Spark : Lifelong Learning

Spark Global

Igniting Innovation Through Place, People, and Purpose

In Partnership with Social Design Institute

CIS Spark is a flexible learning program offering a range of engagement—from short 1–2 week workshops to immersive 1–12 month internships. Participants co-create inclusive, place-based solutions by working directly with communities, local governments, and cross-disciplinary teams.

Through its three pathways—Spark Global, Spark Design, and Spark Community, the program nurtures future innovators who connect local realities with global aspirations, combining social engagement, design thinking, and innovation for society.

Spark Design

In Partnership with SoA+D, GMI and DIPROM

Spark Design is an experiential learning platform that applies CIS’s practice school model to tackle real-world challenges through design and innovation. By embedding students and researchers into live community and enterprise contexts, the program emphasizes hands-on, interdisciplinary problem-solving. Spark Design works closely with local SMEs, government agencies, and international partners to co-develop creative business models, socially responsive products, and future-ready learning tools. It serves as a bridge between the university and the wider world—turning design research into action, and cultivating globally competent changemakers who can lead sustainable transformation. 

Spark Communities

In Partnership with PMU A, Fablab Bangkok, Social Design Institute

Spark Community serves as a cross-sector innovation hub rooted in the practice school approach—where communities become co-educators and co-creators. This program builds place-based experiential platforms in areas like Satun, Sakon Nakhon, and Bangkok, enabling local residents, youth, and officials to engage in shared learning, cultural revitalization, and policy experimentation. Through strong international collaborations and public-private partnerships, Spark Community scales local innovations to global dialogues. Projects such as Learning City initiatives, Tech Camps, and cross-border exchanges exemplify how community knowledge and global partnerships can drive inclusive, lifelong learning ecosystems.