News & Events
December, 23 2025
Season's Greetings
Invitation
By tradition, the DESIGN Conference serves as a forum for discussing and advancing engineering design knowledge—spanning engineering design science, computer science, cognitive science, philosophy, methodological innovation, and the practical application of design research. We are dedicated to bridging theoretical underpinnings and hands-on practice in an ever-changing world where design is pivotal. The previous event showcased 305 papers and hosted over 450 participants from more than 30 countries.
The conference embraces the shift from the familiar and well-trodden paths to the invigorating challenges of unexplored design frontiers. This dynamic transition compels us to ask: How can engineering design research and practice adapt to rapid changes, promote wellness, secure sustainable development, envision the future, and reinvent product design and development in emerging contexts?
Our mission is to probe and enhance design methodologies, tools, projects, and processes. We seek to foster products, systems, and services that contribute to a healthier world while examining which competencies and ICT technologies are essential. We also examine the role that AI plays and what impact all of the previous mentioned aspects have on everyday design work and human behaviour. In doing so, we address critical social, environmental, and legal issues, alongside the evolving pedagogy for educating future engineering designers and effectively sharing innovative ideas.
Important Dates
Full paper submission open
July 15, 2025
Full paper submission deadline
November 15, 2025
Review results and acceptance decision
February 2, 2026
Publish-ready papers
February 16, 2026
Final Conference programme
April, 2026
DESIGN 2026 Conference
May 18-21, 2026
Cavtat, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Topics
To assist the development of the engineering systems design research community, the organizers of DESIGN propose the following core areas for the conference.
DESIGN 2026
News & Events
Season's Greetings
December, 23 2025
As the year comes to a close, the DESIGN 2026 Organising Team would like to extend warm season’s greetings to our community of researchers, practitioners, partners, and friends.
Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and enthusiasm as we prepare for the 19th International DESIGN Conference. We look forward to an exciting year ahead, with inspiring keynotes, interactive workshops, and meaningful exchanges within the global design community.
We wish you peaceful holidays and a successful, healthy, and creative New Year.
We look forward to welcoming you to DESIGN 2026.
— DESIGN 2026 Organising Team
DESIGN 2026 workshops
December, 19 2025
The 19th International DESIGN Conference (DESIGN 2026), taking place 18–21 May 2026 in Cavtat–Dubrovnik, Croatia, has released details of its workshops programme as part of the full conference schedule. These interactive sessions will give participants hands-on experience and deeper engagement with today’s most pressing challenges in design research and practice.
The workshops cover a range of timely themes aligned with the conference’s core topics, including:
- Advanced design methods & tools – exploring innovative methodologies, digital design workflows, and participatory approaches.
- Human-centred and sustainable design – focused on inclusive practice, socio-environmental impact, and sustainable development.
- AI in design – examining how artificial intelligence is shaping design theory and engineering workflows.
Each workshop is structured to promote active collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners, offering unique opportunities for idea exchange, skill development, and network building.
Full information is available at: https://www.designconference.org/workshops
DESIGN 2026 keynotes
December, 15 2025
The 19th International DESIGN Conference (DESIGN 2026) has officially announced first two keynotes confirmed for this year’s event, taking place 18–21 May 2026 in Cavtat–Dubrovnik, Croatia. The plenary sessions will feature leading voices in engineering design research and practice, bringing fresh perspectives on the future of design.
Featured keynotes include:
- Dr. Faez Ahmed (MIT) will present “From Data to Design: Rethinking Engineering Design With Next-Gen AI”, exploring how generative and data-driven approaches are transforming engineering design workflows.
- DESIGN 2026 / DESIGN Conference
- Dr. Hua Dong (Royal College of Art) will speak on “Inclusive Design: Who to Include?”, offering insights into expanding design processes to serve diverse users and contexts.
Full information is available at: https://www.designconference.org/keynotes
DESIGN Conference Contact Information
-
DESIGN Conference Secretariat
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia -
PerfectMeetings.hr
URKA, d.o.o.
Kušlanova 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
+385 1 4827 279
nina.dumancic@perfectmeetings.hr
www.perfectmeetings.hr
