From Munich to QUT: Bringing it home

During my time with BMW Group in Munich, I developed a deeper understanding of the ideas, processes and perspectives that shape industry level design and engineering. It was incredibly rewarding to bring those experiences back into the academic environment at QUT for my final project with BMW Group + QUT Design Academy.

The project gave me the chance to translate industry experience into design outcomes based on research, collaboration and systems thinking, while working alongside an amazing cohort of students. I stepped outside of my comfort zone with this project, focusing more on a physical prototype, refining it to effectively communicate the product without relying on 3D rendering. While physical prototyping will never solve the same problems as 3D rendering, it is a really important part of the process to understanding the manufacturability of the product.

I would highly recommend the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy to anybody who can see themselves working across design fields such as UI/UX, industrial design or visual communication. If you are considering applying to either the overseas program or the Design Academy program but feel unsure about your chances of getting in, put yourself out there and try, you never know what might happen.

Zac McLay
BMW Group Design Intern, 2026