Pro Bono Programme · Design Innovation Centre, IIT Hyderabad

Design thinking for the people who serve the public.

A pro-bono 2-day design thinking immersion at IIT Hyderabad's DIC — for civil servants, elected representatives, and public-service aspirants. Certified by DIC, IIT Hyderabad. ₹5,000 covers lodging and food; attend free if you arrange your own.

IIT Hyderabad & DIC certified

2-day weekend immersion

₹5,000 · lodging & food

Cohort of 10 · first come, first served

Pro bono · public service

Email to register your slot

Download programme brief

Held every 2 months at IIT Hyderabad DIC and other locations · Register by email

Register your slot

Email us and we will confirm your place. Cohorts fill first come, first served.

Cohort of 10 · First come, first served · Register by email

You will receive joining details and the pre-immersion pack once your slot is confirmed.

days · weekend immersion

IIT

Hyderabad & DIC certified

minimum cohort

₹5,000

lodging & food, or free

Pro

bono · no tuition

Every 2 mo

at DIC & other locations

Who this programme is for

Built for those with a public-service track.

This pro-bono programme is open to anyone with a legitimate public-service mandate — state services such as the Kerala Administrative Service, the central services, elected members of Parliament, assemblies and panchayats, and party or public-works functionaries with a genuine public-service record — as well as young aspirants preparing to enter public life. No design background is required.

Serving civil administrators

IAS, IPS and allied officers, state services such as the Kerala Administrative Service, and district and municipal administrators who want a sharper, citizen-centred way to frame and solve public problems.

Elected representatives

Members of Parliament, Legislative Assemblies, and panchayats — and party or public-works functionaries with a legitimate public-service track — who want practical tools to design better outcomes for the people they represent.

Young public-service aspirants

Young people preparing to enter public administration and public life, who want an early, hands-on grounding in human-centred design and the way modern governments solve problems.

Programme curriculum

Design Thinking for Public Administration.

A two-day weekend immersion at IIT Hyderabad's DIC — the full design thinking arc applied to a real governance challenge you bring: framing, citizen research, ideation, prototyping, and a jury-style share-out, guided by DIC faculty.

Day 1 · Morning

Frame

Framing the public challenge

Each participant brings a real governance or service problem. We open with what human-centred design is, why it matters in public administration, and how to frame a challenge around the citizen rather than the department.

Method

Stakeholder mapping

Map the citizens, officers, and constraints around your challenge — everyone a good public solution has to serve.

Day 1 · Midday

Listen

Learning from citizens

Field-inquiry and empathy methods for public services — interviews, observation, and synthesis — so decisions start from how people actually experience a policy, not how the file describes it.

Method

Insight synthesis

Turn what you hear into clear, evidence-backed insights about the real problem.

Day 1 · Afternoon

Define

Defining the real problem

Reframe the challenge into a sharp, solvable problem statement. A well-framed public problem is half-solved — this is where most governance effort is won or lost.

Checkpoint

Problem statement

You leave Day 1 with a clear, citizen-centred problem statement, reviewed by faculty and peers.

Day 2 · Morning

Ideate

Generating solutions

Structured, facilitated ideation with DIC faculty. Generate many options, then narrow to the strongest, most feasible direction for your context and constraints.

Method

Co-creation

Work alongside peers from across public life — a district officer, an MLA, a young aspirant — to pressure-test ideas from every angle.

Day 2 · Midday

Build

Prototyping the solution

Build a simple, tangible prototype of your solution — a service flow, a form, a process, a message — in the DIC studios, and test it with the group.

At DIC campus

IIT studios and faculty

Work in the DIC's studios and fabrication labs with IIT Hyderabad faculty on hand throughout the two days.

Day 2 · Afternoon

Jury share-out & action plan

Present your prototype to a panel of DIC faculty and peers, get structured feedback, and leave with a concrete action plan for your department, constituency, or panchayat.

Takeaway

A method you keep

You leave not with theory but with a repeatable way of seeing public problems through the eyes of the people you serve — and a network of peers doing the same across India.

Certification

IIT Hyderabad and DIC Certification

On completion, participants receive a certificate from the Design Innovation Centre (DIC), IIT Hyderabad, recognising the Design Thinking for Public Administration immersion.

Investment

₹5,000

Covers your lodging and food on campus — or attend free if you arrange your own.

Tuition

₹0 · pro bono

Lodging & food on campus

₹5,000 · or arrange your own

If you arrange your own stay

No cost

Travel to the venue

At participant cost

All tools and materials

₹0 · provided

The programme itself is entirely pro bono. The only charge is ₹5,000 to cover lodging and food on the IIT Hyderabad campus — waived entirely if you make your own arrangements. We keep it accessible on purpose: the people who most need design thinking should never be priced out of it.

