Industrial Design

Did you know, …

… that our programme has a strong practical focus?

The ability to think in complex structures and to discuss and critically examine ideas is important, but equally important are technical and design skills that lead to concrete product solutions: from design and representation techniques through to applications in rapid prototyping. We place great value on practice, which is demonstrated by the fact that our lecturers work as professional designers in parallel to their teaching.

Did you know, …

… that our research benefits both people and the environment?

Social sustainability and the responsible and sustainable use of resources and materials are at the core of Industrial Design. Sound research and collaboration with science and engineering are vital if we wish to do more than merely pay lip service to sustainability. FH JOANNEUM in Graz provides an ideal environment in this respect.

Did you know, …

… that we collaborate with a range of companies?

Collaboration means mutual enrichment. Our cooperation partners can delve into an independent discourse on the future of their business fields, while our students gain a practical insight into the complex structures and processes found in companies. As a university and research institution, we also see ourselves as a sparring partner for industry since we can conduct our research independently of any sectoral standards.

Did you know, …

… that our studio is open to students 24/7?

Our studio provides every student with their own desk where they can work, draw, experiment or simply converse with colleagues. This promotes the exchange of ideas, while freshers benefit from the help and support provided by students further along in their studies.

Did you know, …

… that the education we provide is diverse?

Most design universities have a clear focus on product design, transportation design or interface design. We have deliberately chosen a very broad approach for our curriculum, allowing students to discover their personal talents through practical experience.

Did you know, …

… that we place great value on our students' portfolios?

Our students begin to work on their portfolio from the first semester so that they are well equipped for the world of work even before completing their studies. Designers must document their work throughout their whole career, and a portfolio often reveals more about a designer's qualifications than their academic grades.

Did you know, …

… that our students’ skills are very important to us?

In addition to a relevant concept and an innovative idea, we also place great value on the design quality of our students’ projects. This includes design proficiency, technical understanding and sophisticated CAD design. The students will also build proportional, functional and shape models to support them in the design process.

Did you know, …

… that each year starts with a 5x5 workshop?

At the start of each winter semester students from all years spend 5 days working together in groups of 5. This dynamic workshop helps students get to know each other in an informal setting and settle into the semester.

Did you know, …

… that we regularly exhibit and publish the designs created by our students?

In addition to our annual Degree Show at the designforum Steiermark, we also showcase the designs created by our students at exhibitions and festivals at venues including the MuseumsQuartier Wien, the Kunsthaus Graz and the Global Grad Show in Dubai. Our students are often invited to present their work to an international audience, as recently at Audi in Ingolstadt and BMW in Munich.

Did you know, …

… that we place special focus on practice-oriented learning?

Our practice-oriented design course leaves no question unanswered, including "What fee is appropriate?", "How do licence agreements work?", "How can I protect my ideas against plagiarism?" and "What is the best way to acquire customers?" Our students learn to price design services in formats such as Reality Check or Design Management.

Did you know, …

… that our students have won numerous design awards?

They include the iF DESIGN TALENT AWARD, the Red Dot Junior Award, the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Award, the James Dyson Award, the Design Concepts Award, the Pro Carton young Designers Award, to name just a few.

Did you know, …

… that we regularly invite international designers and scientists?

Examples include Polish designer Oskar Zięta at the Kunsthaus Graz, Prof. Michael Braungart from the Zukunftsinstitut Deutschland and pioneer of the 'cradle-to-cradle' design concept, Christian Schwamkrug, Design Director of the Porsche Design Studio, and Dr Harald Gründl, CEO of Eoos Next and developer of design-based sustainability concepts.

Did you know, …

… that the Industrial Design programme in Graz is very compatible?

This FH JOANNEUM programme is the only design course in Austria which confers the internationally recognised degree of Bachelor or Master of Arts in Arts and Design, enabling you to enrol on a university postgraduate or doctoral programme.