Building on new ideas of material thinking and design thinking with emphasis on sensitive design expressions for reflective living, the PhD students of the network will be ready to take on fundamental challenges both in academia and in the private sector through a training network that combines in-depth specialization, collaborative training and company internship.

By forming a unique cross-disciplinary network of researchers, supervisors, research methods, and infrastructure for experimental design research ranging from fine art, fashion design, and textile design, via industrial design and architecture, to materials research and interaction design; the ETN will provide a unique innovation competence to young early stage researchers that will be better trained for the future challenges given by the design of a more sustainable way of living. The broad foundation of the initiative provides all PhD students of the ETN with a unique opportunity to take experimental research projects all the way from the initial idea to scaled-up models and prototypes ready to exhibit and try out, as well as a to relate fundamental research to development projects which covers all forms of living from a near-field to a far-field perspective.