School of Design Thinking signs MoU for 3-Year Academia NxT™ Privileged Partner program
Jul 9, 2025
The School of Design Thinking (SoDT) has formalised partnerships with several academic institutions through its 3-Year Academia NxT™ Privileged Partner Program, launched during ICT Academy’s Bridge 2025 event in Chennai. The initiative aims to embed design thinking as a foundational innovation mindset across college and university campuses.
The partner model is structured to engage faculty, students, and leadership through a series of programs focused on real-world application, strategic alignment, and sustained development. It supports key national frameworks, including the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), and aligns with standards set by NAAC, NBA, and NIRF.
Dr Anbu Rathinavel, Co-Founder and Head of SoDT, described the program as “an innovation ecosystem,” designed to shift institutions beyond compliance and towards design-led education. The program’s four-part framework—Experience, Learning, Strategy, and Sustainability—includes 15 curated offerings aimed at driving transformation at every level of the academic environment.
Institutions such as KSR College of Engineering and K.S.Rangasamy College of Technology have joined as anchor partners, expressing alignment with SoDT’s mission to foster context-based, human-centred innovation through its proprietary Design the Thinking® framework.
This milestone supports SoDT’s broader goal to position higher education institutions as centres of innovation literacy, equipping them with the tools and mindset to navigate the evolving future of learning and work.