DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: October 10th, 2025
COURSES START: February 9th, 2026
SCHOLARSHIPS AMOUNT
• From 5.000€ to 8.000€ of the total tuition fee both for the Academic Master's Programme and the Dual Award Master's Programme.
INTRO
In recent years, gig work platforms have redefined how labour is organised, creating flexible opportunities but also normalising precariousness, invisibility, and algorithmic management of workers. Public debate increasingly centers on the power imbalances and opaque practices embedded within these digital platforms, leading to widespread calls for greater accountability, transparency, and equity.
Restoring dignity and visibility for gig workers requires new approaches that prioritise workers’ rights, collective voice, and fair treatment. Service designers play an important role in shaping just alternatives that value and empower all workers.
BRIEF
Design a service that points to new directions for the gig economy by promoting equity, transparency, and worker empowerment, offering a concrete alternative to today’s prevailing models.
Begin by defining your area of intervention (e.g., food delivery), and explore the current state of gig platforms as well as the systemic issues faced by workers, such as lack of job security, unpredictable income, and limited recourse in cases of unfair treatment.
Examine examples of worker-led resistance, mutual aid, and emerging alternative platforms, drawing on research and lived experiences. Propose services that respond directly to these challenges by centering design justice principles: amplifying worker voices, supporting collective agency, and ensuring equal opportunities.
Your proposal should be grounded in an analysis of both the limitations of existing solutions and the innovative practices adopted by gig workers themselves. Illustrate how your service disrupts the status quo, fosters inclusion, and restores dignity and agency to all participants in the platform economy.
APPLY NOW When you submit your project you will receive an immediate confirmation email that your submission was received. If you do not receive a confirmation, let us know at: competitions@domusacademy.itRequired materials
ADDITIONAL FOR DUAL AWARD MASTER
- 2 Reference Letters
- IELTS 5.5 in all parts or recognized equivalent certificate to be submitted within 3 months before the course start date. (not mandatory)