Dialogues on Design Education,
7th China Design Forum 2021
The 7th China Design Forum was successfully staged on December 12th in C Future Lab, Shenzhen and marked the first-time collaboration with a design school, SUSTech School of Design. This dialogue on design education, which was delivered in a hybrid setting, attracted a cohort of experts, scholars, designers, and industry representatives.
Education represents a very important investment and a major initiative for the future of the society. Hence, discussion on design education is of great significance since it will prepare China for marching into a design of quality from one of quantity. The Forum this year is aimed at promoting communications and dialogues and presenting diversified points of view on the basis of equality and respect, where guests, either online or offline, expressed thought-provoking opinions and engaged in a four-hour long discussion, providing much food for thought.
Scholars, designers, industrial representatives, and directors of C-Foundation at home and abroad discussed three topics during the forum, namely Creativity and Responsibility: Design Education in a Technical Era, Good Models to Work with Industries and China's Contribution to Next Design.
Dr. LI Xu, Associate Dean for Administration of SUSTech School of Design hosts the forum
Speech by Mr. Patrick LEUNG, Executive Director of C Foundation 2021
Speech by Prof. HE Renke, Deputy Dean of SUSTech School of Design
Speech by XU Ting, Deputy Secretary General of SCCDA
Speech by Prof. Thomas KVAN, Dean of SUSTech School of Design
A closing speech delivered by Prof. LOU Yongqi, Dean of the College of Design and Innovation and Vice president of Tongji University, followed the themed discussions. In the speech, Prof. LOU shared the deep thinking, bold practice of design education innovation and breakthroughs of the College of Design and Innovation during its development by revolving around three pillars of inclusive diversity, innovative foresight, and conscientious activism, bringing valuable insights to the audience. The forum was concluded by the closing remarks presented by Prof. Tom Kvan, Dean of SUSTech School of Design, expressing that the world has been fundamentally changed by the technology and we have to make the future through design instead of basing the future on the past; in addition, Shenzhen has unique potential to create a remarkable school of design, and this represents a great, exciting opportunity for us.
There were around two hundred participants, either online or offline, from different countries, regions, and design sectors in the dialogues, injecting strong ethos to the forum. Participants included the faculty and students from design-related universities such as Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen Polytechnic and South China University of Technology, and industrial representatives from Shenzhen creative culture industry, design centers of high-tech enterprises and fashion and home design. It is worth noticing that the faculty and students who participated in the C Camp, and ZHANG Hui, Deputy Head of Xiuwu County, Henan Province which is the collaborator of the C Camp, also joined the forum in person while the faculty and students from several higher education institutions in Henan who once worked hand in hand with C-Foundation in the fight against the Henan flood attended the forum virtually.
C-Foundation has long been looking forward to diverse models and ways of collaboration, and common exploration of more pathways to empower the development of design education. This year’s forum has been a beneficial attempt on how to build a platform for wider dialogues and exploration of design education. Design education could be helpful and enabling in developing communities and better empowering individuals. It is expected that everyone can be inspired and guided through design education. We always remain true to our original aspiration and hope to provide a better platform for learning and communication, accumulating strength, cultivating talents for the design industry in China and contributing to the industry and the society. Design for the greater good and jointly shape our future!
Organizer
C-Foundation
Co-organizer
SUSTech School of Design
Supported by
C Future Lab
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