TD2026: 5th Transition Design Conference 2026 Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Mexico City Mexico City, Mexico, July 8-11, 2026

Conference website	https://transitiondesign2026.tec.mx
Submission link	https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=td20260
Abstract registration deadline	February 1, 2026
Submission deadline	February 1, 2026

The 5th International Transition Design Conference takes place at a time of accelerating global crises. Climate disruption, ecological breakdown, and deepening inequality are unfolding alongside widespread forced migration, growing political polarization, and rising authoritarianism. These are known as “wicked problems” (Rittell and Webber, 1973); interrelated and interdependent challenges that demand long-term, systemic responses. The theme Weaving Regenerative Futures speaks to this complexity and the need to bring together multiple ways of knowing, doing, and designing to address it.

This conference is grounded in the evolving field of sustainability transitions (Geels, Kern and Clark, 2023), and especially in Transition Design (Irwin and Kossoff, 2024, Kossoff and Irwin, Yelevich, 2023) and design-led approaches to long-term systems change (Gaziulusoy, & Öztekin, 2018). These perspectives provide a central focus, but the conference also invites contributions from adjacent efforts, such as regenerative design, futures studies, just transitions, and systems thinking (Murphy 2022), when these are clearly situated in the context of societal transitions.

The idea of weaving is both metaphor and method: it points to the careful braiding of distinct traditions, practices, and frameworks. Many people working in the area of transitions are calling for greater interaction and collaboration across this wider ecosystem, which includes Transition Design, the Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN), the Transition Town Movement, The Great Transition Initiative, Just Transitions, The Systemic Design Association and practitioners focused on systems change (Jones and Barbero, 2022) and regenerative design (Cobreros, C. & Cattaneo, 2025). This conference offers a space for that work to begin or deepen.

The program is designed to support weaving these strands together in keynote talks and paper presentations, panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and facilitated workgroups. These formats are intended to allow diverse voices to meet, exchange ideas, and begin mapping out possible actions and shared initiatives. When successful, such gatherings can catalyze new collaborations across disciplines, cultures, and forms of expertise.

We are especially interested in creating opportunities for dialogue between Latin American and Southern perspectives and other transition-focused efforts around the world. The desire to surface, respect, and connect plural ways of knowing and acting is central to the idea of regenerative futures. 

The conference welcomes researchers, educators, and practitioners at all levels of experience. It is structured to support both depth and accessibility, and the hybrid format allows participation either in person (at the Mexico City campus of TEC de Monterrey) or online. While a separate section of the website outlines the four paper and poster tracks, this theme frames the broader context in which all conference activities unfold.

Weaving Regenerative Futures is a call to think and act across boundaries and disciplinary divides—not to erase differences, but to place them in conversation. It asks how we might pool our insights and resources to co-create pathways toward more just and life-sustaining futures. 

References:

Rittel, H. W. J., & Webber, M. M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences, 4(2), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405730

Geels, F. W., Kern, F., & Clark, W. C. (2023). Sustainability transitions in consumption-production systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(47), e2305438120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2305438120

Irwin, T. and Kossoff, G. (2024). Transition design: Wicked problem resolution as a strategy for catalyzing positive, systems-level change. In R. B. Eigenhoefer (Ed.), Routledge handbook of sustainable design (Full version). Routledge.

Kossoff, G. and Irwin, T. (2022) Transition Design as a Strategy for Addressing Urban Wicked Problems. In Cities without Capitalism, eds. Sadri &   Zeybekoglu. Routledge, Abingdon, UK

Yelevich, S. (2023). Untapped: A Righteous Way to Solve Wicked Problems. In Untapped. Accessed June 2025.

Gaziulusoy, İ., & Öztekin, E. E. (2018). Design as a catalyst for sustainability transitions. In C. Storni, K. Leahy, M. McMahon, P. Lloyd, & E. Bohemia (Eds.), Design as a catalyst for change: Proceedings of DRS International Conference 2018 (25–28 June, Limerick, Ireland). Design Research Society. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.292

Murphy, R. J. A. (2022). Finding (a theory of) leverage for systemic change: A systemic design research agenda. Contexts: The Systemic Design Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.58279/v1004

Jones, P. and Barbero, S. (2022) Editorial: Engaged Design Scholarship in Contexts. Contexts: The Systemic Design Journal, 1 . doi.org/10.58279/v1006

Cobreros, C., Giorgi, E., & Cattaneo, T. (2025). Regenerative design: New contexts, new visions, emerging practices and perspectives. Springer.

