The 8th International Conference for Design Education Researchers, Learn X Design 2025 (LxD 2025), Intertwinia in Design Education, was hosted by the University of Aveiro, Portugal from 22-24 September 2025.
“We are interconnected—for the good, for the bad, the possible, and the impossible."
These were the opening remarks at LXD 2025 and the words set the tone for three brilliant days, during which design educators from four continents explored the interconnected and intertwined facets of design education. This was the first time the LxD community had met face to face since the pandemic and it’s fair to say that everyone really benefited from being back together in a fantastic venue hosted by a great institution, and organised by some amazing people!
“LearnxDesign was a memorable event for many reasons. Everyone involved in the design education research community is extraordinarily generous, and the camaraderie was palpable during the event. It was wonderful to walk around campus and discuss ideas with an open mind. I left Aveiro inspired to research more and better. A big thank you to the organisers and to all the participants!”
The event saw 176 delegates from over 30 countries come together to share research and create new connections under the theme of Intertwinia. We had 141 final contributions presented at the conference, and this year we included the categories of Letter and Statement of Pedagogy. These offered authors different opportunities to explore new knowledge. A letter can be a precursor to a position paper, and a Statement can be a precursor to a Case Study. These alternative formats also respond to a well-recognised issue in design education around finding the time and space to engage in scholarship for some designer-educators (Lyon, 2011). So their place as formats that can allow an introduction to academic writing and contribution is great.
Read the full LxD 2025 Conference Report here.