Innovation Mindset
Cultivate a practical methodology for innovation in your team or organization.
Design Thinking – Live Virtual Workshop
5-week virtual workshop October 20 – November 24 | Tuesdays 9:00 – 11:00 AM EST A creative approach to problem-solving
Are you facing challenges that are not easily addressed through conventional problem-solving approaches? Do you need to stimulate innovation in your organization?
Design Thinking is a creative approach to problem-solving that brings together empathy, curiosity and teamwork. It is a mindset that can be used to address any problem.
This intensive course will guide you through the methodology, combining theory with a lot of hands-on practical application. By the end of the course you will have practiced Design Thinking with a real challenge you are facing both at your workplace and in your personal life.
5-Week Live Virtual Workshop
Design Thinking
Rethink challenges. Turn creative ideas into practical solutions.
Build the confidence and tools to solve complex challenges through empathy, experimentation, and hands-on collaboration.
5 live weekly sessionsHands-on learningUPEACE Certificate
A creative approach to problem-solving
Are you facing challenges that need a new approach?
Some challenges need more than conventional problem-solving. If you want to stimulate innovation in your organization, Design Thinking offers a fresh way forward.
Bring together empathy, curiosity, and teamwork to understand problems differently and explore new possibilities.
Combine theory with hands-on practice as you apply the process to a real challenge in your work or personal life.
Who should take this course?
For curious professionals ready to approach challenges differently.
Design Thinking is applicable across ages, career levels, and fields. Participants often share these goals:
Complex Challenges
Develop a fresh approach to challenges in your work and everyday life.
Diverse Perspectives
Connect and collaborate with professionals from different backgrounds.
Creative Confidence
Build skills to stay ahead in a fast-changing career and bring new ideas to life.
Learn together, wherever you are
Interactive sessions and compelling content.
Turn on your webcam and take part. Live virtual sessions bring the energy of face-to-face learning to your screen through breakout rooms, real-time polls, and interactive activities.
Between sessions, readings, videos, and assignments help you explore the ideas further and apply what you learn.
Live virtual format
StartsOctober 20, 2026
LiveTuesdays, 9:00–11:00 AM EST
PracticeFive weekly sessions, with readings, videos, and assignments in between
What to expect
Course skills and benefits
Hover over or tap the circles to learn more. Use Enter or Space when navigating with a keyboard.
Your five-week journey
Move from new perspectives to practical action.
Explore the Design Thinking process, learn from real examples, and put the method to work on a challenge that matters to you.
This course counts toward the Diploma in Social Innovation or Global Leadership Diploma.
Weekly journey:
Week 01Overview of the Design Thinking process
Week 02Living Examples of Design Thinking in Action
Week 03Applying Design Thinking to Actual Challenges
Week 04Extending Your Creative Confidence with Design Thinking
Week 05Putting it All Together: From Strategy to Action
Course details
Everything you need to plan your experience.
Facilitator
Abhinav Khanal
Abhinav Khanal is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Bean Voyage, a nonprofit social enterprise providing training and market access to smallholder women coffee producers in Costa Rica and Nepal.
He is also the Co-Founder & Chief Thought Officer at Little Big Fund, which offers knowledge, networks, and micro-grants to early-stage nonprofit leaders around the world.
Abhinav is a Cordes Fellow, Resolution Fellow, Trust Scholar, Watson Scholar, and One Young World Ambassador. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Earlham College.
Course Schedule
This five-week live virtual workshop starts October 20, 2026, with weekly sessions on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 11:00 AM EST.
Each session explores a key Design Thinking concept, with readings, videos, and assignments between sessions to help you apply what you learn.
Course Format
This is a live virtual workshop with five interactive weekly sessions. Join on camera to collaborate in breakout rooms, respond to real-time polls, and take part in practical activities.
Readings, videos, and assignments between sessions deepen your learning. Bring a challenge from your work or personal life and practice applying Design Thinking to it.
Course Cost
$650
Tuition for the 5-week
live virtual workshop
UPEACE certificate included
A certificate is awarded upon completion by the Centre for Executive Education at the University for Peace, established by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Questions?
Contact us at centre@upeace.org or visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Trusted By Organizations
Designed by a centre trusted by teams across sectors.
Past participants say
Real reflections from professionals who joined us.
The course structure was well-thought-out and balanced, allowing us to gradually delve into the various stages of the design thinking process. Starting with empathy-driven research, we were led through ideation, prototyping, and testing, all while being encouraged to think outside the box and embrace a mindset of innovation.
Sofia Rajkumarsingh
Trinidad and Tobago
Director at Sandy Point Beach Club
The course is a lively opportunity to create and learn together the foundations and applications of Design Thinking. A learning process which can be harnessed even more so thorough your active engagement; bringing in own experiences, pose own questions and doubts and share fearlessly thoughts with others, that is. For the latter, the course also provides a safe space. Engage, learn, question and have fun while doing that!
Rousbeh Legatis
Colombia
Doctoral Researcher at SOAS University of London
This was a great introduction to design thinking, enabling you to understand the concept and apply it.
Clodagh Beaty
England
Director – Organisational & Leadership Development
Design thinking can drive you to achieve more, create more and be more optimistic about failure. Fail forward. So if you fail, you will be a step closer. That's true innovation. Fearlessly failing forward, growing in the process, and breaking the chains of the convention to grow and evolve.
Peter Lee
South Africa
Owner at Mind-Heart Transformation
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Ready to join us?
Rethink what’s possible.Put your ideas into action.
Join a five-week live virtual workshop and build a practical approach to innovation.
Starts October 20, 2026 · Tuesdays, 9:00–11:00 AM EST