Submission Guidelines

Participants may submit either an academic paper in Spanish or English or a conference poster in English

The Call for Papers and Posters for the 5th International Transition Design Conference invites submissions from academics, researchers, and practitioners whose work relates to sustainability transitions, transition design, and long-term systems change. The conference will take place in Mexico City, July 8-11, 2026.

We welcome diverse contributions from researchers, educators, and practitioners whose work relates to sustainability transitions, transition design, or long-term systems change. Participants may submit either an academic paper or a conference poster in one of four conference tracks. Papers may be in English or Spanish. Posters must be in English. Approximately 72 paper presentations will take place in parallel sessions each morning, while 35-40 posters will be hung in a gallery-style exhibition in the conference facilities and displayed throughout the conference. The remaining posters will be included in the online conference proceedings. 

The top-rated twenty peer-reviewed papers presented at the Conference will be published in Cuaderno, the journal of the Center for Design and Communication Studies at the University of Palermo, Buenos Aires.Following the conference, authors of accepted papers will be invited to submit full versions of their work for consideration in two additional academic publications. The first will be a special issue of Revista Diseña on Design for Transitions and Regeneration, co-edited by Mariana Amatullo, Inés Álvarez Icaza Longoria, and David Sánchez Ruano. The second will be an indexed book featuring a selection of articles presented in English.Eligibility for these post-conference publications will depend on the quality of the full paper submitted through the Easychair platform, which will be subject to a double-blind peer review conducted by the Academic Committee. The review process will take place after the conference, with publication expected in 2027.As part of our ongoing commitment to advancing best practices in transitions and systems change, the Revista Diseña with a special issue will also invite contributors worldwide, including participants of the 5th International Conference, to further engage with this growing body of multidisciplinary scholarship through their research and reflections.Paper Submission Guidelines

The Transition Design Conference welcomes a diverse range of submissions from academics, researchers, and practitioners. The papers will be included in the online conference proceedings will be made available 1-2 weeks before the conference. Because we seek to include a variety of perspectives, approaches, and voices, reviewers are asked not to apply overly rigid academic standards when evaluating submissions. Instead, the review process should recognize the value of both scholarly and practice-based work, encouraging contributions that bring new insights, methods, or projects related to systems-level change. Reviewers will be asked to provide constructive, detailed feedback, particularly for authors submitting to a conference of this kind for the first time, whose work offers fresh perspectives or meaningful impact.

Participants may submit papers or posters within 4 different conference tracks

Participants are invited to submit extended abstracts or poster proposals aligned with one of the tracks below. Submissions should clearly identify the selected track. Organizers may reassign submissions if necessary to maintain thematic balance across the program.

TRACK 1: Projects & Proposals for Transitions & Long-Term Systems Change

 TRACK 2: Cosmopolitan Localist & Regenerative Futures

 TRACK 3: Mindsets & Postures for Transition

 TRACK 4: Educating for Long-Term Systems Change: Curricula, Tools Frameworks

We welcome submissions in the following formats and topics: 1) Research reports; 2) Project case studies; 3) Educational pedagogy or course descriptions; 4) Theoretical or speculative proposals. Authors should submit an extended abstract (not a full paper) for review within the following guidelines:

1. Abstract length between 1000–1500 words (excluding references).
2. Include 5–10 indicative citations and 5–7 keywords. 
3. Explain the central argument or project focus, and clearly describe how it connects to transition design, sustainability transitions and/or contributes to positive, long-term systems change. If the submissions focuses on an adjacent field such as regenerative design, futures studies, or systems thinking, does it nevertheless engage with these themes specifically in relation to sustainability transitions and the frameworks of transition design?
4. Briefly describe how the work aligns with the selected track.
5. Papers may be in English or Spanish; however, paper presentations must be in English.
6. Papers should use APA citation style (7th edition) for in-text references and bibliographies. 
7. Deadline submitting abstracts: February 1, 2026. 
8. Authors notified of acceptance: March 6, 2026. 
9. Reviewer feedback to authors: March 24-26, 2026.
10. Deadline for submission of full papers: May 31, 2026. 

