Roundtable Discussion • Dar AlUloom University
Participants of the roundtable discussion at Dar AlUloom University
This roundtable, held at Dar Al Uloom University in Riyadh and led by Deaa Bataineh and Carlos Teixeira from the Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Institute of Technology, convened experts from 15 different sectors to explore how design is shaping Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.
The conversation centered on three key themes: economic diversification, collective actions, and the shift to multi-intelligence, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Participants from public, private, investment, and education sectors shared insights on how design-led approaches enable industries—including finance, mobility, tourism, entertainment, and telecommunications—to foster adaptability, resilience, and sustainable growth.
The session highlighted design’s emerging role as a critical capability in navigating complexity and driving strategic growth, reinforcing the GCC region—and Saudi Arabia in particular—as a rapidly evolving global innovation cluster.
This event was part of the GCC Tour 2025, in which Carlos and Deaa are engaging with leaders to explore the role of design as a Strategic Choice-Making© practice for supporting economic diversification and systemic transformation across industries.