BITS Design School signs five-year agreement with RMIT University Melbourne for design students

BITS Design School has entered into a five-year articulation agreement with Melbourne-based RMIT University, allowing eligible students to transfer to RMIT and carry credits toward its Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) degree.

The agreement provides a structured academic pathway for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Design (Honours) program at BITS Design School's Mumbai campus. Students who successfully complete their first two years at BITS Design School can transfer to RMIT to finish their undergraduate degree.

The arrangement will initially allow up to five students to transfer each year, with the number of places set to be reviewed after two years.

Students transferring to RMIT will receive 192 credit points toward the university's Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) program.

They will then complete the remaining requirements, including design studios, a design honors project and a major in one of four areas: Design for Advanced Manufacture, Design for Sustainability, Interaction Design, or Design for Sound Interfaces and Environments.

The remaining coursework will be delivered at RMIT's Melbourne City and Brunswick campuses in Victoria.

The articulation agreement was formally signed by Nandita Abraham, Dean of BITS Design School, and Tim Marshall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Design and Social Context and Vice-President at RMIT University.

Students from the first eligible cohort, which began the BITS Design School program in July 2025, can transfer to RMIT beginning in Semester 2 of 2027 or Semester 1 of 2028. They are expected to complete their degree in 2029.

International exposure has been a key component of BITS Design School's academic vision, with the institution seeking to prepare students for global design practices, perspectives and professional opportunities. The new agreement further develops the existing relationship between BITS Pilani and RMIT.

The partnership has also included student exchange activities between the two institutions. Seven RMIT students visited BITS Design School in July, while eight BITS Design School students are scheduled to attend RMIT for the spring semester exchange.

The latest agreement builds on the ongoing academic relationship between the institutions and gives BITS Design School students an additional route to complete their design education in Australia.