New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking

Email user
jdrobac@atssb.edu.rs

Basic information
Initiative title
The Responsible Design (∞ design)

Full initiative Title
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Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
This project promotes a multidisciplinary approach and aims at strengthening the connection between the fields of art, design and technology. Students of Design were introduced to newest technologies, approaches and concepts of Responsible design thus directing and mentoring them to design school projects principles of responsible production, consumerism and the environment. The results were presented at Budapest Design Week and at Mediterranean University in Podgorica

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
Cross-border/international

Where was your intiative implemented?
Location 1
Serbia

Location 2
Hungary
Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Montenegro
If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
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Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
Yes

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): Academy of Applied Technical Studies Belgrade
  Type of organisation: University or another research institution
  First name of representative: Jelena
  Last name of representative: Drobac
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Serbia
  Function: Head of Design Department, Leader of the Project
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Katarine Ambrozic3
  Town: Belgrade
  Postal code: 11000
  Country: Serbia
  Direct Tel: +381 64 1281309
  E-mail: jdrobac@atssb.edu.rs
  Website: https://odgovornidizajn.edu.rs/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/odgovorni.dizajn/
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): odgovornidizajn
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
Academy of Applied Technical Studies Belgrade has both Environmental protection, Technology and Design Departments. Professors have been doing interdisciplinary researches and writing scientific papers on Circular Economy, Responsible and Circular Design for years while we implemented these principles in our study programs. For instance, since 2008, all of the project and fashion shows at Fashion design program were created using the leftovers and residues from the Serbian fashion and leather industry. Also, as HEI we organized many activities like cleaning up the forest in our Municipality, Workshop on recycling etc.

Taking a step further, we came up with Responsible Design (∞ design) project that promotes a multidisciplinary approach and aims at strengthening the connection between the fields of art, design and technology. Students of Design (Graphic Design, Fashion design and Product design) were introduced to newest technologies, approaches and concepts of Responsible design. Students were presented online and offline to pending technologies and materials, good practice of major brands and inspirational attempts of small groups and individuals. They were directed and mentored through design school projects on principles of responsible production, consumerism and the environment.

The results in the form of researches and scientific papers, exhibition of student and professors` projects and lectures were presented online and at Budapest Design Week (exhibition and lecture in Hungary) and at Mediterranean University in Podgorica (panel and lecture in Montenegro).

Since there is no similar study program in the Western Balkans and neighboring countries, this project was our attempt to test the waters how would students and community react. The project was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia within “Development of higher education” call for the school year 2021/22.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
circular design

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
new materials

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
graphic design

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
fashion design

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
product design

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Modern production-consumer relations require an economy based on innovative approaches to the creation of products, production processes and services, in order to preserve increasingly scarce natural resources while reducing environmental pollution. The National Sustainable Development Strategy („Службени гласник РС”, бр. 55/05, 71/05‐исправка и 101/07) supports the concept of sustainable production and consumption, which includes environmental, material and energy efficiency in every stage of the production of goods and services - from design, production, through primary and secondary use, to recycling and disposal (see https://www.srbija.gov.rs/dokument/45678/strategije.php).

Also, sustainable development is fully supported in the 2030 Agenda, especially in the Human Resources Development segment where COR 4 - Target value: improve knowledge and skills for sustainable development (4.7) is not sufficiently covered by the existing Strategy. Although this document recognizes the importance of improving environmental education for the needs of sustainable development, the Action Plan does not define concrete measures to achieve this goal. At the moment, the only activities that are carried out and are related to the achievement of this goal are not systemic, but are reduced to the activities of individual schools, often with donor support.

Thus we strived to create an open source web site with latest efforts inn the domain of responsible design, pending technologies, concepts, material and ideas and make it available to our students and broader audience. To inspire them to try and experiment and to lead by example.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
While creating the projects, we were guided by the recommendations of the P21 Partnership for 21st Century Learning, which brought together experts and practitioners from education, as well as representatives of the business world, who jointly defined and illustrated the skills and knowledge that will be needed for the 21st century, as well as the support systems that are necessary for the achievement of learning outcomes. The Framework for 21st Century Learning as well as the formulation of 4K in education are the four key values on which education in the 21st century will rest - critical thinking, communication, cooperation and creativity.

Creativity and innovation require individuals to try different approaches within the design process. In many cases there may be multiple design solutions that solve the same problem. Encouraging creativity and innovation in modern education, especially in the sphere of designer education, becomes equally important as the inclusion of knowledge from the technical-technological educational field, with the aim of creating future experts ready to face the challenges of modern production and consumer demands. With isolated thinking, a one-sided view of the tasks, the modern designer will hardly be able to cover all the requirements of the developing techno-economic environment, so the products of his work, both in terms of expected quality and more widely, will be valued lower and lower in the market.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Responsible design website is intended to support the development of Responsible design project was designed with the aim of stronger connection of internal participants (students and teachers) and better use of internal knowledge resources, with an emphasis on interdisciplinarity, as a supplement to the existing information system at the ATSSB. Bearing in mind that learning for the modern age rests on a holistic approach, multidimensional communication, networking and knowledge exchange at all levels in the knowledge system (knowledge ecosystem), through the Responsible Design project an additional support system for students and employees is expected to further strengthen and develop the culture of adopting various knowledge necessary for the improvement of the creative and innovative process of future designers by using the site developed within the project.
The availability of modern relevant professional content in the school's online environment will enable students to have a clearer insight and better understanding in which areas they need to improve and refresh their own competencies and will provide the student with a broader context of the topic he is studying.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
Beside being presented and implemented at our HEI, the project was showcased:
- online (via website, Social media)
- in media coverage like major broadcasters RTS, RTV in Serbia as well as MTVA and VarosTV in Hungary
- Budapest Design Week (exhibition and lecture in Hungary) and
- Balkan Voices event at Mediterranean University in Podgorica (discussion and lecture in Montenegro)

