Abstract
This paper investigates the engagement towards sustainability of graduating industrial design students in
Australia. This was achieved by completing a content analysis of the entries in the Australian Design
Award - James Dyson Award, focusing on the claims made in the product descriptions, their rationale for
representing design excellence and why they believe their work is award winning. The findings were
encouraging, as the overwhelming majority of finalists and winners had incorporated an environmentally
responsive strategy or addressed an issue of significance to society. The analysis results provide evidence
that sustainability issues are increasingly being tackled in Australian industrial design education. That
graduating students choose to do final-year projects which reflect their sensitivity to these global issues
suggest concern and readiness on their part in exploring real solutions to these problems, and perhaps a
desire and optimism for a more promising world for future generations.