Industrial design is the youngest of the practical disciplines. In Poland, the industrial design grew out of the tradition of practical arts, establishing itself as an independent field in the late 1970s. Thus, by definition, industrial design is the design of the form and features of products intended to be marketed. Failure to recognize its uniqueness as compared to the other creative disciplines, too often leads to it being described as one of the practical arts and crafts, and consequently to it being wrongly understood by society in general.

Industrial design training combines a creative and humanities education with technical knowledge. The students are exposed to specific design tasks, which prepare them for cooperation with the industrial world and for independent design work. The Academy cooperates with many industrial plants, which enables the design concepts developed during the courses to evolve into prototypes and be presented to prospective manufacturers at industry exhibitions in Poland and abroad.