Abstract
This comparative study examines how Arm's-Length Bodies (ALBs) in Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Denmark address the persistent gap between design education and industry employment needs. By analyzing regional contexts and the institutional logics, methods, and intermediation roles of five representative organizations, the study reveals both shared concerns and divergent approaches. While the education-to-employment gap is a universal issue, all organizations emphasize designer upskilling, the development of design learning platforms, and engagement in research and policy advocacy. ALBs in Asia tend to adopt government-led strategies that prioritize transdisciplinary education, industry-academia collaboration, and skills upgrading, particularly in response to digital transformation. In contrast, European ALBs focus on policy advocacy and knowledge networks, especially within the context of sustainability. In addressing education-to-employment challenges, the findings underscore ALBs' intermediation roles as connectors between government, academia, and industry; facilitators of industry-academia collaboration; inter-ministerial policy coordinators; policy advocates; and knowledge disseminators and network builders. These roles highlight their significance in aligning design talent with future economic and societal needs.
Keywords
Education-to-Employment Gap; Skill Mismatch; Arm's-Length Bodies; Design Education
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.929
Citation
Chen, P.,and Kuo, T.(2025) Bridge Builders: A Comparative Study of Arm's Length Bodies' Strategic Role in Design Education-to-Employment Gaps in Asia and Europe., IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taipei, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.929
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 12 - Design Education
Bridge Builders: A Comparative Study of Arm's Length Bodies' Strategic Role in Design Education-to-Employment Gaps in Asia and Europe
This comparative study examines how Arm's-Length Bodies (ALBs) in Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Denmark address the persistent gap between design education and industry employment needs. By analyzing regional contexts and the institutional logics, methods, and intermediation roles of five representative organizations, the study reveals both shared concerns and divergent approaches. While the education-to-employment gap is a universal issue, all organizations emphasize designer upskilling, the development of design learning platforms, and engagement in research and policy advocacy. ALBs in Asia tend to adopt government-led strategies that prioritize transdisciplinary education, industry-academia collaboration, and skills upgrading, particularly in response to digital transformation. In contrast, European ALBs focus on policy advocacy and knowledge networks, especially within the context of sustainability. In addressing education-to-employment challenges, the findings underscore ALBs' intermediation roles as connectors between government, academia, and industry; facilitators of industry-academia collaboration; inter-ministerial policy coordinators; policy advocates; and knowledge disseminators and network builders. These roles highlight their significance in aligning design talent with future economic and societal needs.