ICERI2025 — the 18th International Conference for Education, Research and Innovation
- Ruth Mateus-Berr
- Nov 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 16
Reflections from
ICERI2025, the 18th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, in Seville, Spain
Dates: 10 – 12 November 2025
Location: Seville, Spain
Organizer: IATED (International Academy of Technology, Education and Development),
Session Chair for Design Thinking
Talk 1: “RE-CLAIMING (APPLIED) DESIGN THINKING”
Talk 2: “ESD AS STEAM IN SUBJECT DIDACTICS: ART AND DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND DESIGN IN AUSTRIA”
OUR TEAM Presentations:
Paul Iby – “Dance & Learn: Empowering Secondary Students Through Movement and Visual Arts”
Julia Fromm – “Interdisciplinary Co-creation: Tactile Design for Adolescents with Chronic Pain”
Beginning of this week, I had the privilege of attending the 18th International Conference for Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2025) in Seville, Spain.
This major European educational event brings together professionals and researchers from over 80 countries to explore the cutting-edge of pedagogy, technology, and educational innovation.
Conference Highlights - Design Thinking
Together with my doctoral candidates, Julia Fromm and Paul Iby, from the Center for Didactics of Art and Interdisciplinary Education University of Applied Arts Vienna, we engaged in rich discussions, shared our work, and built new connections across the international education & design-research community.
I was honored to serve as Session Chair for the Design Thinking session (Room España 5, 11:00-12:15, Monday, 10 November). In this role I also delivered my first talk based on my paper: “RE-CLAIMING (APPLIED) DESIGN THINKING”.
In this paper I argued that although international studies show that design thinking usage in education has increased, it remains under-utilized in art & design education (in Austria).
I outlined the historical roots of design thinking in design/art domains, considered methodological critiques, and proposed a model for integrating design thinking into school art education (including a student self-assessment framework and cross-disciplinary case examples). DesignThinking 21 - Linked here and here.
Embedding ESD into STEAM Subject Didactics
In addition to the first talk, I presented a second paper in another session: “ESD as STEAM in Subject Didactics: Art & Design, Technology, & Design in Austria”.
The paper draws on an Austria-wide survey (n = 89) of educators across school types, universities and colleges. The research examined how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is implemented (or not) in the subjects of Art & Design (KuG) and Technology & Design (TuD). It revealed that while there is personal interest among educators in ESD topics, actual implementation strategies vary widely, and many challenges remain (for example, lack of training, interdisciplinary links, and institutional support). The work argues for STEAM-oriented teaching (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, Mathematics) as a vehicle for ESD—highlighting how problem-solving, sustainable consciousness and responsibility, as well as transdisciplinary links can be fostered when ESD is embedded in subject didactics.
Colleagues’ Presentations
My doctoral candidate Paul Iby presented his work titled “Dance & Learn: Empowering Secondary Students Through Movement and Visual Arts”, a compelling investigation into how movement and visual arts can enhance learning and engagement for secondary-level students.
Julia Fromm showcased her work on “Interdisciplinary Co-creation: Tactile Design for Adolescents with Chronic Pain”, illustrating how design-based practices can adapt to specific learner contexts and needs, and how co-creation engages adolescents meaningfully.
Why It Mattered
CERI 2025 was particularly notable for its varied perspectives on educational innovation within secondary and tertiary education, including advances in digital media, hybrid learning models, design-thinking approaches, and sustainable curriculum design.
Serving as session chair gave me a unique vantage: I observed how educators from varied disciplines are adopting and adapting design thinking to address “wicked problems” in education.
This reaffirmed my empathy, that design-informed methods (like prototyping, co-creation, iterative feedback) are not only relevant to product or technology design—but to designing learning experiences themselves.
My second paper’s focus on ESD and STEAM also aligned with broader global education agendas emphasizing 21st-century skills (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication). Embedding ESD within STEAM subject didactics offers a path for art & design, and technology & design education to evolve without losing their unique disciplinary identities.
Looking Ahead: Next Stop in Milan
Inspired and energized from Seville, I now look forward to next week’s workshop at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan. Working with an interdisciplinary group of students on the topic of rollator/ walkers design - see the existing collection here, this workshop offers a hands-on opportunity to carry the momentum from ICERI into practice—connecting design, education, and co-creation in a vibrant international context.
Gratitude & Acknowledgements
I’m very grateful for the meaningful connections made at ICERI 2025, for the opportunity to present our research alongside Julia and Paul, and for the vibrant exchange of ideas across the international community of educators and researchers.
My thanks also go to my home institution, the Center for Didactics of Art and Interdisciplinary Education University of Applied Arts Vienna, and all the organizers of ICERI for enabling this rich, global gathering!
Here’s to continuing the journey of designing education for the future.
++ Special Thanks to
Students: Julia Fromm and Paul Iby
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