Schools
Colleges
Immersions
Certifications
Internships
About
The Institute of Human-Centred Design · Since 2011
In fellowship with
DIC Hub, IIT HyderabadHuman-centred design for every school, college and institution.
HCD Institute, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad brings design thinking into schools through HCD Lab @ School, helps graduate schools and universities build design departments, and runs five-day immersions at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, with professional certifications for graduates and leaders.
Flagship programme · HCD Institute, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad
HCD Lab @ School
A year-long design thinking curriculum from HCD Institute, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, that teaches children how to think: to observe, question and reason from evidence. Taught in your school's own rooms, in your timetable (from 100 students), in a five-day block, or at weekends and holidays.
DIC Hub faculty begin it; your teachers grow into it. Teachers co-teach and train through the Faculty Training Programme at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, and students earn two certificates, one from HCD Institute and one from DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad. Grades 6 to 12, with board classes planned around their exams.
HCD Institute, represented by Mathew Sebastian, spoke on design thinking at CBSE's 4th National Summit on School-to-Work Transition, New Delhi, October 2026. Read the recap
Route 01
Start with the rooms you have
No new building: jute soft boards, a blackboard and simple making materials turn an existing classroom into a design lab.
Route 02
Train your teachers
Your teachers join the Faculty Training Programme at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, then teach with DIC faculty support.
Then
Immersion at DIC Hub
Selected students can join the five-day immersion at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad.
Graduate schools & universities · HCD Institute, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad
Build design capability on your campus.
01
Start a design department
Curriculum, faculty, studios and approvals to launch a design or HCD department, or turn a visual-design programme into a design programme.
02
College immersion at DIC Hub
Five days at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad for UG and PG students: field research, an entrepreneurship workshop and two faculty juries.
03
Faculty development
The Design for Learning Studio at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, for college faculty and academic leaders.
Immersions · HCD Institute, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad
Five days on campus at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad.
For schools · Grades 9–12
Think like an innovator. Build like a founder.
A residential design thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation immersion for high-school students, ending in a live jury.
School immersion
For college students · UG & PG
Five days to learn how design really works.
From a large system to one idea with a venture case, with field research, an entrepreneurship workshop and two faculty juries.
College immersionOur philosophy
Design thinking is a horizontal, not a vertical.
It is a creative tool that runs across every discipline. It helps us understand, ideate and solve, and build opportunities and systems. That makes it a cornerstone of every STEM stream: engineering, building things, starting up a business, research and plain curiosity.
One way of thinking, running through every field.
01
Understand
See people, problems and systems clearly before acting.
02
Ideate
Generate many possibilities, not just the first answer.
03
Solve
Test ideas with real people and refine what works.
04
Build
Turn ideas into products, ventures, services and systems.
Not just a path to a future in design. A way to be a creative innovator in every walk of life, from the lab and the start-up to public administration.
About the Institute
HCD Institute is a human-centred design institute, founded in 2011 to take design education beyond design colleges, into every school, polytechnic and university. From foundation courses for students to executive education for leaders.
Certifications · for graduates, professionals and leaders
Professional certifications and programmes.
Graduates & postgraduates
Global Immersion
Publish original research, earn certificates from HCD Institute and DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, and get structured support into Nordic universities.
Learn more
Certification · Leaders · 2 days
2-Day Executive Immersion
Lead in the age of AI. Use human-centred design and GenAI to find your next opportunity, test it fast and leave with a plan.
Learn more
Certification · Any role · Weekends
Weekend Design Thinking
The full design thinking process on a real problem, with AI tools at every step, without leaving your job.
Learn moreCertification · Hybrid
UX Design
Research, interaction design, design systems and AI experiences, ending in portfolio-ready case studies.
Learn moreCertification · Hybrid
Product Manager
Discovery, outcome-driven roadmaps, metrics and shipping AI features users trust.
Learn more
Certification · Hybrid
AI Product Owner
Agile product ownership with AI copilots, evals, guardrails and responsible AI.
Learn moreCertification · Hybrid
AI Communication
Brand voice, multimodal GenAI content, AI workflows and visibility in AI search.
Learn more
Certification · Next cohort 21 Nov
OD Certification
Organisation design & development for HR, OD and L&D leaders. 12 weeks, live online, anchored by Dr Deepak John Mathew.
Learn more
Diploma · six months · hybrid or online
Diploma in Universal Design
A studio-led diploma for architects, designers, doctors, administrators and advocates, taught by HCD Institute. Hybrid or fully online.
Learn more
HCDx
Public Policy
Embedding human-centred design into public systems, making governance more people-centred and future-ready.
Learn more
The Fellowship Journey
From insight to execution to impact.
A curated design education journey for students and graduates, guided by rigour, reflection and AI-native practice.
01
Cultivate
Sharpen perception, judgement and foundational thinking across design, communication, technology and strategy, building human insight and AI fluency.
02
Compose
Anchor in a primary archetype and curate complementary disciplines. Studio work, live projects and AI-assisted creation turn ideas into outcomes.
03
Ascend
Portfolio, positioning and transition. Learners define their professional identity and move into industry, entrepreneurship or advanced study.
The Institute
One institute. Four ways in.
Learn
Programmes for students, professionals, executives and institutions.
Explore
Practice
Helping organisations and governments solve complex human problems.
Explore
Universal Access
Accessibility audit, certification and training for public systems, worldwide.
Explore
Research
Articles, the HCD Toolkit and research from the Institute.
ExploreOur lead partner
In fellowship with DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad.
Design Innovation Centre Hub, IIT Hyderabad
HCD Institute is incubated at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, and its programmes are delivered in fellowship with it: DIC Hub's studios and faculty, and certificates from both institutions, sit at the centre of HCD Lab @ School and our immersions.
Work with HCD