Curating pedagogical change: A model for leadership and co-creation in student-led exhibition practice

Abstract

This paper examines how pedagogical and operational strategies were put into practice while integrating a large-scale student exhibition, held as part of the European Design Awards festival, into the academic curriculum. The initiative was guided by experiential and project-based learning (PBL). It sought, above all, to connect classroom teaching with professional practice. In practice, the methodology tended to emphasize collaborative planning, structured team roles, and sustained staff engagement, grounded in principles of motivation and autonomy. These principles were evident in how students managed their own sub-projects. The main strategies involved creating dedicated teams for mentoring, curation, and logistics; introducing structured communication processes; and fostering an environment that promoted a sense of ownership among both students and staff. The results suggested a meaningful and lasting impact on both students and faculty. The project equipped students with industry-relevant skills and opened new professional opportunities. For faculty, this meant rethinking their role from knowledge deliverers to facilitators of hands-on, real-world learning, which encouraged more collaborative and student-led teaching methods. The institution also gained recognition within the European design community. In retrospect, the process itself proved to be a powerful driver of innovation, growth, and cultural change, despite challenges such as workload and resources. The study concludes that immersive, student-led projects are most effective when embedded into the curriculum, though their long-term sustainability depends on continued institutional support.

Article history: Received (September 26, 2025); Revised (February 23, 2026); Accepted (April 6, 2026)