As The DaVinci Institute marks its twenty-first year, Chairperson of the Strategic Advisory Board, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka, reflects on what it means to come of age, not as a moment, but as a process of becoming.
Turning twenty-one is a significant milestone. It signals maturity, but also responsibility. Like the spiral, symbolising life’s unfolding, the journey circles back even as it moves forward, growing richer and more complex with each turn.
From this vantage point, DaVinci is not simply an institution. It is a living ecosystem, shaped across layers of experience, interaction, and influence.
The Microsystem
At its core lies the academic foundation, the microsystem that anchors the spiral. Here, faculty, researchers, and academic leaders sustain the integrity of knowledge while nurturing intellectual curiosity with practical intent. Students enter this space not as passive recipients but as active participants, challenging ideas, contributing perspectives, and shaping their own developmental journeys alongside the institution.
The Mesosystem
The mesosystem emerges in the dynamic relationship between students and lecturers. This is where education shifts from instruction to dialogue, and from dialogue to co-creation. Roles evolve, and the boundaries between teaching and learning become more fluid.
“Students increasingly contribute to the academic and industry corpus, their work reflecting not only learning, but authorship,” she notes. It is within this interplay that transformation becomes visible, where education is not simply delivered, but lived with purpose.”
The Exosystem
Beyond this, the exosystem reflects DaVinci’s growing engagement with industry, partners, and communities. The institution’s work, through research, projects, and innovation, extends beyond the campus, finding expression in practice. These outputs ripple outward, influencing sectors and shaping emerging futures.
The Macro Level
At the macro level, DaVinci exists within broader societal currents, including political, economic, cultural, and technological forces. Coming of age, in this context, is not an endpoint. It is a call to remain adaptive, relevant, and purposeful in the face of ongoing change.
The spiral continues. Each turn brings reflection. Each return invites renewal.
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