By 2025, the number of older persons globally will surpass the number of young individuals (World Health Organization 2022). Research consistently highlights the preference for ageing in a familiar home environment, enabling the elderly to remain in their homes and avoid institutionalisation. In order to facilitate this, homes need to be adapted to cater to the changing physical and emotional needs of the elderly. Design professionals responsible for these adaptations are typically trained to address the functional requirements of the built environment. However, they may overlook the importance of a life-centred approach, which prioritises the long-term well-being of the users.

The cyber revolution has emphasised the dialogue regarding perceptions of value between the mechanically produced and the handmade jewellery piece. The application of modern digital design technology with traditional methods of working by hand in the studio jewellers’ practice raises questions of authorship, authenticity, and artisanship.

South African students in higher education face many challenges other than the requirements of the academic programme. This places additional demands on academic staff tasked with delivering specialised content in support of student success rates. In response, we have introduced a subject intended to support first-year design students in navigating studio and theory subjects in a trans-disciplinary way. This subject covers academic, personal and professional literacies. Personal and professional literacies are the subject of this investigation, in which we question how we can support students in preparation for fast-changing future environments?