Joanne Cys

Teaching Strengths

Interior design theory
Interior design professional practice
Honours supervision in the design disciplines

Prof Joanne Cys

Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor

School of Architecture and Built Environment

College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.


Professor Joanne Cys LFDIA, Hon FRAIA, is Provost & DVC Elect for Adelaide University.

Joanne has extensive academic leadership experience and has held previous positions as Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Executive Dean, Pro Vice Chancellor, Head of School, and Dean: Academic. She has also been Deputy Chair of UniSA Academic Board.
In her field of design, Joanne’s research focuses on the disciplinary sociology and directions of interior design as an expansive field of practice and research. She also works in the applied areas of continuing professional education for design practitioners and education policy for the design profession.  
Joanne is a Design Ambassador of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) and an Ambassador of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI).
During 2019-2020 Joanne was co-chair of the IFI Design Education Policy Taskforce.
She has been co-chair of the Global Interiors Education Open Forum (2011-2015) and Executive Board Member of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (2011- 2014).  
Joanne was National President of the Design Institute of Australia (2008-2010) and has been Australia's representative to the Global Design Network and the Asia Pacific Space Designers Alliance. 
Her contributions to design education, policy and research have been recognised by her induction into Australia's Design Hall of Fame, selection as a South Australian Design Icon, Life Fellowship of the Design Institute of Australia, and Honorary Fellowship of the Australian Institute of Architects.
Joanne has been the creative director for major practice-led design competitions and symposia at state, national and international level. She is a spokesperson at national and international conferences and is regularly invited to contribute to professional design journals. Joanne is highly engaged in national and international peak design bodies.  
Joanne's qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Arts (Interior Design), a Master of Architecture, and a PhD.

Joanne’s research interests are in the disciplinary sociology and future directions of interior design, continuing professional education and multi-disciplinary design collaboration. Joanne's current research activity relates to interior design as an expansive discipline and she has been invited to present papers at international conferences relating to her work in this area.  Joanne was invited by the Hong Kong Interior Design Association (HKIDA) to be the international adviser on Hong Kong's Professional Guideline for the Interior Design Industry in Hong Kong, a collaboration between HKIDA and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Joanne developed the strategy for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) for design practitioners in Australia which has been adopted by the DIA and her work to develop the DIA's Design Education Policy led to the establishment of the DIA's 'Course Recognition' process for tertiary design programs. Joanne's work in the area of CPE for designers led to the successful commercialisation of her research to produce a series of Creative Masterclasses for Design Practitioners (2007-2010).

