MSc Design for Sustainable Future

Join the master’s program, “Design for Sustainable Future,” and take an active role in shaping sustainable transitions. This interdisciplinary program combines design, management, and environmental engineering, equipping design professionals with the tools to envision a better future while implementing practical solutions for today. The program focuses on designing for both societal and environmental well-being, promoting transformative practices aligned with the circular economy and sustainable transitions. Delivered in collaboration with leading international and local partners, it develops integrated design and sustainability competencies necessary to perform research and design products, services, and their systems for a sustainable future.

Why choose this program?

• Interdisciplinary Approach: Combining three disciplines—Design, Management, and Environmental Engineering—with a primary focus on design. This is the only master-level interdisciplinary program of its kind in Lithuania.
• Partnerships: Developed in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano (Italy) *and strategic design agency *The Critical (Lithuania), the program offers high-level academic and practical expertise.
• Hands-On Learning: Students will develop design and research projects in cutting-edge facilities, including the Design Laboratory at M-Lab and the circular maker space at KTU.
• Design Research: Discover the essence of design research and learn how to apply it.
• Community and Resources: Engage with the DesignLibrary Kaunas, a unique hub connecting you to local and international design communities, while integrating knowledge from diverse sources.
• Showcase Opportunities: Present your work at local and international design conferences and exhibitions, supported by a structured plan for public showcasing of your achievements.
• Global Experience: Expand your horizons with Erasmus+ exchanges, exploring top design universities across Europe.

Designing sustainable solutions is not about following a perfect formula; it’s about crafting unique responses for each context and challenge. This program empowers you to use your design expertise to navigate the transformation and drive meaningful impact.

Programme structure

This two-year, 120 ECTS program combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice. Students gain expertise in design research, circular design, systemic design principles, advanced tools, and innovative methodologies, culminating in a graduation project.

Year 1

• Design Research Methods: Explore the foundations of design research and learn essential methodologies.
• Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship: Build leadership and entrepreneurial skills to support sustainable projects.
• Product Eco-Design: Develop an understanding of lifecycle thinking to design environmentally responsible products.
• Design Studio 1: Begin a circular design journey by reimagining a product or service.
• Design for Futures: Use speculative design to imagine better and more sustainable future scenarios.
• Circular Design Strategies: Master a range of circular design strategies and apply them to real-world projects.
• Parametric Modelling and Prototyping: Gain hands-on experience with tools to conceptualize and test ideas.
• Design Studio 2: Continue your circular design journey by addressing complex sustainability challenges by applying systemic design principles.

Year 2

• Design Research Project: Transform your design project into a comprehensive research initiative.
• Design Workshop: Tackle real-life sustainability challenges through experimental and practical design approaches.
• Alternatives: Tailor your studies by selecting two elective modules: one focused on management and one on environmental engineering, to complement your design expertise.
• Graduation Project: Bring together your learning in a final project addressing a relevant sustainability challenge.