THI builds design bridge to Argentina

The success of a product today depends more and more on whether the design is right and the product arouses positive emotions in the buyer. To ensure this reaction, however, specialists are needed, in so-called User Experience Design (UXD). The demand for UX designers on the job market is correspondingly high.

The Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) recognised these connections early on and established one of the first UXD Bachelor's degree programmes in Germany as early as 2014. Due to the high demand, an internationally oriented, English-language UXD Master's programme followed this year. The head of the two UXD programmes at the THI is Andreas Riener, Professor of Human-Computer Interface.

It was Riener who was also contacted by the world-renowned School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism (FADU) of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) in 2019. The result of the following meetings: "GearUxP! - German-Argentinian User Experience Design Program". FADU and THI are now jointly developing a UXD programme with a double degree. This will specifically combine the computer-based skills taught at THI with the creative, design-oriented skills of FADU. GearUxP! thus offers UXD students new perspectives both professionally and interculturally. And in future, the programme will also be able to respond even better to the requirements of the interdisciplinary and international UXD community.

GearUxP! is funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (DAAD). The first - virtual - kick-off workshops have already begun. The joint degree programme of the two universities is scheduled to start in 2022.