This paper discusses the value of collaborations between academia and the industry to improve the design education and implementation of successful methodologies by identifying the changing sectoral and educational needs of the industrial designer. The effects of the pandemic as a setback are also being discussed with a case-study to offer a new model for more adaptable university-industry collaboration. This paper is intended to be an educational resource and to provide academic model to facilitate a new approach to industry collaboration by discussing how various collaboration practices and applied methods can support adaptive collaborative research and development when disrupted by the pandemic or other setbacks.