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Villagrasa, Beatriz Martínez; Esparza, Danae; Cortiñas, Sergi

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The rapid speed of technological advances, communication and the current market are constantly questioning the role of designers in society [2]. This context leads to novel questions about design students’ curricular profile in the 21st century. Nowadays and following the Bologna Plan, education is changing its focus from acquiring information to learning how to use this information competently, which involves an evolution from ""being"" and ""knowing"" to ""knowing how to do"" [8]. At the same time, competency assessment is becoming increasingly present in the field of design where competencies are considered a differential factor among professionals [7]. One of the most outstanding aspects in the study of competencies is the revaluation of creativity as a key factor in employability and the management of an uncertain future [3]. This article defines the competencies that current and future creative professionals must develop in order to successfully perform the role they play in the design field. Fifteen professionals and design students were interviewed in order to define these creative competencies. The research concludes with the identification and definition of ten creative competencies, an initial list that shall remain open to constant review. One way to keep it updated is through an online platform created to collect data on an international scale. The main contribution is to establish a dialogue between the creative competencies in academics and the professional world to ensure design education is constantly updated.

Keywords:

Design education, creativity, design methods, creative competencies, design curriculum