Invited Speakers

Thomas Bade is a licensed disability support worker and holds a diploma in Social Pedagogy (Dipl. Sozial-pädagoge/Dipl. Sozialarbeiter), he is co-founder of universal design e.V. and Executive director of universal design GmbH. His work focuses on the development of service concepts (service design) with special regard for criteria of universal design. His has 30 years of experience in social economy and has worked more than 20 years as a corporate manager of a stock corporation.

In his current capacity as Executive director for universal design e.V. and the universal design GmbH, Mr. Bade developed in conjunction with the International Design Forum (iF), the first international universal design award 2008. Other accomplishments include the conceptualisation of universal design projects for exposition and exhibition (CeBIT 2006 – 2010) and a special exhibition on assisted living ("living space" exhibition Altenpflege+Propflege 2003 – 2010).

He was also responsible for several research projects (funded by the Robert Bosch foundation, Germany) in cooperation with the Bauhaus University, Weimar und Technical University, Munich (Germany)

Mr. Bade has given numerous lectures and expert testimonies (amongst others. Designtage Essen 2007, and abroad: Institute of Technology of the University of Kyoto) and as an expert for the program "Alter schafft Neues" (Age creates novelty) at the invitation of the Federal Minister for Family, Elderly, Women and Youth. He is a member of the selection committee of the Lower Saxony universal design award and of iF – Industrie Forum Design e.V., Hannover, Germany.