13 Industry-linked Teaching & Learning The Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture maintains longstanding partnerships with industry, enabling students to engage with professional practice while providing support for teaching, learning and applied research. These collaborations strengthen graduate readiness by linking academic work to real-world contexts and expanding opportunities for experiential learning. In Industrial Design, industry engagement continues to play a central role in the curriculum. The department partnered with Volkano in 2025 on a speaker-design project aligned to a professional brief. The collaboration included an industry lecture, a factory visit exposing students to manufacturing processes, and a competitive showcase of student concepts evaluated by company representatives. Prize-winners received equipment including 3D printers, speakers and headsets, and the project provided valuable insight into product development, production constraints and market expectations. The department also maintains an active alumni WhatsApp network, which supports professional connections, shares employment opportunities and gathers feedback on graduate employability. A similar alumni engagement model has been adopted by the Jewellery Design and Manufacture department. The Department of Architecture hosted a two-day workshop studio in partnership with ACCUSPEC, involving thirteen construction industry partners who engaged students on materials, construction technology, design and manufacture. The initiative enhanced practical knowledge and professional literacy, while ACCUSPEC also contributed R16,100 in prize funding for the student Converge competition. A job-shadowing initiative was introduced with alumni architectural practices in Johannesburg to support high-performing students, providing early professional exposure and improving employability. The department also strengthened collaboration with the Gauteng Institute for Architecture (GIFA) to support Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) for second-year diploma students. Through a mentorbased, office-simulation model, the partnership helps address placement constraints in a volatile job market. Jewellery Design and Manufacture students participated in a Work-Integrated Learning project with De Beers, gaining experience in diamond familiarisation, cutting and polishing, and jewellery retail practice. In Graphic Design and Multimedia, students participated in an Absa-sponsored Hackathon during the fourth term. Senior students also collaborated with Commerce, Law and Management students in the Marketathon project to develop marketing concepts for the University of Johannesburg; this initiative will be further formalised in 2026. Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate the faculty’s strong engagement with industry and alumni networks, enhancing professional awareness, practical competence and the employability of graduates. Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate the faculty’s strong engagement with industry and alumni networks, enhancing professional awareness, practical competence and the employability of graduates. Visiting Lithuanian artist Marija Marcelionytė- Paliukė with third year Visual Arts students
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