This paper presents a study investigating the competencies and skills related to dealing with complex social challenges that are taught in top-ranking international design universities and colleges. It starts with a literature review to identify the required competencies and skills for designers to do so. 6 main clusters of skills: obtaining a comprehensive perspective, overcoming disciplinary barriers in collaboration, communication, and negotiation, integrating management logic and mindset, utilising continuously evolving technology, and traditional design skills, as well as 14 sub-clusters of skills are categorised. Afterward, the study analyses the syllabus, program, and course descriptions of 16 design education programs that focus on educating future designers to tackle social challenges to understand which are the commonly taught skills, and which are the less commonly covered ones. The analysis results enable us to generate an overview of the state of the art of current design education programs that consider training designers to participate in solving society’s complex problems. The paper ends with discussions and reflections on the potential directions of future studies on similar topics.