Designer as an Innovation Trigger for the SME Manufacturing Sector: An European joint Master’s degree program based on soft, digital, green, and design skills

Abstract

The aim of this article was to describe the definition process of a joint master’s degree program as a proposal for the training of professional smart designers on the skills needed to contribute to the current green and digital transition of the European industry context. Arising from the framework of the INTRIDE European project, this article has been structured starting from an introductory analysis of the demanded skills of designers and the needs of European Union (EU) companies in the current contemporary scenario. As such, the reflection extends to the research methodology established for the development of a state of the art on soft, digital, and green skills as a scientific basis for the definition of a cross and interdisciplinary training course entitled Strategic design for innovation in the manufacturing sector. Thus, focusing on the Bologna Declaration (June 19, 1999) in which the need to build a "European Higher Education Area" has been declared. Based on the achieved research results, the authors propose the INTRIDE Joint Master’s Degree Program (JMDP) as a cross and interdisciplinary training course for smart designers that will become the future innovation triggers for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU manufacturing sector. This, together with added competencies related to soft, digital, and green skills – as general ones – and design and technological – as specific ones. At the end of this scientific contribution, a discussion has been reported regarding a general reflection on the developed design process and the lessons learned in the application of the design methodology, combined with the suggestions for a sustainable use and implementation of the proposed training program.