QUT is celebrating 50 years of industrial design education in Queensland and the positive impact the profession has had on the state’s economy, cultural fabric and environment over the past five decades.
The university welcomed its first industrial students back in 1976 when it was QIT, and since then more than 1500 graduates have moved out into the real world to put their education to work designing new and improved products for consumers and industry.
QUT design students, staff and alumni recently gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary with industry guests at a Brisbane event hosted by the Design Institute of Australia.
The Head of the QUT School of Design, Professor Lisa Scharoun, said industrial design was one of society’s quiet achievers because people didn’t often stop to think about how a product they used every day had been designed – and who had brought it to life.
“At its heart, industrial design is a about human-centred design – how do people interact with everyday items, what are their needs, and how do we make life easier for them in a sustainable way?” Professor Scharoun said.
“Human centred design is the cornerstone of the QUT School of Design.
“Our teaching and learning and our research focus on social impact and ‘change by design.’ Our main aim is collaborating across sectors, systems and barriers to design things that support greater understanding to improve the human condition.
“Industrial designers play an important role in society because their influence can be seen in so many products people use every day – kitchen appliances, furniture, smartphones, apps uniforms, children’s toys, medical devices, sports tech, the list is almost endless.”
Professor Scharoun said the state’s 50th anniversary of industrial design education was about looking forward as well as celebrating the past.
“When we think about industrial design in Queensland in 2026 compared to 1976, it really highlights the massive shift in how the state’s industries innovate,” she said.
“Usability and aesthetics have always been important in product design, but one of the big changes today compared to 50 years ago is the focus on sustainability.
“As emerging materials and technologies develop, industrial designers are discovering better, more sustainable ways to create the products, services and systems that improve people’s everyday life.
“We see many students drawn to the field because they want to positively influence the complex problems we face in the 21st Century and make an impact in the real world through better-designed, more sustainable products that can be used on a scale that really makes a difference.”
The QUT Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) is a three-year degree taught at the university’s Kelvin Grove campus in inner Brisbane.
Professor Scharoun said hands-on design units, industry-led projects, study tours and internships were all important elements of the degree.
“QUT industrial design students are consistently recognised through significant national and international design awards, and our graduates continue to contribute across diverse industries and fields of practice,” she said.
“They learn from the best while at QUT, as we have a fully PhD-qualified academic team who liaise closely with industry and work at the intersection of design, technology and societal need.
“Our lecturers and researchers contribute to areas including mobility, health technologies, disability, services and emerging industrial systems, and engage with industry to help advance the discipline towards more human-centred, sustainable and socially responsive models of innovation associated with Industry 5.0.”
QUT’s research expertise and project-based practical design strengths were recognised this month when a handcycle developed by four of the university’s industrial design researchers won a national Good Design Award.
The HX Adaptive Handcycle is a modular, adaptive handcycle trainer designed to increase cycling participation for people with a disability.
It was one of six QUT-related products to receive Good Design Awards for 2026.
The handcycle was designed by Professor Scharoun, Dr Levi Swann, Dr Leo Rezayan and Sam Stewart, all from the School of Design.
A working prototype of the handcycle trainer was unveiled at QUT last November during a celebration of inclusive innovation, para-sport achievements, and design work by QUT researchers and students.
The handcycle was co-designed with input from end-users at Sporting Wheelies, with the project funded by the Queensland Government ActiveKIT program.
The 50 Years of Industrial Design anniversary event on September 30 attracted alumni and other industry leaders who discussed the milestone inside the beautiful interior of St John's Anglican Cathedral in the Brisbane CBD.
Speakers included Jonathan Tighe (Head of Industrial Design, Intellidesign), Sara Pontoppidan (Industrial Design Director, Clandestine Design Group), Rebekah Davis (Director, Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith Unviersity) and Shayne Beaver (QUT industrial design lecturer).
Other guests included the CEO of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), Simone LeAmon, and DIA Queensland Chair and QUT graduate Liam Georgeson.
“The recognition of this 50th anniversary within the broader design community, including by the Design Institute of Australia, speaks to the significance of the discipline and its contribution over five decades,” Professor Scharoun said.
“For QUT, it’s a meaningful milestone that highlights the far-reaching contribution of our graduates and the university’s continuing role in shaping the discipline.”
2026 QUT Design Festival
The work of the next generation of industrial designers will be showcased in November as part of the 2026 QUT Design Festival.
The festival will celebrate the fresh ideas, bold visions, and innovative solutions of design students across four fields – fashion design, industrial design, interaction design and visual communication.
The Industrial Design Graduate Showcase will be held on November 12 from 5pm to 8pm at Z12 in the QUT Creative Industries Precinct on Gona Parade at Kelvin Grove.
The showcase is open to the public and free tickets can be reserved online.
Media contact: Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
