Welcome to The Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking
The Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking was set up at the University of Malta in collaboration with Professor Edward de Bono in 1992. Initially, the Institute was concerned primarily with teaching Professor de Bono’s thinking tools at the University of Malta. Over the years, however, the Institute has expanded and diversified its activities, and now offers a wide range of courses and events to University students and to the general public in the following interrelated subject areas:
Creativity refers to the generation of ideas that are novel and useful. In today’s increasingly competitive environment, creativity is an indispensable asset which enhances opportunity identification and problem solving. Contrary to popular belief, creativity is a skill, and just like any other skill it can be developed with practice through the use of a variety of tools and techniques that have been developed for this purpose.
Innovation refers to the successful implementation of creative ideas to produce something of value. It relates not only to science and technology, but to the introduction of new products, services and processes in any context or industry. Innovation is a necessary step in the creative process, as the benefits of creativity can only emerge if there is a system in place which manages the implementation of ideas.
Entrepreneurship is generally associated with starting up and running one’s own business. It is widely considered to be the backbone of the economy as it leads to job creation, innovation and economic growth. However, there is much more to entrepreneurship that business ownership. The European Commission stresses the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial culture or mindset, and has listed “a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship” as a key competence for life. The entrepreneurship key competence involves the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable individuals to generate and implement creative ideas, to be self-confident, autonomous and proactive, to plan and execute projects, and to act in socially responsible ways. This key competence is important not only for those wishing to start up and run their own business, but also for those seeking employment or a professional career.
Foresight involves taking a leap into the distant future to create scenarios and visions of the way the world might be. It is about designing, creating and working towards specific scenarios and visions in an attempt to take action in the present, either to arrive at a desirable future or to mitigate unfavourable circumstances. A number of methodologies are available and are applied in the areas of policy (ICT, science and technology, environment and energy) and in private organisations (corporate foresight). The design of novel and desirable future scenarios draws on the skills of creativity as it involves the generation of novel ideas and possibilities. The implementation of policies to arrive at a desirable future requires knowledge of innovation management.
On behalf of my colleagues, I invite you to explore our Institute website and to 'Like' our Facebook page to find out more about our courses, events, projects and research. Please feel free to contact us via email (instituteofthinking@um.edu.mt) or by phone (+356 2340 2434) if you would like to obtain further information.
Dr Leonie Baldacchino
Director
