This conceptual paper argues that the future of industrial design education is determined by the ability of design programs to consciously position themselves according to higher education trends. Whether a design program chooses to be part of a scholarly University, or practice-oriented higher education system, depends on the choice of design thinking models and related processes and methods to be taught, researched and practiced. From a design thinking perspective, it can be argued that a positivistic approach towards problem solving is a typical trait of design programs, which have subjected themselves to a University system of research and education. These programs advocate problem solving and participative models of design thinking. Design programs, who are part of a practice-oriented higher education system, tend to support the reflective and hermeneutic design thinking approaches towards designing. However, a common dedication of faculty members towards mentorship and scholarship being able to promote learning and inquiry from a theoretical, collaborative and process perspective is also important, irrelevant what strategy has been adopted.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