Year Citation
2016 Cys, J., & Lawrence, J. (2016). Homeland: returning, remembering, reimagining. Marmalade, (4), 42-45.
2016 Cys, J. (2016). Creative continuum. Inside, (90), 86-91.
2016 Cys, J., & Morrison, C. (2016). Without compromise. Inside, (94), 78-82.
2013 Cys, J., & Lawrence, J. (2013). A place at the table: interiors and the everyday. Interiors: design, architecture, culture, 4(3), 295-314.
DOI
2011 Cys, J. (2011). IFI Global Symposium. Artichoke, 35, 38.
2011 Cys, J. (2011). For profession and public. Place, May 2011(1), 20.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). Stocktake. Artichoke, 33, 16.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). World view. Artichoke, 31, 14.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). Food for (creative) thought. Artichoke, 30, 12.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). Interior complex. Artichoke, 32, 18.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). Design = innovation. Inside: interior design review, 60, 20-22.
2010 Cys, J. (2010). Government. Inside : interior design review, 64, 70.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). Our best chance yet?. Artichoke, (27), 10.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). To be continued. Artichoke, 26, 19.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). A shared platform. Artichoke, 29, 12.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). Higher ground. Artichoke, (28), 16.
2009 Lawrence, J. L., & Cys, J. (2009). Working both ways : creative lessons for design professionals. International journal of learning, 16(6), 487-497.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). Finding a space for the practice of interior design. IDEA, 2009, 20-31.
2009 Cys, J. (2009). Educate to innovate?. Inside: interior design review, 56, 28-30.
2008 Geddes, R., & Cys, J. (2008). Queensland Design Centre. Artichoke, 22, 17-18.
2008 Cys, J. (2008). Speak up. Artichoke, 25, 19.
2008 Cys, J. (2008). Intimus: interior design theory reader [book review]. Fabrications, 18(1), 131-133.
2007 Bonato, F., & Cys, J. (2007). 'Reinvention: There is Nothing New?'. Place.
2007 Cys, J. (2007). Business of design : South Australia. Inside : Australian Design Review.
2007 Cys, J. (2007). Wide open. Place.
2007 Cys, J. (2007). Full circle. Place.
2007 Cys, J. (2007). A reason to stay. Place.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). IKEA will lift he bar on design awareness. Place.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). Who's Creative Now?. Broadsheet.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). Defining Design: Interior Design. Artichoke.
2006 Bonato, F., & Cys, J. (2006). [X]periment '05. Artichoke.
2006 Lawrence, J. L., & Cys, J. (2006). A personal (pro)position : finding a place in design. IDEA.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). Coalition for Creativity. Place.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). [un]disciplined. IDEA.
2005 Cys, J. (2005). Absence of structure. IDEA Journal.
2005 Cys, J. (2005). Signs of life. Place.
2005 Cys, J. (2005). Yours (Anonymously). Place.
2005 Cys, J. (2005). Skycity Adelaide. Artichoke, 13, 95-100.
2005 Cys, J. (2005). Close to the edge. Place.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Loaded. Architect SA.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Hope. Architect SA, 18(3), 9.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Me time. Architect SA.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Awarding collaboration: a problem of outcome?. Architect SA.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). How to score in 2004. Architect SA.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Team titans. The Adelaide Review.
2004 Cys, J., & Lawrence, J. L. (2004). Information for the safe design of commercial kitchens. SAFE.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Collaborating to get design on the agenda. The Adelaide Review.
1998 Cys, J. (1998). Lifelong learning and the interior design profession; an exploration. Design and Education.

Year Citation
2011 Cys, J. (2011). Full circulation: the mixed fortunes of architecture and design publishing in South Australia. In Proceedings of the 28th International Conference of the Society of Architectural Historians (pp. 1-17). Australia: SAHANZ.
2009 Lawrence, J. L., & Cys, J. (2009). [K]now can do: an innovative approach to experiential learning in design education. In M. Clus (Ed.), Traversing the marshes: bridging theory and practice in experience based learning. Australia: EbLA - Experienced-based learning, Australia.
2008 Cys, J., & Lawrence, J. (2008). Recent pasts. In Responsibilities and opportunities in architectural conservation : theory, education and practice (pp. 3-16). Jordan: CSAAR Press.
2008 Cys, J. (2008). Exhibition as research. Research as exhibition. In Places and themes of interiors: contemporary research worldwide (pp. 1-8). Italy: Franco Angeli Edizioni.
2007 Lawrence, J. L., & Cys, J. (2007). 15 keys : the (ad)venture of student/industry projects. In Inhabiting risk : proceedings of the 3rd conference of the Interior Design / Interior Architecture Educators Association. Wellington, New Zealand: WelTec, Victoria University of Wellington ; Massey University.
2007 Lawrence, J. L., & Cys, J. (2007). The new old. In Gli interni nel progetto sull'esistente. Padova, Italy: Il Poligrafo.
2007 Cys, J. (2007). Un-owned territories. In Inhabiting risk : proceedings of the 3rd conference of the Interior Design / Interior Architecture Educators Association. Wellington, New Zealand: WelTec, Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). Expanding practices and un-owned territories. In IFI Roundtable Conference: Interior Deisgn: The state of the Art. Singapore: IFI.
2006 Cys, J. (2006). Collaboration: experiment, mess and risk. In Speculation and Innovation: applying practice led research in the creative industries.. Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland University of Technology.
2005 Ward, S. P., & Cys, J. (2005). Collaboration: the creative insulator. In Drawing Together: Convergent Practices in Architectural Education. Australia: University of Queensland.
2004 Cys, J. (2004). Translations from research to practice: establishing CPE within a professional organisation. In Beyond Your Comfort Zone : Proceedings of the 2004 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Conference. Bathurst, NSW, Australia: Centre for Research into Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE).
2003 Cys, J., & Ward, S. P. (2003). Using the c-word : collaboration in pedagogy and practice. In Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia. International Conference. Melbourne.
2001 Cys, J., & Chalmers, L. (2001). Listening to Practitioners: The Development of a Continuing Education Strategy for Designers. In IDEC Connections: Interior Design Educators Council 2001 Conference.
2000 Cys, J. (2000). Learning; Design; Practice; Practitioner Perspectives of Workplace Learning. In C. Symes (Ed.), Working Knowledge Conference Proceedings; Productive Learning at Work. NSW, Australia.
2000 Cys, J., & Chalmers, L. (2000). Learning in the Design Office: The Appearance and the Reality. In G. Moore, & J. Trevillion (Eds.), Environmental-Behaviour Research on the Pacific Rim. Sydney, NSW.
1998 Cys, J. (1998). Invention versus Convention in Design Construction Teaching. In ANZAScA Science & Design : Opportunities for a Cooperative Spirit in the Creation of Architecture.
1998 Cys, J., & Morris, D. F. (1998). Invention Versus Convention in Design Contruction Teaching. Victoria University for ANZASCA: School of Architecture Publications.
1998 Cys, J. (1998). Towards a professional strategy for interior design in Australia. In Interior Design : In or Out? National Interior Design Forum.
1997 Cys, J., & Chalmers, L. (1997). Learning Design for the Workplace. In B. Brennan (Ed.), CPE '99 Professionals at work: CPE and practitioners' workplaces. The University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351.

