Decolonisation has gained significant attention within South African public higher education, fuelled greatly by the Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall movements of 2015 and 2016, with many institutions looking to address historical biases and promote a more inclusive curriculum.

This pilot study explores student perceptions of decolonisation in an Interior Design programme within a private higher education institution (PHEI) in South Africa. While much research on decolonisation in higher education has focused on public institutions, little is known about its implications and potential differences in the context of private institutions. The research context is a for-profit PHEI that aims to be inclusive. The institution has incorporated decolonisation as one of the key themes in its centrally designed curricula. However, the extent to which students and lecturers engage with decolonisation and their understanding of its significance and impact within the field of Interior Design, remains unclear. This study aims to address this gap by exploring student perspectives and experiences regarding decolonisation in Interior Design education. The research design involves a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data is collected through the review of third-year theory teaching and assessment content, and a questionnaire survey issued to a sample of third-year students within the interior design programme. The courseware review explores what contexts students are engaging with while the questionnaire elicits participants' understanding of decolonisation and their experiences and challenges in incorporating decolonisation into design projects.

The study finds that students define decolonisation as political independence and freedom from colonial influence, as well as challenging colonial ideologies and injustices. However, many students do not consider decolonisation relevant to their programme or their capstone projects. Reasons include a lack of interest or relevance, a focus on alternative topics, and limited knowledge or understanding. The need for continued meaningful conversations and engagement with decolonisation within the classroom is vital if interior design education is truly to be decolonised, resulting in teaching and learning practices that are more inclusive and equitable. This paper leans into the conference sub-theme of learning, investigating challenges and opportunities that arise in decolonising interior design education.