New territories always mean new challenges and chances. This is true of upcoming designers as much as of the institutions where they are trained in the hope of becoming such. In times of an ever-broadening concept of design, both sides are often faced with the same questions: Specialization or universal education? Humanities-based erudition or hands-on skills? Academic freedom or confrontation with economic realities? Many design universities are long-time partners of the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK. Taking this as an occasion, an international panel addressed the question of how universities wish to position themselves in a design landscape transformed by digitalization, open design, and new work. How do institutions hone their profile and public image, what tools and what values do they want to convey to their students? Those invited are representatives of the international universities that are taking part in various functions in the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK. With: Herbert Grüner (New Design University (NDU) St. Pölten), Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka (School of Form Poznań), Christian Paul Kaegi (ECAL – University of Art and Design Lausanne), James Tooze (Royal College of Art (RCA) London), University of Applied Arts Vienna. Moderation: Thomas Geisler (Werkraum Bregenzerwald).