In many parts of the world, talent is abundant, but opportunity is not. The Educational Equality Initiative is the Snøhetta Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that students in underrepresented regions — beginning in India and across Africa — gain access to world-class education in architecture, design, and public art.

Through master classes, mentorships, and open digital archives, the initiative dismantles barriers to learning and provides the tools for the next generation of creators to thrive. It offers direct access to a Concept Methodology, inviting students and educators to engage with design as a social, environmental, and cultural act.

The program follows a Theory of Change model where transformation is driven by local institutions. The Foundation acts as a facilitator and knowledge resource — sharing case studies, methods, and mentorship — while universities and schools lead the implementation within their own cultural and educational contexts.

By co-creating curricula with institutions such as the JJ School of Applied Art in Mumbai, OsloMET and the University of Alexandria, the initiative ensures that learning environments are both globally informed and locally rooted. Each collaboration strengthens the educational infrastructure of its region, empowering communities to build sustainable futures through design.

The Educational Equality Initiative embodies the Foundation’s belief that creativity and access to knowledge are universal rights. By opening doors to education, we help nurture voices that will shape not only the built environment, but the social and environmental landscapes of tomorrow.