Norwegian Design Council
The Beijing Industrial Design Center
Huang Ping, Beijing Industrial Design Center
The Design Effectiveness Award
Deborah Dawton, Design Business Association DBA
Designcenter | De Winkelhaak, the Antwerp’s design incubator
Klara De Smedt, Design Center De Winkelhaak
Strategy Through Training: Design Shannon Skillnet
Deirdre Johnston, Design Shannon
Download: Conference transcripts (.pdf)
The project’s final conference will be hosted by Design Flanders and held in Brussels, March 2011. This event will present the SEE project findings and policy recommendations developed during the partnership, as well as highlight the best examples of design and innovation policy identified during the SEE project lifespan. The conference will aim to attract a significant number of policymakers and government representatives to disseminate recommendations and help improve the effectiveness of innovation-related design policies.