Kolkata: In an era where innovation is the key to staying ahead and with businesses increasingly relying on innovative solutions to stay competitive, the ability to innovate and adapt to new technologies is crucial for success. As industries face escalating challenges in an increasingly competitive landscape, the demand for professionals who can blend creative problem solving with the power of artificial intelligence has become essential. Highlighting this growing need, the global design thinking market is projected to reach USD 14.9 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 7.25%, according to the Design Thinking Market Report by Business Research Insights, 2024. In response to this, the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), in partnership with Emeritus, has launched the Professional Certificate Programme in Design Thinking and Innovation with AI.
By combining practical, hands-on experience with advanced AI integration, this 25-week online programme aims to bridge a critical skills gap, empowering participants to lead innovation in their industries. The programme is ideal for designers, design engineers, creative managers, UX/UI professionals, aiming to integrate AI and design thinking to create innovative, customer-centric solutions as well as for product, marketing, and R&D managers looking to harness AI and design thinking to create impactful, market-driven innovations. It also caters to entrepreneurs, CXOs, and business owners seeking to drive growth through AI-enhanced innovation, as well as consultants focused on delivering transformative, AI-driven solutions for their clients.
The need for advanced skills in AI and design thinking has never been more critical, as businesses across industries strive to innovate and stay competitive. According to Capgemini’s “Top Tech Trends of 2025” report, 82% of companies plan to integrate AI agents in the next 1–3 years to develop automation and enhance efficiency. Additionally, the report also highlights that by 2025, 51% of organisations will have partially or fully scaled up their use of AI agents. These data highlight the pressing need to integrate AI into design thinking, as businesses increasingly rely on AI-driven solutions to enhance efficiency and innovation.
Speaking on this programme, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, commented, “Rooted in IIM Kozhikode’s academic rigor, our Professional Certificate Programme in Design Thinking and Innovation with AI is designed to equip participants with the expertise to drive innovation in an AI-powered world. By blending design thinking with advanced AI integration, this programme enables professionals to develop creative, customer-centric solutions backed by strategic problem-solving. With a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and AI-powered ideation, participants will gain the critical skills needed to lead transformative change in their industries.”
Avnish Singhal, Executive Vice President, India & APAC, Emeritus, added, “The future of innovation lies at the intersection of human creativity and advanced technology, and this programme perfectly embodies that vision. At Emeritus, we are committed to empowering professionals with the tools to navigate this convergence and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Our collaboration with IIM Kozhikode brings together academic excellence and industry relevance, ensuring participants are equipped to lead transformative change through design thinking and AI integration.”
The Professional Certificate Programme in Design Thinking and Innovation with AI empowers participants to harness AI and design thinking for impactful and sustainable innovation. By exploring scenario planning, AI-powered ideation, and Generative AI case studies, learners gain tools to drive creativity and market relevance. With a focus on design iteration, circular thinking, and lifecycle analysis, the programme equips professionals to craft user-centered solutions that address real-world challenges and create lasting value.
The programme offers recorded video lectures delivered by top IIM Kozhikode faculty and immersive live masterclasses on AI and Gen AI. It also includes a capstone project guided by IIM Kozhikode faculty for hands on learning, real-world case studies as well as assignments and quizzes. The programme will enable participants to acquire essential skills such as critical thinking, strategic planning, and data-driven innovation, empowering them to solve complex problems and drive impactful change. The modules of this programme include design thinking with AI, design thinking approach for idea generation, design thinking approach for concept development, design thinking approach for deciphering needs, and impact of AI on design thinking and innovation and future of AI among others.
Program Details:
- Start Date: March 27, 2025
- Duration: 25 weeks
- Format: Online + Live sessions with industry experts
- Fee: INR 1,30,000 + GST
- Eligibility: Minimum graduate or diploma holder (10+2+3)
- Certification: Upon successful completion of the programme and with a minimum 70% grade, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion from IIM Kozhikode
For more information, visit the programme page here.
About Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
Started in 1997 with its Post Graduate Programme (PGP), the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) is on a high growth trajectory today, offering a wide range of academic programmes in the field of management education. These include the Fellow Programme in Management, Executive PG Programmes, Management Development Programmes and Faculty Development Programs. IIMK set up a Satellite campus at Info park, Kochi, in 2013 dedicated to Executive Education. IIMK has also the unique distinction of launching a PhD (Practice Track) programme for working professionals besides bringing in new dynamic programmes such as the one-year Post Graduate programme in Business Leadership (2019) MBA in Finance and MBA in Liberal Studies & Management (2020). The institute is also home to IIMK LIVE a first-of-its-kind start-up incubation programme and the Indian Business Museum.
IIMK is ranked 3rd as per NIRF India Rankings 2024: Management. The institute also features regularly among top global institutes for its flagship MBA (PGP) and EMBA programme (EPGP) in the QS World University Rankings. The institute has leapfrogged 100 spots to be placed in the Top 151-200 Institutes in Business & Management Studies globally, as per the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. IIM Kozhikode is also globally accredited by EQUIS (EFMD) and AMBA (UK) and is on the verge of a triple-accreditation crown.
IIM Kozhikode also made its debut in the prestigious Financial Times Rankings in 2023 and was recently ranked #70 among the top-80 open-enrolment executive programme providers globally for the year 2024. The feat has further consolidated the 28- year’s IIM’s footing in an exclusive list of the foremost providers of executive education in the world. The institute had also entered in global top-100 at Rank #77 for FT Masters in Management (MIM) 2023 Rankings, for its full time MBA programme. In 2024, the Institute leapfrogged 9 spots to better its Global Rank to #68 in these coveted Rankings. IIM Kozhikode has successfully delivered close to 1300 MDP programmes over the past two decades, training more than 41,000 participants from 150+ organisations, which also includes several Fortune 500 companies in the process.
About Emeritus
Emeritus offers customised and open programs in India, Singapore, Dubai and other global locations in collaboration with IIM Lucknow Executive Education, IIM Calcutta Executive Education, ISB Executive Education, Harvard Business School (HBS), MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, Kellogg Executive Education, Berkeley Executive Education, and Wharton Executive Education, amongst other leading Institutions. Our world-class executive education programs, facilitated by eminent program experts, provide an immersive learning experience integrated with actionable insights and practical business applications and are delivered in a range of formats; in-class, online, as well as blended programs. The Emeritus Group has more than 1,750 employees globally and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Palo Alto, Mexico City, New York, Boston, London, and Dubai. The company is backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Leeds Illuminate, Prosus Ventures, GSV Ventures, Peak XV, Bertelsmann, CPPIB, Accel and SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