Year Citation
2019 Authors: Cys J. Title: The ethics of a practice. Extent: commissioned essay.
2018 Authors: Cys J. Title: Adelaide Modern: Past Present Future. Extent: A catalogue essay for the Adelaide Modern exhibition at JamFactory.
2016 Authors: Cys J, Lawrence J. Title: Homeland: returning, remembering, reimagining. Extent: Catalogue Essay.
2014 Authors: Cys J, Lawrence J. Title: A table of interior architecture elements. Extent: 6 pages.
2014 Authors: Cys J. Title: Transcendence. Extent: N/A.
2014 Authors: Cys J. Title: A table of interior architecture elements. Extent: 3 pages.
2012 Authors: Cys J. Title: Mastering minimalism. Extent: 3 pages.
2011 Authors: Cys J. Title: Prototyping: making ideas exhibition. Extent: 2 pages.
2011 Authors: Cys J. Title: The other type of innovation. Extent: 3 pages.
2010 Authors: Cys J. Title: Crafting Design. Extent: 2 pages.
2010 Authors: Cys J. Title: Crafting design. Extent: 2 pages.
2009 Authors: Cys J. Title: Abundant Australia. Extent: N/A.
2009 Authors: Cys J. Title: Holy water. Extent: 10 pages.
2008 Authors: Cys J. Title: Khai Liew Design. Extent: 4 pages.
2008 Authors: Cys J, Bruhn C. Title: Our steadfast muse. Extent: 1 page.
2007 Authors: Cys J. Title: Khai Liew and Hassell. Extent: N/A.
2007 Authors: Cys J. Title: Strangely familiar. Extent: N/A.
2007 Authors: Cys J. Title: 'South by Southwest'. Extent: N/A.
2006 Authors: Cys J. Title: Cut through time. Extent: N/A.
2006 Authors: Cys J. Title: Power of Persuasion. Extent: N/A.
2005 Authors: Cys J. Title: Match. Extent: N/A.

Programs I'm associated with

  • DBIR - Bachelor of Interior Architecture
  • DHAD - Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours)
  • Position: Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor
  • Email: joanne.cys@adelaide.edu.au
  • Alternative Contact: Executive Assistant: Sarah Jomartz e: sarah.jomartz@unisa.edu.au p: +61 8 8302 7241

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