Introduction Test
The Government School of Design builds design literacy across the UK Civil Service. It provides accredited learning that helps officials design policies and services that deliver measurable public value. Our mission is to make design a core capability of modern government.
Design is the essential underpinning of successful delivery in government. It connects policy intent to operational reality and is central to modern digital ways of working.
The same principles that make good digital services—iterative development, user insight, and multidisciplinary collaboration—make good government.
Our Learning Offer
The school offers three programmes designed to serve every civil servant and every department:
Design for Everyone
Short, practical courses for any official who designs or delivers public policy or services.
Explore Courses
Design for Leaders
For Senior Civil Servants who need to lead design work and sponsor innovation.
View Accelerator
Design for Experts
For existing or aspiring design professionals who are seeking accreditation and chartered status.
Our Partners
We work in collaboration with leading design bodies to certify our curriculum and map courses to professional frameworks.
DESIGN COUNCIL
Our collaboration with the Design Council ensures that our frameworks represent the latest standards in public design and service transformation across the public sector.
CHARTERED SOCIETY OF DESIGNERS
Courses are certified by the Chartered Society of Designers, providing pathways toward professional accreditation and Chartered Designer status.
Evidence & Faculty
Discover the evidence-based methodology behind our curriculum and meet the active civil servants and leaders who teach at the school.
Evidence & Foundations
Learn how the GDS curriculum is aligned with standards and backed by research that demonstrates the public value of design in government.
Read Foundations
Meet the Teachers
Our faculty consists of practicing design experts, senior leaders, and policymakers from across the UK Civil Service.
Meet Our Faculty