St John’s University will co-host the International Design Factory Festival in October 2021

In October 2021, the Collins College of Professional Studies will co-host the International Design Factory Festival in collaboration with the Aalto Design Factory at Aalto University (Finland). The IDFF is a global annual event in which all members of the Design Factory Global Network will meet to exchange best practices and begin collaboration projects. The St. John’s Design Factory, will be hosted at the University’s Farella Innovation Lab, and will coordinate virtual activities for the part of the program taking place in the United States, in collaboration with other design factories on the continent. 

“Hosting such a prestigious event in an online fashion will be a challenge, but will be immensely valuable for our community.  While virtual interaction can never fully replace the complex and rich learning experience that occurs when students and faculty can physically travel and immerse themselves in another culture, the IDFF will still provide a great learning experience for its innovative use of online technologies and will make the event open to students that might not be able to travel anyway” said Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Global and Online Programs and St. John’s Design Factory Coordinator. “The event will also provide us with a unique opportunity to showcase to the world what we do here at St John’s in terms of Innovation inspired by our Vincentian values.” 

Dr. Iandoli, along with Kevin T. James, Assistant Dean and Director of Fiscal and Administrative Affairs, and Max  A. Hergenrother, Director of Technology Operations, are members of the organizing committee. In the past, CCPS faculty has led or attended professional development workshops in the areas of design thinking, digital prototyping, and innovation. Our faculty is knowledgeable in these areas and are excited to help shape the young innovators ideas and passions.