THE DESIGN ACADEMY

A Global Partnership

Mission: strengthen and expand BMW Group and QUT’s partnership through three bespoke programs: Internships, Research and Special Projects.

Vision: create a hub that focuses on Fostering Design Excellence, Exploring Knowledge Horizons and Advancing Cutting-Edge Technologies. We aspire to position design and creativity as an unparalleled and indispensable skillset for the worlds best organisations.

The BMW Group + QUT Design Academy is the culmination of a long-term partnership between BMW Group in Germany, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) School of Design in Australia. The Academy is a design hub for advanced learning, cutting-edge research and R+D projects focused on the application of emerging technologies including virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and robotics.

The BMW Group + QUT Design Academy is administered and operates from QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus in Brisbane, across two different spaces - Alpha Studio and Beta Lab.

BMW Group (BMW, Rolls Royce and MINI) is a Global Fortune 100 company and is the world’s leading manufacturer of premium automobiles, motorcycles, and provider of premium financial and mobility services headquartered in Munich, Germany. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a leading Australian university and is a national leader in collaborative industry research and teaching located in Brisbane, Australia.

The Academy Programs

The BMW Group + QUT Design Academy is founded on three pillars; Internships, Research and Special Projects. The Internship program offers QUT undergraduate design students an opportunity to advance their learning through real-world projects, and provides a pathway for paid internship placements at BMW Group in Munich, Germany. The Research program initiates a progressive research agenda for PhD and MPhil students focused on design thinking and expertise, emerging technologies, industry 4.0, and visionary human-machine interfaces. The Special Projects program is tailored for professional design graduates to facilitate BMW Group and QUT to work on advanced R+D projects for real-world applications.

The academy is a bespoke teaching and research workspace that provides real-world opportunities for QUT design students, graduates and researchers to hone their design skills, advance their learning and education, and work on cutting-edge projects with the world’s leading premium automotive company, BMW Group. The academy team at QUT work directly with BMW Group in Munich, and around the world, across a variety of emerging technology areas to help develop world-first innovations for real-world applications. QUT students, graduates and researchers also have the opportunity to work directly with BMW Group through the academy via our unique program offerings.

Accomplished

Proficient + Skilled
We endeavour to create an environment where all staff, interns and research students feel and become accomplished. This is made possible by our three pillars which focus on building proficiency and a high skill level across all research, design or technical aspects of work.
Professional

Pursuing Excellence
Our combined experience in both the design industry and BMW Group has shaped us to be professional in our work, presentation and communication. We pursue excellence in all that we do, and foster design excellence for students by using our knowledge to teach valuable skills.
Resilient

Focused on the Goal
Being resilient in the face of challenging circumstances is a pivotal aptitude of being a successful designer. At the Academy we focus on helping students excel in times of adversity while they are learning and developing their personal and technical skills.
High-Performing

Delivering at Optimal Level
We generate an environment that continually pushes the boundaries of our knowledge and demands that we operate and perform at our optimal level. We believe that by continually being challenged, we grow and evolve as designers. Being high-performing is at the core of our three programs and our vision.

Video:
BMW M8 Competition Unveiling Event (2022)

Video:
Inside the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy (2020)

Video credit: Stranger Films

Achievements

QUT School of Design and BMW Group have collaborated since 2016 when the first QUT design student, Dylan Sheppard, was accepted for an internship at BMW in Munich. Since then the internship program has grown substantially to include 35 interns, with numbers increasing year on year.

The broader partnership has also flourished through various collaborations leading to the establishment of the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy in 2020. In 2022 we announced a new and exciting milestone in the partnership; the endowment of a BMW M8 Competition as an advanced design research and teaching resource for QUT students.

2016

+ Dylan Sheppard becomes the first ever QUT design intern at BMW Group

+ Initiation of collaboration between BMW Group and QUT

2017

+ 4 interns accepted for a paid internship at BMW Group

+ Dylan Sheppard offered a job with BMW Group

2018

+ 6 interns accepted for a paid internship at BMW Group

+ Memorandum of Understanding between BMW Group and QUT signed in 2018

+ BMW Group collaboration with QUT Industrial Design design degree program

2019

+ Statement of Intent between BMW Group and QUT signed

+ QUT alumnus (Dylan Sheppard) signed a lifetime contract with BMW Group

+ 6 interns accepted for a paid internship at BMW Group

2020

+ Founding and launch of the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy

+ 8 interns accepted for a paid internship at BMW Group

+ QUT alumni, Jordan Domjahn and Michael Williams, employed as Design Associates

+ Launch of the Internship, Research and Special Projects programs

+ Intake of first ever Work Integrated Learning students through Internship program

+ Launch of 1x PhD and 1x MPhil fully funded scholarship through our Research program

+ BMW Group founds idealworks. The Academy plays central role through the Special
Projects Program

2021

+ 25 design students and graduates accepted for paid internships at BMW Group in
Munich (since 2016)

+ James Dwyer is confirmed as MPhil student under the Research Program

+ Intake of semester 1, 2021 Work Integrated Learning students through Internship
program

+ Intake of semester 1, 2021 Impact Lab students on BMW Group + QUT Design
Academy projects

+ Publication of inaugural BMW Group + QUT Design Academy 2020 Photobook

+ QUT alumni, Tim Lim and Epifanio Pereira, employed as Design Associates

+ Intake of semester 2, 2021 Work Integrated Learning students through Internship
program

+ Intake of semester 2, 2021 Industrial Design Capstone Unit student on BMW Group +
QUT Design Academy project

+ Intake of semester 2, 2021 Impact Lab students on BMW Group + QUT Design
Academy projects

2022

+ Endowment of BMW M8 Competition vehicle as an advanced design research and
teaching resource

+ Launch of new Alpha Studio and Beta Lab spaces at QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus

+ Intake of semester 1, 2022 Work Integrated Learning students through Internship
program

+ Intake of semester 1, 2022 Impact Lab students on BMW Group + QUT Design
Academy projects

+ Mike Lepre employed as Technical Associate

+ SØren Waldmann confirmed as the first of our 2022 BMW Group interns and begins
work at idealworks

+ Intake of semester 2, 2022 Work Integrated Learning students through Internship
program

+ Intake of semester 2, 2022 Impact Lab students on BMW Group + QUT Design
Academy projects

+ Start of new BMW Plant Hams Hall (UK) future vision project through Special Projects program

+ Intake of Summer semester 2022-23 Work Integrated Learning students through Internship
program

2023

+ Publication of BMW Group + QUT Design Academy 2021 Photobook

+ 35 design students and graduates accepted for paid internships at BMW Group in
Munich (since 2016), including a new team and country (Hams Hall, UK)

+ Live BMW Group project confirmed for 2023 Games Design Capstone Unit students