On November 11, 2025, Dongguan University of Technology, in collaboration with the Bureau of Industry and Information Technology of Dongguan, hosted the inaugural Design Deans' Salon under the theme "Design Grounded in the Earth." The morning marked the official inauguration of the International School of Design, signaling a significant step forward in design education and injecting new momentum into the industrial transformation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In the afternoon, deans and experts from Tsinghua University, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Jiangnan University, and other institutions convened for high-level discussions on design education and industry-education integration in the digital age. The event also saw the launch of the "AIGC Innovation Design Community – International Design Education Industry-Integration Alliance," dedicated to advancing the deep integration of AI and design education, fostering an industry-academia-research innovation ecosystem, and promoting Chinese design on the global stage.
Session I: Art and Technology in the Digital Age
Moderated by Professor Shen Kang of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, this session featured keynote presentations. Professor Lyu Jiefeng of Wuhan University of Technology proposed a "human-machine collaborative design framework," highlighting AIGC's role in shifting design from experience-driven to intelligently collaborative. Professor Liu Zongming of Shaanxi University of Science & Technology focused on Silk Road cultural innovation, advocating a technology-driven approach rooted in cultural heritage. Professor Xu Wei of Nanjing University of Science & Technology outlined a "normality, ecology, and intelligence" paradigm, emphasizing designers' capacity to anticipate and shape lifestyles. Professor Wu Ning of Hubei Academy of Fine Arts shared interdisciplinary teaching practices in art and technology, expressing a commitment to deepening collaboration with Greater Bay Area universities to pioneer new educational pathways in folk culture and technological innovation.
Roundtable I: Innovative Design Education "Grounded in the Earth"
Moderated by Professor Wang Feng of Jiangnan University, this roundtable featured Professor Fang Xiaofeng of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Professor Huang Jiancheng of Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Professor Jin Jiangbo of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University. Fang Xiaofeng affirmed Dongguan's "Manufacturing Aesthetics" proposition, noting that the establishment of the International School of Design comes at an opportune moment to facilitate the city's transformation of manufacturing from OEM to brand-driven development. Huang Jiancheng stressed the importance of open and collaborative international design education, advocating for curriculum internationalization and talent diversification. Jin Jiangbo suggested that the Greater Bay Area should seize AI opportunities to build a future-oriented design discipline ecosystem, bridging design, operations, and brand management. The panel agreed that contemporary design education should prioritize social engagement, technological integration, and cultural innovation to cultivate globally minded design talent.
Roundtable II: "Greater Bay Area Manufacturing Aesthetics and Brand Globalization"
Moderated by Zhang Yanhong, this roundtable included Professor Lu Shizhu of Guangdong University of Technology, Hu Qizhi of the Guangdong Industrial Design Association, and Liu Ren of Dailywin Watch. Lu Shizhu noted that Greater Bay Area manufacturing aesthetics uniquely embodies intelligent, stylistic, and industrial beauty within the global design system. Hu Qizhi emphasized that manufacturing aesthetics drives the convergence of technological "hard innovation" and cultural "soft innovation." Liu Ren shared insights on balancing globalization and localization in watch brand expansion, underscoring the need to address cultural differences and emotional value in design. The panel concluded that interdisciplinary collaboration across education, industry, and enterprise is essential to establishing a systematic pathway for brand globalization from the Greater Bay Area.
Conclusion
The Salon served as a high-level platform for integrating design education with industrial innovation, injecting new vitality into design discipline reform for the new era. Looking ahead, the International School of Design will continue to deepen partnerships, pool resources, and amplify the design capabilities of the Greater Bay Area on the world stage, showcasing the distinctive value and contemporary relevance of Chinese design.
