The UJ Department of Industrial Design is the oldest Industrial Design programme in South Africa. It began at the School of Art, Johannesburg in 1963, this became the Technikon Witwatersrand in 1979, and finally merged with Rand Afrikaans University and Vista University to become the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in 2005. The Department of Industrial Design is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture based in a bespoke building on the UJ Bunting Road Campus.

The Department has four central principles that drive the education we offer:

1. As industrial designers we are responsible for the manufacture of products that will be produced in great numbers. We have a responsibility to consider the environmental impact of our creativity.

2. We are likely to design most of our products for just 10% of the world's population who can afford designer consumer goods. However, we also have a responsibility to design products for the other 90% who may not be able to afford the luxury of the minority, but nevertheless need access to well-designed products in their everyday lives.

3. At the centre of what we are responsible for developing is the person who will one day use the results of our creativity. Every aspect of our design process needs to consider this individual and their circumstances as a priority.

4. We are located in Johannesburg, South Africa and should make every effort to reflect this unique context in how we design. This may be considered in terms of decolonization, development, identity, aesthetics, culture or social economics. Read Less