After the conference:

- Authors notified of acceptance/invitation for publication: August 31, 2026.

- Deadline for submission of reviewed papers: October 31, 2026.

- Notification of final selection for publication: November 30, 2026.

Note: Accepted papers may receive feedback from reviewers, along with any changes in assigned track or session format. All accepted abstracts will appear on the conference website prior to the Conference. Organizers may reassign submissions to another conference track where appropiate.

Download the extended abstract template here

Download the Quick Formatting Guide for abstract and full papers here

Download the full paper template here

Poster Submission Guidelines

We invite submissions for conference poster abstracts. 35-40 posters will be hung in a gallery-style exhibition in the conference facilities and displayed throughout the conference. These and the remaining posters will be included in the online conference proceedings which will be made available 1-2 weeks before the conference. Afternoon poster sessions will provide an opportunity for authors to be present and available to discuss their work in a smaller group setting with attendees.

Posters are well-suited for practice-based work, applied research, case studies, or projects in progress that explore methods, frameworks, or tools related to transition design, sustainability transitions and long-term systems change. Posters should integrate visual elements such as diagrams, photographs, or illustrations, supported by primary text and captions. While authors are free to design their own poster, a layout guide is provided via the link below.Final posters must meet the following requirements: 

1. Abstract length: 500 - 700 words.
2. Include 3-5 references to relevant frameworks or processes.
3. Briefly describe how the work aligns with the selected track. 
4. Deadline for abstract submission: February 1, 2026.
5. Authors notified of acceptance: March 6, 2026. 
6. Deadline for submitting posters in PDF format with embedded fonts: May 31, 2026.
7. Poster size: 24" x 36", vertical format, 300 dpi at 100%, CMYK color.

Note: Feedback from reviewers may be included with accepted posters, along with any changes in assigned track or session format.

Download the Quick Formating Guide for posters here.

Submission Process

Abstracts for both papers and posters must be submitted via the EasyChair online review platform. Submissions must include author contact information, session format preference (paper or poster), language (English or Spanish for papers), and selected conference track. Organizers reserve the right to reassign session format or track based on review outcomes and program needs. Any changes will be clearly communicated. 

Submit your proposal

Key Dates for Abstract & Full Paper Submissions

Call for abstracts opens: 

November 19, 2025.

Abstract submission deadline for papers and posters: February 1, 2026.

Acceptance notifications sent: March 6, 2026.

Full Paper and Posters submissions: May 31, 2026.

General registration opens: November, 2025.

General registration closes:  Early june, 2026.

 

Committees

Program Committee

Conference Co-Chairs

• David Sanchez RuanoResearch ProfessorTecnológico de Monterrey, México. david.sanchezr@tec.mx

• Inés Álvarez IcazaAssociate Design Lecturer & ResearcherTecnológico de Monterrey. i.alvarezicaza@tec.mx

• Terry IrwinProfessor & DirectorThe Transition Design InstituteCarnegie Mellon University, U.S.A.tirwin@andrew.cmu.edu

• Gideon KossoffFaculty & Associate DirectorThe Transition Design InstituteCarnegie Mellon University, U.S.A.gkossoff@andrew.cmu.edu

Organizing committee

Organizers 

• Erandi Jiménez Director of Academic Projects, School ofArchitecture, Art & DesignTecnológico de Monterrey, México
• Gerardo Sandoval ProfessorTecnológico de Monterrey, México
• Yuliana Tónix Regional Director of Design, Mexico CityTecnológico de Monterrey, México 
• Daniela V. Di Bella Professor and DC Research Incubator CoordinatorUniversity of Palermo, Argentina

Venue

Welcome to Mexico City and the Tecnológico de Monterrey Mexico City Campus, where tradition meets innovation in a vibrant, diverse, and inspiring environment. We invite you to enjoy the summit, explore the city´s rich culture and flavors, and be part of a community committed to making a positive impact.

Contact

transitiondesign2026@servicios.tec.mx