Global Grad Show, the largest exhibition of graduate design and innovation from universities around the world, is back with a five-fold increase in participation since its first edition and, for the first time, schools from the region.

Like Dubai Design Week itself, the show is owned and managed by the Art Dubai Group, an entity that plays a key role in Dubai’s journey towards becoming a leading destination for arts and culture through producing the region’s most successful fairs and festivals as well running extensive year-round education, commissioning and thought-leadership programing.

In its second year, Global Grad Show presents ground-breaking works designed to offer solutions to some of the world’s pressing problems and ultimately transform the future. Some 145 projects from 50 universities in 30 countries are participating; with the next generation of design innovators from Middle East and North African institutions this year selected to show their work alongside those from world leading educational institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), The Royal College of Art (UK), and National University of Singapore (Singapore).

At Global Grad Show the projects are not sectioned off in school-specific zones, but are instead organised into three relevant themes – Empower, Connect, and Sustain. The projects in the Empower section provide new ways to spark ideas and expand abilities. The Connection section encourages exchange of ideas and as well as building communities. Sustain is a survey of innovative approaches to reducing waste and generating energy.

The projects are selected not only for their aesthetics, but for the ideas behind them and their potential effects. The show includes high tech and low tech projects, the expensive and low cost, mechanical, manual and virtual. But they are united by a shared desire to apply design and technology to expand the possibilities of daily life, with one of the highlights of the diverse designs being their focus on humanity.

From a jacket that transforms into a tent capable of providing shelter for four adults, inhabitable roofscapes that provide privacy to refugees in camps, products that help reduce wasting water, collapsible hydroponic farms, to a kitchen for one-armed users and an intravenous pole customisation kit designed to change how child patients relates to medical treatment, the projects demonstrate new ways of thinking and potential to create lasting impact on the world.

Brendan McGetrick, curator of Global Grad Show explains: “Design exhibitions often fixate on style alone – a lamp or chair, for instance, that looks beautiful (or simply unusual) but doesn’t provide a fundamentally different benefit from any other lamp or chair. In the case of Global Grad Show, many of the exhibits are attempting to apply design to open up new possibilities or to meet currently unmet needs. In choosing the works to include, I made sure that each contains within it a new idea and thus an insight into life now and in the future. And, of course, focusing less on style means that we can open up opportunities for people everywhere.”

Brendan adds: “Global Grad Show provides a platform for graduate innovators to introduce their brilliant thought-provoking designs to a wider audience. Dubai, as a global hub with a forward-thinking vision provides the perfect environment. We encourage leaders and decision-makers to come to d3 and see the myriad of possibilities for new ways of thinking to transform lives.”

Global Grad Show is held at d3 and plays a key role in Dubai’s transformation into an innovation-led economy. Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer of d3 commented: “Building on the success of last year’s Global Grad Show, d3 is once again thrilled to welcome a wealth of rising international talent. As we witness the growth of the design industry and rise in creative talent in the region, it is important to have a global outlook so that our regional design students and business partners can seek inspiration from each other. Initiatives such as the Global Grad Show directly underpin d3’s objective of supporting education across the region, whilst inspiring a collaborative approach to creativity.”

Global Grad Show is part of the Dubai Design Week; located at d3, building 6, 24-29 October 2016. Alongside the exhibition, which is free to attend for the public, will be a Creativity Forum, an open knowledge exchange composed of workshops, panel discussions and lectures where young designers can meet future advisors, collaborators, and partners.