Inverse　design　is　by　far　the　most　physically　explicit　method　in　the　turbomachinery　field　for　designing　a　cascade　airfoil　shape　for　a　prescribed　distribution　of　aerodynamic　parameters　on　the　airfoil　surface.　However,　a　vital　drawback　of　the　available　inverse　design　methods　for　cascade　airfoils　is　the　lack　of　effective　techniques　to　specify　optimal　target　aerodynamic　parameters,　particularly　optimal　pressure　distribution　on　the　airfoil　surface.　This　drawback　hinders　the　wide　application　of　inverse　design　optimisation　methods　in　the　turbomachinery　field.　To　overcome　this　vital　drawback,　we　proposed　a　proper　orthogonal　decomposition　(POD)　assisted　inverse　design　optimisation　method　for　cascade　airfoils,　in　which　an　optimal　pressure　distribution　on　airfoil　surface　was　automatically　obtained　by　solving　a　direct　design　optimisation　problem　and　accurately　parameterised　via　the　POD　method.　The　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　inverse　design　optimisation　method　was　demonstrated　using　the　inverse　designs　of　a　compressor　cascade　airfoil　with　two　different　optimisation　objectives.　Results　highlighted　the　proposed　inverse　design　method＇s　capability　to　significantly　improve　the　aerodynamic　performance　of　the　compressor　cascade.　The　POD　method　can　provide　an　adequate　and　flexible　description　of　airfoil　surface　pressure　distribution　with　a　small　number　of　POD　modes.　This　work　is　valuable　for　the　further　development　of　inverse　design　optimisation　methods　for　advanced　compressor　blades.　©　2020　Elsevier　Masson　SAS