DSI Joins AAC AI+QA Institute as a Founding Member

By: Design Studies Institute Staff

The Design Studies Institute (DSI) has joined the Americas Accreditation Council (AAC) Institute of AI, Quality Assurance, and University Governance (AI+QA) Institute, connecting the Institute with an international community focused on responsible artificial intelligence in higher education. Membership in the AAC AI+QA Institute helps institutions strengthen responsible AI governance, quality assurance and institutional oversight through professional resources and institutional collaboration.

"The real value emerges when innovation is connected to academic purpose, human responsibility, and quality assurance,” said Dmitri Nersesyan, CEO of AAC. “We are delighted to welcome DSI to the AAC AI+QA Institute and look forward to learning from its perspective on the responsible use of AI in design education.” 

As a founding member of the AI+QA Institute, DSI joins an emerging network of institutions that includes Kennedy University (France) and EULER-Franeker Memorial University (Curaçao).

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape many creative fields, design education must evolve alongside this. 

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing and designers must grapple with how to best integrate it into their professional practices,” said DSI Dean Dr. Jonathan Williams. “The design profession must respond to these advances.” 

Preparing students requires not only introducing new technologies, but also teaching them how to use AI thoughtfully and responsibly.

"Today's design students will encounter AI tools within their work, which often starts with students experimenting with AI in the design studio,” Williams said. “At the Design Studies Institute, we champion deliberate and critical integration of AI into the design process. Our goal is to train the next generation of designers to embrace AI in a responsible way.”

Through its membership in the AAC AI+QA Institute, DSI will engage with peer institutions to share best practices and advance approaches that prepare students for an AI-integrated future.