What you take away from the programme

A DIC, IIT Hyderabad certificate — recognising your completion of the Design Thinking for Public Administration immersion.

A worked solution — a prototyped, peer-tested response to a real governance challenge you brought, ready to take back to your department or constituency.

A repeatable method — the full design thinking process, learned by doing, that you can apply to any public problem you face next.

IIT Hyderabad DIC access — two days inside one of India's premier design innovation centres, working with its faculty and studios.

Nordic university pathway — through HCD's partnership with Iceland Design and Architecture, qualifying graduates receive structured support for admission to Nordic universities focused on sustainability and systems design.

How to register

Registration is by email, first come, first served. Cohorts are capped at a minimum of ten and run every two months at IIT Hyderabad's DIC and other locations across the country. Write to us with who you are and the public challenge you would like to work on.

One short email

Tell us who you are and why now.

There is no long application. A short note establishing your public-service role or aspiration, and the challenge you want to work on, is enough to hold your slot.

I. Your name, role, or public-service track — service, office, assembly, panchayat, party, or aspirant.

II. The public or governance challenge you would like to work on during the two days.

III. Your preferred location and month — IIT Hyderabad DIC or an upcoming regional cohort.

Application form — Name, organisation, current role, and a one-paragraph description of the challenge you are bringing.

Statement of purpose · 2 pages — Reviewed by the DIC–HCD admissions panel. The challenge definition is the most important element for the immersion format.

30-minute admissions call — A structured conversation to pressure-test your challenge definition and confirm the immersion format is the right fit for your schedule.

Confirmation and pre-immersion pack — Admission decision within 48 hours. Pre-immersion briefing pack issued two weeks before arrival, including reading, challenge preparation guide, and campus logistics.

Agust 2026 immersion.

Applications close 1 September 2026 · Confirmation within 48 hours

Next immersion after this: February 2027

Pre-immersion briefing pack sent two weeks before arrival.

Download programme brochure

Compare 12-week vs 7-day

Speak to the admissions team

2027 cohort · Applications now open

Rolling admissions. Apply early.

A cohort of committed graduates. One year of structured learning. A supported path to global universities. Certification from IIT Hyderabad and DIC.

Apply for 2027 cohort

Download programme brochure

Questions? Write to admissions@hcd.institute · Response within 24 hours

The HCD Institute

Design Innovation Centre (DIC)

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Kandi, Sangareddy,

Telangana, India – 502284

dic@hcd.institute

HCD Worldwide

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Pro Bono Programme · Design Innovation Centre, IIT Hyderabad

Design thinking for the people who serve the public.

IIT Hyderabad & DIC certified

IIT campus visits + fellowship

₹5,000 · lodging & food

Cohort of 10 · first come, first served

Pro bono · public service

Apply for 2027 cohort

Download programme brief

Next intake: January 2027 · Applications open · Rolling admissions

Express your interest

We will confirm your application within 48 hours.

You will receive a pre-immersion briefing pack two weeks before the programme begins.

2027 intake · Rolling admissions · Apply early

days · weekend immersion

3–6

months residential

Pro Bono

No tution fee

IIT

Hyderabad & DIC certified

₹5,000

lodging & food, or free

Every 2 mo

at DIC & other locations

Who this format is for

Your IIT credential is the gateway.

Most design and engineering graduates from strong Indian institutions are ready for global universities — but lack the academic portfolio and research credentials that admissions committees require. This programme builds both. Through a hybrid structure combining online learning with an optional residential fellowship at IIT Hyderabad's Design Innovation Centre, you develop the thinking, research skills, and academic writing expected of a global design scholar. Through HCD's partnership with Iceland Design and Architecture (Miðstöð Hönnunar og Arkitektúrs), graduates who demonstrate commitment can access structured support for admission to Nordic universities focused on sustainability, systems design, and human-centred practice.

Serving civil administrators

Elected representatives

Future students of Nordic and global universities

Through HCD's partnership with Iceland Design and Architecture, high-performing graduates gain structured support to access Nordic universities — institutions at the forefront of sustainability, systems thinking, and human-centred design. This is not a shortcut. It is a pathway for those who do the work.

Programme schedule

One year. Six pillars.

A hybrid programme — online learning combined with monthly visits to IIT Hyderabad's DIC as needed. All students participate in campus sessions throughout the year. Additionally, two students per cohort are awarded a competitive residential fellowship: 3–6 months on campus with hostel accommodation and stipend.

Module 1

Foundations

Principles of Human-Centred Design

The history, philosophy, and methods of HCD. From user research to systems thinking — the conceptual framework underlying credible design practice globally. Faculty-led live sessions, readings, and a written reflection submitted at module close.

