Social design professionals to support NGOs in addressing global challenges

Date: 2023.02.21
Project Change Agent has launched, involving art and design universities from six countries working together under the leadership of Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) and with the European NGO sector to seek long-term solutions in the field of extreme poverty, gender equality and the social mobility of children.

The universities have a track record of working with homeless, refugee, children and youth support organisations, and hospitals, helping senior citizens, collaborating with local governments and local NGOs in urban development projects, and teaming up with an association promoting a more democratic society.

The collaboration of the Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, the Kunstiakadeemia in Estonia, the Universität Der Künste in Berlin, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, MOME, and soon the Shenkar College in Israel is designed to make use of new methods and strategies to help connect NGOs engaged in addressing social and sustainability challenges with higher education institutions.  

The initiative was launched by the Social Design Network, founded by the Social Design Hub of the MOME Innovation Center and the Hadassah Academic College of Israel in 2020 with the aim of expanding the knowledge base of social design. With a pool of renowned researchers, teachers, and practical professionals from across the world, the network aims to advance relevant education and research worldwide.  

Change Agents is the first Erasmus+ partnership with MOME heading the consortium, and takes the ambitions of the network one step further. It is not only intended to bridge the gap between the sectors existing in isolation, but also focuses on addressing real issues by building infrastructures and methodologies with improved sustainability, and developing pilot methods and best practices.  

As a researcher I believe that the only way to offer adequate responses addressing real needs to the social problems of today and the challenges of tomorrow is by working together across different fields. Project Change Agents offers an opportunity to find the optimal way to work together for good causes. Using the guidelines developed during the project, we can help the target groups involved genuinely benefit from it. We can also systematically organise the experience from working with a variety of communities and be the first to do so in an international context”, said researcher and project lead Rita Szerencsés.  She went on to add that the main focus of the MOME Social Design Hub is working together with various social groups, organisations and sectors.

The Social Design Hub has a history of implementing highly successful projects, such as FRUSKA that focuses on boosting the self-esteem and creativity of teenage girls, a programme in Zalakomár developed together with the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, or a research project on the safe urban mobility of young school children.

Over the course of 2023, project Change Agents will, through multiple workshops, explore the social design-based methodology that will be presented in 2024 at a professional conference and is intended to create, among other achievements, a more inclusive higher education system.

More information: https://mome.hu/hu/projects/erasmus-change-agents 

More news

For the first time, the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) is taking part in the Budapest100 event series, which in 2025 will raise awareness about the importance of urban green spaces, gardens, and parks. MOME’s 15,000-square-metre, revitalised campus garden not only serves as a venue but also plays an active role in the festival with its eco-conscious developments and community activities. Budapest100 is an architectural and cultural festival that celebrates communities and the city, bringing neighbours closer together. From 22–25 May 2025, we’ll be focusing on urban green spaces, courtyards, gardens, and green corridors, along with the communities who nurture them.

In 2025, the Startup Safari took place for the tenth year running, marking it as the largest community event in Hungary's startup ecosystem. Over the course of two days, it brought together 700 participants, featuring 200 sessions across seven venues. One of the most exciting programme offerings was presented at the Zugligeti campus. On the second day of the conference, MOME not only served as the venue but also hosted professional events that introduced participants to the university's forward-thinking projects and groundbreaking collaborations.

What tools does a designer, architect, or media artist use today? How is MOME preparing to meet the technological and professional needs of future generations, and why is it essential for designers to be proficient with 3D printers and laser cutters? This was explored during a presentation at MOME, where participants had the chance to see the latest developments in studios and workshops. Thanks to these innovations, students can learn not only traditional techniques but also master the use of cutting-edge tools and professional filmmaking equipment.
Member of the European
Network of
Innovative
Higher Education Institutions
9 Zugligeti St,
Budapest, 1121