The visibility of the project in the general public, which is of great importance, is achieved through our partners and associates such as the Mikser organization, BINA, etc and international partners such as Faculty of Visual Arts from Montenegro and Budapest Design Week. Visibility in achieved also through presence in the media such as national television RTV in Serbia and Hungarian national television MTVA as well as smaller media broadcasters.
Students and young researchers are continuously addressed through social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, which enables a wider presence among the younger target group.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
This is a project that is set to test the waters of the Ministry of Education since we have a long term plan to create the first study program of Sustainable design not only in Serbia but in the region. Since the project was supported and financed by the Ministry, it encourages us to take a step further in the future. In the meantime, we did a research from the companies and graduating students on the needs of such study program and those results are encouraging us further.

The project was part of the official Budapest Design Week selection in 2022 and it was presented at Balkan Voices event at Mediterranean University in Podgorica.

We plan to take part and present it at a wider policy-making stages such as Mikser festival with whom we have strong cooperation for more than a decade.

Every two years, ATSSB also organizes the Politehnika Scientific Conference, with Design and Environmental Protection & Sustainable Development sections. Latest edition, Design section had the topic of Design and sustainable development, while in the Environmental protection and sustainable development section, a round table was organized under the name "Together to sustainable development solutions" with the participation of representatives of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Institute for the standardization of Serbia, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Association of Recyclers of Serbia, as well as guests from Croatia and Slovenia.

Project itself is in sync with all the relevant Agreements and Action plans such as>
- Smart specialization strategy in the Republic of Serbia 2020 - 2027
- Roadmap for circular economy
- Action plan 2021/ 2022, for the implementation of the strategy of smart specialization 2020 - 2027
- Strategy of sustainable urban development of the Republic of Serbia until 2030
- National strategy for sustainable use of natural resources and goods
- National strategy of sustainable development

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
As a HEI, Academy has Design Department as well as Environmental protection and Department of Technology. It is important to point out that, Besides Design Department, ATSSB also has:
- Environmental protection, undergraduate studies
- Recycling technologies, undergraduate studies
- Waste management, a specialist study program, one of the first in the Republic of Serbia to deal with this topic, was created within the framework of Erasmus
+ project

ATSSB has been continuously developing projects that combine design and care for the environment since 2008, and its activities include fashion shows, exhibitions, workshops, research and wider social actions. As professors and colleagues, we have a long history of combining those field through research.

Students, on the other hand, did not have the opportunity of working on interdisciplinary projects. Design students have subjects such as Basics of Environmental Protection and Materials and have been showing increasing interest in sustainable development topics as well as the desire to try sustainable and responsible design in their final work. Often mentors and graduates are faced with a lack of resources for further development and research so this project aimed at bridging that gap and bring the latest flows of development, often experimental to students and mentors

The added value is:
- a more up-to-date transfer of knowledge and newest efforts and initiatives on circular and responsible design
- experimenting in pursue of new processes and materials
- interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and designing
- the ability to acquire knowledge within the framework of non-traditional classrooms, i.e. through virtual teaching,

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
This project is a pioneer project of sustainable design being supported by the Ministry of Education of Serbia. We were on of the first to create Waste Management study program in Serbia. It is also important to stress that the study program Fashion Design introduces rational use of resources since 2011 by using waste materials and residue from industry as basis for school projects.

As a result, project website ensures:
- more active engagement of employees in the Internet environment, development and promotion of educational content (materials) of various educational fields, whereby employees also contribute to the creation of a wider learning ecosystem.
- networking, collaboration and knowledge sharing at the level of all users are encouraged.
-students gain a broader insight and better understand the importance of professional networks, thus encouraging them to join relevant social and professional networks and communities of interest in the future in order to connect, exchange ideas, interests and solve business tasks.
- a more up-to-date transfer of knowledge and newest efforts and initiatives on circular and responsible design
- case studies on latest developments
- daily dose of visual and conceptual inspiration using social media
- a selection of innovative design projects solving various aspects of responsible design

with this project we provided digital knowledge and skills:
-the ability to acquire knowledge within the framework of non-traditional classrooms, i.e. through virtual teaching,
-the possibility of applying the knowledge acquired in online classes to solve various practical tasks as a supplement to work in a traditional educational environment
-managing posted digital resources in an online system, sharing digital resources with others, and expanding online collaboration with others.
- expand and develop their digital skills by preparing and sharing their own materials and exchanging information within the subject area

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
Although aimed at our Design students, the project, website and all the outputs are open to a wider audience. Our intention was to create a multilevel network to promote and lead by example in the area of responsible design. We created an open source website with up-to date efforts in the domain of responsible design, pending technologies, concepts, material and ideas and make it available to our students and broader audience. Aiming of inspire them to try and experiment and to lead by example.

