Scholarship / Product Design - Why did you choose your proposed course and institution? Scholarship essay for AAS [3]

The future of design

I never thought to be studying industrial design as my career. Following the trend, I wanted to become an engineer in the love of construction art. Throughout my life, being a kid I have been involved in crafting objects using a variety of materials like paper, clay, and fabric etc. I used to wait for vacations to experiment with different construction trades like working with wood to form doll furniture, metallic wires, and beads to form jewelry (ornamentation), etc. After my high school graduation when I had to take admission for my undergraduate degree, it directed my attention towards product design that was recently introduced in Pakistan and also matched my passion for my future goal.

Product Design that revolved around User-Centered Design, enabled me to think critically towards problem-solving approach. The academic and professional insights has urged me to instigate the change in the educational aspect of design in Pakistan. By choosing to study 'Masters of Design' program in Australia, I intend to empower myself to become a better design educationist to learn the integrated aspects of the design field.

The aim to study at the chosen institutions is based on their contribution in the global design world. I aim to research in-depth on collaborative design and technologies. The combination of studio-based discourses along with technology-led practices not only allows independent experimentation but to learn and create different forms of art to reach and communicate a particular purpose. The opportunity to take the idea from its inception stage to the final product can enhance my skills and technical pinning of the field. The future of design plays a pivotal role in the future innovations, and the opportunity of working with a diverse range of design thinkers (the Faculty) who are working together to bring the advancement in the field. By studying there I believe to have myself well-positioned in my field to lead the future prospects of academia in my country.

Scholarship / Career Contribution Essay - For AAS (Pakistan Economy) [3]

How will the proposed study contribute to your career?

Pakistan is an agrarian economy with a very rich art and craft culture and a limited industrial base with few value-added exports. Two decades back very few people were aware of the importance of industrial design as a catalyst in value addition. Even as of now despite having a great future potential there is no institution offering a postgraduate degree in Industrial Design due to lack of design specialists in the country. Currently, only seven art and design institutes offer an undergraduate degree in Industrial/ Product design and fewer number of field specialists are serving in only two institutes.

I am currently teaching as a lecturer for Industrial Design at the undergraduate level. After successfully working as a multi-disciplinary designer for 8 years in the industry and 4 years in academia, it has encouraged me to apply for a postgraduate degree in Industrial Design to enhance my field knowledge and to gain an amplified global perspective towards industrial design.

Pakistan lacks a well-reformed curriculum due to the lack of proper infrastructure and design competencies. Choosing the University of New South Wales is my first option as Masters of Design is an interdisciplinary industry engaged-program for two reasons. Firstly, the advantage of foci on the integration of varied design concepts such as design thinking, technology and conceptual skills to meet the global design innovation needs at one place. And secondly, having the skills earned after the specialized qualification will help me to demonstrate innovative solutions to problem solving in regard to the academic structure of the field at my home country.

My professional degree in design is a pathway to extend my professional, research and practice based skills to progress in a more purposeful manner and to be able to link academia and industry practice in Pakistan.