Ongoing

Academic portfolio · first submission

You begin building your academic portfolio from day one. Faculty set the standard against Nordic and international university expectations. First formal review at module close.

Module 2

Research

Design Research Methods

Qualitative and quantitative research for design. Field studies, ethnographic methods, synthesis frameworks, and the writing conventions of international design journals. You conduct at least one primary research study during this module.

Ongoing

Portfolio · research chapter

Your research study is documented and added to your portfolio as a standalone chapter — structured to the conventions of academic presentation.

Module 3

Writing

Academic Writing and Publication

Participants write, refine, and submit original research to selected peer-reviewed journals. Faculty guide each paper through the editorial process. A published or submitted paper significantly strengthens your university application.

Milestone

Portfolio · final submission and faculty sign-off

Faculty sign off on your portfolio before it is submitted to any university. The portfolio includes your research chapter, paper, HCD project documentation, and your academic statement.

Module 4

Residential

Residential Fellowship at IIT Hyderabad

Two students per cohort are awarded a competitive residential fellowship — 3 to 6 months on campus at IIT Hyderabad's Design Innovation Centre, with hostel accommodation and stipend provided. All other students participate in monthly campus visits throughout the programme year.

At DIC campus

IIT studio, labs, and faculty access

Fellows work alongside IIT faculty and doctoral researchers on live projects. Full access to DIC fabrication labs and design studios. The fellowship is awarded on academic performance — not applied for at enrolment.

Module 5

Morning · 9 am – 1 pm

AI and systems analysis

Session on AI as a strategic design tool — applied to each participant’s project. Second-order effects analysis: mapping systemic consequences of the proposed solution.

Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm

Guest session and open studio

Lecture by an IIT researcher or senior industry practitioner. Open studio time for project work and pre-jury rehearsal. Third and final mentor session.

Module 6

Pathway

Nordic University Pathway

HCD's partnership with Miðstöð Hönnunar og Arkitektúrs (Iceland Design and Architecture) gives qualifying graduates structured support for admission to Nordic universities. Application guidance, portfolio review, and introductions to admissions teams at institutions focused on sustainability and systems design.

Partnership

Iceland Design and Architecture

Through HCD's formal partnership with Iceland Design and Architecture, graduates who meet the programme's academic standards can access facilitated introductions and admission support at Nordic universities. This is not a guarantee — it is a pathway for those who earn it.

Certification

IIT Hyderabad and DIC Certification

Certification is awarded jointly by IIT Hyderabad and the Design Innovation Centre upon successful completion of all coursework, the academic portfolio, and paper submission. The certification carries the institutional weight of IIT Hyderabad and is recognised by international admissions offices.

Investment

₹6,00,000

Annual programme fee ·

Residential fellowship (2 students per cohort)

Accommodation on IIT campus, 6 nights

₹6,000 – ₹14,000

Meals, on-campus dining

Included in accommodation

Travel to Hyderabad

At participant cost

All tools and materials

₹0 · provided on campus

For context: Comparable programmes at Aalto, RCA, or KADK cost €15,000–€30,000 annually. This programme provides an IIT Hyderabad and DIC certified credential, original published research, a faculty-reviewed portfolio, and a structured Nordic university pathway — at a fraction of the cost.

What you take away from 7 days

IIT Hyderabad and DIC Certification — recognised by international admissions offices. Awarded jointly upon completion of all coursework, portfolio, and paper submission.

Published research — at least one paper submitted to a selected peer-reviewed journal, documented in your academic portfolio alongside your methodology and findings.

Academic portfolio — a structured, faculty-reviewed portfolio built to the standards expected by Nordic and global university admissions committees.

IIT campus access — all students visit IIT Hyderabad's DIC monthly throughout the year. Two students per cohort are additionally awarded a competitive residential fellowship with hostel and stipend.

Admissions

We review every application personally. We are looking for graduates with genuine intellectual curiosity, a clear reason to pursue global education, and the commitment to do original research. The statement of purpose is two pages.

The statement of purpose · 2 pages

One additional requirement:
tell us why now.

We admit on the basis of purpose, clarity of thinking, and intent. Your statement should make clear why a global education in HCD matters to you at this point in your life — and what you intend to do with it.

I. Your academic and professional background — and the gap in knowledge or opportunity you are looking to address.

II. The specific challenge you will work on during the immersion — and why it matters now.

III. What you intend to do with this credential and the work produced during the week.

Application form — Name, organisation, current role, and a one-paragraph description of the challenge you are bringing.

Statement of purpose · 2 pages — Reviewed by the DIC–HCD admissions panel. The challenge definition is the most important element for the immersion format.

30-minute admissions call — A structured conversation to pressure-test your challenge definition and confirm the immersion format is the right fit for your schedule.