Piotr's trip to Taiwan for the International Student Design Competition 2024
Our Design and Policy International Projects Manager, Piotr Swiatek, who also serves as treasurer and board member for the Bureau of European Design Associations, recently returned from the International Student Design Competition (TISDC) in Taiwan. Read on to see Piotr’s experience of the trip.
It was a great honour to represent BEDA, and by extension, PDR, at the final selection of the Taiwan International Student Design Competition (TISDC) 2024. TISDC, the largest student design competition in the world, is an incredible platform for cultivating creativity and social advocacy through design. This year’s theme, Equality, particularly resonated with me, as it aligns with PDR's mission to leverage design for positive change in society.
Organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, TISDC has grown over its 17 years to become a truly global event. This year, the competition received a remarkable 19,667 entries from 1,138 schools in 66 countries, underscoring its wide reach and influence. The diversity of submissions across four categories—Product Design, Visual Design, Digital Animation, and Manufacturer Designated—highlighted the ability of students to creatively address complex social issues through design.
As one of the 27 judges from across five continents, I had the privilege of engaging with these submissions alongside experts from leading international design organisations. The final selection event, held on 8th October, at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei, showcased not just talent, but the depth of thought these young designers bring to their work.
What excites me most about the theme of Equality is how it pushes students to look beyond surface-level issues and focus on the systemic roots of inequality. Design plays a critical role in shaping a world that is not only environmentally sustainable and economically viable but also socially equitable and culturally diverse. Throughout the judging process, I was drawn to projects that reflected an understanding of these underlying systems of inequality and proposed inclusive, actionable solutions.
At PDR, we recognise that designers don’t work in isolation. We have a professional responsibility to balance individual needs with the greater good, particularly in addressing marginalised and excluded groups. Many of the TISDC entries this year demonstrated a keen awareness of this balance—whether through designs aimed at social inclusion or those focused on environmental justice. It’s encouraging to see students understanding that equality isn’t just about providing access, but about redesigning systems to ensure fairness and equity for all.
Competitions like TISDC are vital in amplifying diverse voices and perspectives in design, fostering international dialogue, and paving the way for future innovation. I am proud that PDR, as part of BEDA, continues to support this incredible initiative. I hope that future editions will inspire even more students from CSAD and from across Europe to contribute their ideas to this global platform.
While in Taiwan, I also had the opportunity to give lecture to students at Tatung University in Taipei about our work in PDR, as well as BEDA's role in shaping the European design landscape and the ways in which Europe promotes and supports its design sector. These conversations reaffirmed the importance of cross-cultural exchange and collaboration in advancing the future of design.
Looking ahead, BEDA President Christina Melander will present one of the prizes at the award ceremony in December. Through our continued involvement in events like TISDC, PDR remains committed to using design as a tool for fostering equality, inclusion, and sustainable development in every corner of the world.
Click to learn more about Piotr and our Design Policy team's work.