Bearing in mind that networking, cooperation and exchange of knowledge, including those achieved through online platforms, are recognized as professionally relevant learning outcomes, the expectation is that the project will contribute to the achievement of the Serbian Ministry of Education program goals. Other relevant goals met by this project are:
1) improve the competences of teachers and associates for teaching by forming an open platform with good examples, research and other useful information, but also as a platform for networking, exchange of opinions and experiences.
2) innovate existing study programs that follow the needs of the labor market through the application, propagation and research of sustainable, responsible design principles within study programs. In the Strategy of Smart Specialization in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2020 to 20277, in the development of which the ATSSB participated, the achievement of sustainable development is stated as one of the main priorities.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
While creating the projects, we were guided by the recommendations of the P21 Partnership for 21st Century Learning, which brought together experts and practitioners from education, as well as representatives of the business world, who jointly defined and illustrated the skills and knowledge that will be needed for the 21st century, as well as the support systems that are necessary for the achievement of learning outcomes. The Framework for 21st Century Learning as well as the formulation of 4K in education are the four key values on which education in the 21st century will rest - critical thinking, communication, cooperation and creativity.

Digital technologies and social or professional media platforms are intensively used at the level of the entire institution for effective networking, interaction and collaboration, as well as creating a stimulating environment for learning by opening new perspectives and expanding existing ones.

Entrepreneurial competences are another of key competences for lifelong learning. The European competence framework for entrepreneurship (Entre Comp: The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, 2016) means entrepreneurship as a transversal competence that is applied in all spheres of life from personal development to active participation in society, active job search and starting investments that carry cultural, social or financial values.

According to the model mentioned above, this project corresponds the following competencies:
1.1 Spotting an opportunity
1.2. Creativity Developing
1.3. Vision
1.4. Evaluating ideas
1.5. Ethical and sustainable thinking
2.3. Resource mobilization
3.1. Taking initiatives
3.4. Working with others and networking
3.5. Learning through experience and work

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
This project aimed at several levels of problem solving of global challenges at the local level

- Contributing to achieving sustainable production and consumption in the Republic of Serbia (by achieving economic growth and sustainable development by changing the way we produce and consume products and resources)
- Improving the professional competencies of students and teachers of the ATSSB Department of Design in the sphere of understanding and applying the principles of responsible design.
-Improving the educational process by strengthening the interconnection between the fields of art and the technical-technological field through innovating existing programs
-Strengthening the entrepreneurial skills of students of the ATSSB Department of Design
- Improvement of students' digital competences
- Raising the awareness of the wider scientific and professional community about the importance of responsible design from the point of view of achieving the principles of sustainable development
- Strengthening current and establishing new professional and scientific interconnections, structures and services in the sphere of knowledge transfer, design and innovation.
- Actively promoting the importance of engaging in achieving sustainable production and consumption and the position that responsible design has in new production-consumer relations

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
The Responsible Design project was designed as a set of different educational content: selected lectures from the field of art and technical-technological field by teachers of the Academy, and guest lecturers, then access to selected professional content, scientific papers, infographics, student theses, good practice case studies and other selected content, with the possibility of communication ‐ exchange of information and knowledge through the website, exhibition, panels, social and digital media. The contents present on the website are intended to deepen the knowledge and skills of students of three study programs of the Academy of Technical Vocational Studies Belgrade Design department: Graphic, Fashion and Product design.

Beside being presented and implemented at our HEI, the project was showcased:
- online (via website, Social media)
- in media coverage like major broadcasters RTS, RTV in Serbia as well as MTVA and VarosTV in Hungary
- Budapest Design Week (exhibition and lecture in Hungary) and
- Balkan Voices event at Mediterranean University in Podgorica (discussion and lecture in Montenegro)

During the project about 25 design projects were created according to principles of responsible design. Some of those were based on upcycling, creation of new materials, re-usage of materials, design concepts, leather and plastic alternatives, new processes etc.

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
Both
PDF
- pdf-1-5005.pdf
Web link
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwycwCMXsDQ
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUh6Ijspd6E
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
We aimed to:
- make learning for the green transition and sustainable development a priority in education and training policies and programs
- provide our students as well as wider audience with opportunities to learn about sustainability in formal education
- enhance digital competencies of students
- innovate current study programs
- promote art-technology-science bond in problem solving
- strive to bridge the gap between art and technology with peers and on various levels of education and cooperation
- create supportive learning environments for sustainability that span all activities and operations by an educational institution and enable teaching and learning that is hands-on, interdisciplinary and relevant to local contexts
- actively involve students and staff, local authorities, youth organizations and the research and innovation community in learning for sustainability
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below.
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By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed initiative has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the initiative and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their initiatives, initiative, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted initiative, initiative is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes