How can higher educational institutions seeking change ensure that their innovations cohere with the institutional mission and culture? Here we present a novel framework of “co-design,” which uses principles of design thinking to structure shared student–faculty activities for the sake of educational innovation. To illustrate, we provide a case study in co-design: the creation of Fulbright University Vietnam's undergraduate program during a “co-design year” prior to the program's launch. By concentrating on the faculty experience during the year, we provide observations, lessons, and takeaways for others in using co-design as a practical framework for institutional innovation.
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