In an era defined by disruption and fast-evolving industries, creative thinking is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity.

At the University of South Australia, few have done more to nurture this mindset than Ron Corso.

Ron’s enduring contribution lies in his unwavering pursuit of creative thought, not only as a subject to be taught but as a vital capacity to be cultivated across disciplines. His work has helped shape a generation of students who think beyond the brief, who sit comfortably with ambiguity, and who see creativity as a tool for transformation, no matter their field.

Through thoughtful curriculum design, Ron helped embed creative capacity into programs well beyond the design studio — reaching into Business, Marketing, and Event Management. Courses like Creative Thinking Methods have equipped students to generate ideas with confidence, challenge conventions, and work collaboratively across disciplines.

But it’s not just what Ron taught, it’s how.

His innovative use of informal learning spaces and social media opened up new ways for students to engage with ideas, with each other, and with their own creative processes.

By encouraging play, autonomy, and experimentation, he created learning environments where students could take risks and own their growth.

A respected researcher, as well as an educator, Ron explored the messy, rich terrain of creativity itself, from the role of drawing and uncertainty to the use of digital tools in sparking imagination.

His work has informed teaching practice at UniSA and well beyond, including through his contributions to Ingenium, an online framework for creativity teaching adopted internationally.

Recognised with awards for teaching excellence and research, Ron Corso’s influence continues to echo throughout UniSA, in the minds of students who now see creativity as a core part of their identity, and in the practices of educators who believe, as he does, that creativity belongs everywhere.

Ron has shown that creative thought isn’t confined to the arts; it’s a way of seeing, questioning, and shaping the world.

Thanks to his work, this way of thinking is firmly planted in the future of South Australia.

This author shares, “if it wasn’t for Ron, we wouldn’t be on this journey. His pursuit of idea generation methods and thinking creatively has inspired many conversations around looking at the world through a new lens ie like, why is age is important, and what’s this crazy notion that we all want to retire?”

References

https://people.unisa.edu.au/ron.corso

https://independent.academia.edu/RonCorso

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5504-4631

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8026-3293

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Ron-Corso-2009400886

Click to access IJKIE_Vol_1_2013_RON%20CORSO.pdf

https://online-journals.org/index.php/i-jac/article/view/43621

https://find.library.unisa.edu.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9916800104201831/61USOUTHAUS_INST:ROR

https://find.library.unisa.edu.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9915965210501831/61USOUTHAUS_INST:ROR

https://conference.pixel-online.net/FOE/speakers_scheda.php?uid=3830