Three reasons creatives thrive at RMIT

Ever wondered what it takes to succeed in a creative field? Who better to hear from than two Chinese alumni living out their dream careers!

If you’ve got an artistic or innovative flare, RMIT has the means and the reputation to help uncover your creative potential.

Whether you’re striving to pursue fine art, photography, graphic and communication design or architecture and interior design, at RMIT, you’ll develop advanced skills within world-class buildings and facilities, paving the way for your future success.

We caught up with two of our international alumni to find out how studying at RMIT opened the door to their global careers as creatives.

Meet our alumni: Zhewen and Leo

Leo: Graduating from RMIT with a Master of Communication Design, Leo is a research and data-driven Product Manager at a Fortune 500 company in Shanghai. He is responsible for leading and coordinating various aspects of the product development process, from conceptual design to product release. Combining a foundation of design skills with analytical thinking, Leo uses data-driven methods to guide product decisions and continuously optimises product performance and user experience.

Zhewen: Graduating from RMIT with a Master of Architecture, Zhewen is a Senior Architect at Aedas, working in the Shanghai office. The company is ranked the 11th biggest architecture practice in the world¹. Zhewen’s career started out in Melbourne, where he worked on the design of a townhouse before returning to China to make the most of the large project opportunities in his home country. Working in architectural design ever since, Zhewen participated in the design of the Yue City Commercial and Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Nanjing and won an Asia Pacific Property Award. 

RMIT Master of Architecture alum from China, Zhewen Hou

#1 RMIT is Australia’s leading institution for design and creative fields

An international university of technology, design and enterprise, RMIT ranks #1 in Australia and in the top 20 universities in the world for courses in Art and Design and Architecture/Built Environment².

Offering programs that are co-designed with industry and taught by experts in the field, RMIT students are empowered to learn from the very best and develop the skills employers are looking for.

“The reason I was attracted to RMIT University was because of its outstanding design ranking and architectural style, which deeply captivated me,” Leo said as he explained that the skills he learned and the facilities he used at RMIT were the ideal platform for his studies.

#2 Learning at RMIT sets you up for success

At RMIT, you’ll be taught by industry experts and gain exposure to new technologies in world-class facilities, allowing you to develop a diverse set of hard and soft skills, transferrable across a range of creative fields

Through hands-on workshops and industry placements and internships, you’ll be prepared to tackle the everyday tasks and challenges that you can expect to face in your line of work.

“What I learned in class, including design ideas, presentation logic, and software usage, helped me get into the rhythm of work,” Zhewen said.

“An important prerequisite for [a career in architecture] is to prepare a portfolio that showcases your creativity, teamwork skills, logical abilities, and, more practically, proficiency in using software at university, so that your employer can know that you can quickly adapt to their workplace and bring them new thinking.”

#3 Creativity is entrenched in Melbourne’s culture

A multicultural city, Melbourne is home to captivating street art, a mix of historic and contemporary buildings and architecture, as well as live music, galleries, markets and sporting events that will spoil you with inspiration.

So, whether you study at the main campus in the heart of the city or at RMIT’s creative campus in the vibrant Design District of Brunswick, you’ll be immersed in a culture that encourages creativity.

Leo and Zhewen explained that they were inspired by their time in Melbourne, with both the city and RMIT offering an innovative learning environment and importantly, a life experience they won’t forget.

"RMIT provides the opportunity to explore creative domains and collaborate with like-minded peers and mentors to cultivate and enhance design skills,” Leo said.

“After truly arriving in Melbourne, I felt that many things exceeded my imagination. There were schools in the city, each with a well-designed teaching building, and a state library that had a historical atmosphere but was still well preserved and used. I played basketball on the outdoor basketball court near RMIT’s Building 80 in the city, made friends from different backgrounds and watched sports that I had never heard of before,” Zhewen said.

Four international students taking a selfie outside Flinders St Station.

For all current and future RMIT students in Melbourne, making the most of what the city has to offer will ensure a memorable learning and life experience that primes you for your career.

“During the holidays, I travelled to many places to experience different buildings and cultures. I think experiencing them in practice is much more valuable than studying their pictures online,” Zhewen said.

“My advice for students would be to just enjoy it. You're lucky to have good facilities, well-designed buildings, within an excellent geographical location that allows you to learn, while experiencing Melbourne's culture.”

There’s a thriving network of RMIT Alumni living and working in China. If you’d like to connect and hear about events and seminars in the region, please search ‘Chris-YTingPan’ on WeChat and request to join RMIT’s alumni group.

¹WA100 2024: The big list. https://www.bdonline.co.uk/wa100-2024/wa100-2024-the-big-list/5127174.article

²QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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Acknowledgement of Country

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