It’s time for real change in the education system and the time is right for design thinking. While schools and universities grapple with which is the most relevant certified government-recognised academic programme to adopt, it is clear that students today are finding knowledge and discovering skills on demand. Online academies are vying with each other and with investors with deep pockets to shift courses. Entire academic curriculum and degrees are available on the fly. Students are able to personalise and pace their education beyond the confines of a classroom. This is a massive opportunity to redesign the physical structures of schools, school curricula and methods of information dissemination to digitally native students. Design can play an important role in showing students how to think about problems with empathy. Design strategy can also be employed to help differentiate education institutions through bold brand positions. Education has moved out of the book and into a real-world experience, therefore design thinking can be employed to create experiential education that spawns lifelong learners.