Redesigning the World: Yuka’s UTS Journey Through Interaction Design

Now a Master of Interaction Design student at UTS, Yuka is immersed in a learning environment that’s exactly what she hoped for: practical, hands-on, and deeply human.

“Every subject is project-based and really fun,” she says. “I’ve designed so many different products, and everything feels worth the tuition – even as an international student,” she laughs. “This truly is the best course for me.” 

A campus where you belong 

Originally from Japan, Yuka felt a sense of belonging at UTS from the onset. As a deaf student, accessibility mattered. UTS ensured she had an inclusive learning environment; she had captioners, interpreters, and tools tailored to her needs, not just in class, but across campus life.

“At my old uni, I had to pay for these services myself. At UTS, they always ask what I prefer and make it work for me. They even organised captions at the volunteer awards night!” she says.

“No one sees my disability as a limitation. I do everything other students do, and the ActivateUTS team is like my family in Sydney.”

Redesigning the future, for everyone 

The UTS learning is always paired with doing. Yuka appreciates all the real products she’s built, the prototypes she’s developed, and the problems she’s tackled and solved, issues that matter. This applied learning, guided by academics who are researchers and practitioners, have helped her turn her curiosity into capability. 

“When I took a Human-Centered Design Research Methods unit, I realised I didn’t just want to design, I wanted to create change. I started asking what other course should I study to create this change? I decided to pursue a PhD,” she explains.  

With the support of her UTS lecturer, Elise van den Hoven, Yuka is now developing a PhD proposal to design inclusive, Augmented Reality - based learning tools for children with disabilities in developing countries. Her thesis work will focus on using AR to help children in Cambodia learn English. But her motivation is deeply personal. 

Why UTS?

 For Yuka, UTS isn’t just a place to learn, it’s where she discovered the intersection of purpose and practice. Where she realised that being a designer, a researcher, and a changemaker isn’t just possible, it’s supported, encouraged, and expected. She also found community. Through ActivateUTS, the UTS Dance Society, Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT), and the Wellbeing Reps program, she connected with friends, mentors, and purpose. 

“I feel like at UTS, learning is more than acquiring knowledge, it’s about creating an impact.”