Industrial Product Design at University College Howest (Kortrijk, UNESCO Creative City of Design, Belgium) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in style, as the bachelor’s program was named the second-best design school in the world at the prestigious Rookie Awards. This reaffirms that Howest is not only a pioneer in the Flemish landscape but also makes a significant impact on an international level.
The Rookie Awards is an annual competition that enjoys worldwide recognition and aims to provide a platform for young design talent. The same organization already declared Howest as the best game development school in the world, no less than three times. The recent award for the Industrial Product Design program demonstrates that Howest is not only excelling in the field of game development but is also building a solid reputation as a design school.
“This recognition is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the hard work and creativity that our students and staff display on a daily basis,” says Ronald Bastiaens, Program Director. “In a time where design plays an increasingly crucial role in shaping the future, we are very proud to receive this international recognition.”
It is no coincidence that this milestone coincides with the 20th anniversary of the program. Since its start in 2003, the bachelor has adopted a progressive approach that encourages students to think innovatively and entrepreneurially. Through close collaboration with the industry and a focus on sustainable design, the program successfully prepares young designers for the challenges of the 21st century.
In the coming months, several events will be organized to celebrate both the 20th anniversary and this recent recognition. For example, the exhibition ‘IPO INSIDE OUT – 20 years of industrial product design’ will run in the Budafabriek until November 5th as part of the WONDER Creativity Festival in Kortrijk, Belgium.