What Donaldo says about the Master's in Industrial Design

Donaldo from Mexico

What is your background?

"I was an industrial designer, that's what I did for my Bachelor’s. I am from Northern Mexico, but I studied in Mexico City. It was a long education, 5 years. I did an exchange with a University in Sweden near Gothenburg. In Design Engineering, I was able to do an internship with a company based in Lund. That is how I found out that Lund had a programme in Industrial Design."

Why did you choose the Industrial Design programme? 

"I thought it was interesting that at Lund there were three main concentrations. One being man and nature, the second being behaviour and the third being technology. But you still get a broader perspective of design at the same time."

How do you like the programme? 

"It has surpassed my expectations so far. The programme has partnered up with many other institutions and companies which was very useful. Last semester was a highlight. We dedicated an entire semester to a project that was in collaboration with Sony. We did it through distance learning and it concerned water access in Kenya. The project had this social innovation and development aspect to it which I found very interesting. It is really important that we question our current ways of thinking when it comes to producing new things.

During this course, I also got the chance to team up with two other students – one from Sweden and one from Germany. The fact that we came from different backgrounds certainly nourished our project. After doing that project, I am all in on social innovations and helping them succeed."

How did you like the lecturers and professors at Lund?

"The division of Industrial Design never pressures you to go in a certain direction. They rather use this method of guidance where they urge you to define and pursue your passions. They are asking questions about who you are, what your main values are, and then encourage you to create design solutions based on your answers."

Are there any networking opportunities at Lund? 

"Absolutely! My advice is not to be afraid of reaching out – people who are passionate about their work will be interested in having a conversation with you. I even got the opportunity to sit down and talk to some UN representatives. Being able to network and to lose some of that common fear of connecting is one of the greatest assets of Lund University."

Any advice for a student coming to Lund University?

"I would begin by asking myself what my goals with the Master’s would be. My key advice is to make sure that your values are in line with the values of the programme. If you value things such as sustainability and human-centred design – this Master’s in Industrial Design is definitely for you."

What do you think are the best parts of Lund? 

"I really enjoy the urban spaces in town. There are so many places to go to where you can be outside and just read a book, or simply enjoy a ‘fika’ (coffee break) with friends. I also joined this innovation hub called ‘Venture Lab’ which was a great experience to learn how to make businesses more sustainable."