Riccardo Balbo is an Architect, with a PhD in Theory and Construction of Architecture. He is the Academic Director of European Institute of Design (IED, Global) and Chairman at Francesco Morelli Foundation, the beneficial owner of IED.

Previously, he had been working as researcher and adjunct professor at Polytechnic of Turin (Italy) and University of Salford (UK).
His research and teaching topics explore the Design-Driven innovation paradigms, Digital Architectural Design, Urban Regeneration, Vernacular Architecture, Slum upgrading, Transdisciplinary design, Smart city, and integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Design education. He publishes, gives keynotes, lectures and workshops extensively about these topics with a key focus on the Future of Design Education.

Since 2017, he is the appointed Foreign Expert for the Chinese Government, a member of the Centre for Creativity and Sustainable Development (ICCSD), and acting as ambassador for the Italian Design System.

His presentation will focus on a new role for Design as a common language between different  knowledge domains and mind-sets, and its translation into a new academic curricula to address global challenges and trigger systemic change.