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CAS Design Cultures

Study trip Guatemala 2027

Study Trip Guatemala 2027
In a nutshell
Impressions of earlier study trips to Guatemala
Structure
Highlights
Themes & Learning Goals
Facilitation
Registration
Further Impressions

Study Trip Guatemala 2027

From April 19–28, 2027 the CAS Design Cultures offers a 10-day study trip experience for participants to immerse in the indigenous context at Lake Atitlán in Guatemala and at the same time contribute to projects around the topic of circular design and regeneration. Participants get to experience a complete, real-world cycle—from waste treatment to soil substrates for agriculture and reforestation. This study trip is an opportunity for everyone who wants to take their design practice to the next level, leave their comfort zone, experience circular design and co-creation principles. Participants get to know and practice a diverse set of methods and approaches and encounter the Mayan cosmovision, take part in a traditional ceremony, and explore relationships between people, land, and regeneration. The program is a balance between impulse inputs, reflection and a hands-on design project in collaboration with local experts and members from different Mayan communities at Lake Atitlán.

In a nutshell

What: 10-day study trip to Guatemala
When: 19–28 April 2027
Where: Guatemala City, Santa Catarina Palopó, Lake Atitlán
Registration deadline: 4 January 2027
Cost: CHF 2,800 excluding flights, accommodation and meals
People and organisations involved: Mona Mijthab (ZHdK Strategic Design and Mosan), Nadine Heuberger, Link4
Contact: Katharina Nill

Interested?
A hybrid information session will take place on 4 June 2026 at 5 pm (please register here). Or contact us via form to stay up to date.

The study trip (5 ECTS) is part of the modular CAS Design Cultures within the MAS Strategic Design continuing education programme. The trip can also be booked independently of the CAS programme.

Impressions of earlier study trips to Guatemala

Structure

After arriving in Guatemala City (April 18) the group continues to Lake Atitlán (April 19), where participants stay in the village Santa Catarina Palopó in simple accommodations and experience the local lifestyle. The 10-day study trip is highly immersive and follows a progression from observation to participation and reflection. A central element is experiencing the Mosan system, an innovative circular system covering the full cycle from waste collection, to treatment, to fertilizer production, soil application and tree planting. The program combines daytrips, field visits, expert meetings, co-creation sessions and hands-on learning, such as supporting the planting of trees for local reforestation efforts. The immersive program incorporates group and individual reflection on how the experiences and principles translate into the professional context at home. The program ends at Lake Atitlán (April 28) and recommendations for optional trips and other highlights in the country will be provided. The program is facilitated in English and in Spanish with translation. Spanish speaking skills are not required, but are welcome.

Highlights

Circular system “from waste to resource”: experience the Mosan innovation in practice
Ecological and science-based approaches to regeneration and soil health
Practical examples for climate resilience
Co-creation with local stakeholders and community actors
Contribution to a regeneration initiative in the Guatemalan highlands (e.g. planting, soil work, reforestation activity)
Learning from local ecosystems and land stewardship practices
Immersion in Mayan cosmovision and participation in a traditional ceremony
Exposure to the vibrant cultural context of the Lake Atitlán region

Themes & Learning Goals

Participants deepen their profile as strategic designers with a strong sensitivity to intercultural contexts. The course supports the application and integration of approaches such as Design Thinking, Systems Thinking, and Participatory Design in real-world settings. Key learning areas include:

Developing intercultural competencies through direct engagement in unfamiliar contexts
Strengthening strategic design skills
Applying design methods, tools, and mindsets in complex, real-world situations
Participating in relevant local initiatives alongside practitioners and community actors
Understanding circular design and circular economy principles through lived systems
Exploring nutrient cycles, regenerative agriculture, and soil health
Engaging with agroforestry, permaculture, and landscape regeneration practices

The program emphasizes learning through participation, reflection, and collaboration, enabling participants to expand their design practice beyond conventional settings.

Facilitation

The study trip will be facilitated by different people.

Nadine Heuberger will accompany the tour group and be available to answer any questions regarding travel arrangements. At Rochester-Bern Executive Programs, an independent continuing education foundation for executives and board members based at the University of Bern, she is responsible for developing new continuing education programmes. Since 2019, she has been offering international group educational tours through her own company, Explorer Circle GmbH, under the motto “Business, culture & networking”.

Mona Mijthab is a social entrepreneur with 10 years experience in teaching and research at ZHdK. Mona is member of the ZHdK Strategic Design core team and partially based in Switzerland and Guatemala. Mona founded Mosan, a social enterprise developing circular and climate-positive systems, transforming waste into biochar, which is used as a soil enhancer in agriculture, to regenerate soils and increase farmer resilience.

Omar Crespo is a Guatemalan expert in participatory design, consultant at MIT D-Lab, and the founder of the organization Link4, a social enterprise that fosters local innovation and multi stakeholder collaboration, capacity building and social impact experiences. The team is composed of Guatemalan experts and local community members guiding study trip participants through this immersive experience.

Both organizations Mosan and Link4 are based in Santa Catarina Palopó since 2018 as active members and facilitators in the local innovation ecosystem. Study Trip participants get to delve in and contribute to the ongoing innovation process within the community.

Katharina Nill is coordinating and supporting the trip on behalf of ZHdK.