From June 6 to June 13, the “Innovative Horizons: A Showcase of Design Excellence”, a joint exhibition of works by students from Beijing Normal University and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, was successfully held at the China Cultural Centre in Singapore. This event was hosted by the School of Future Design of Beijing Normal University (SFD) and the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, and co-organized by the Singapore University of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

This exhibition focused on the reflections of SFD and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts on future-oriented design education, as well as their exploration and practice based on future cultural forms and lifestyles driven by technological innovation. The exhibition showcased creatively philosophical design works by students and faculty, highlighting the cutting-edge research in design education and explored effective ways of interdisciplinary collaboration, industry-academic partnerships, and local collaborations that serve national development strategies and local economic growth. The exhibition featured 33 groups/pieces of work in multiple professional fields including services design, digital media, and product design.

On the opening day of the exhibition, SFD and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts signed a cooperation agreement to leverage their respective resources fully in academic research, student and faculty exchanges, curriculum cooperation, and design exhibitions, thereby promoting innovative development in design education.

The joint exhibition received support and recognition from the Embassy of China in Singapore. On the opening day, students and faculty from SFD were invited to the embassy to engage in exchange activities. Dean Gao Peng introduced SFD’s educational model and its collaboration development plans with the China Cultural Centre in Singapore and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts to Counselor Qin Wen of the embassy. Counselor Qin highly commended the achievements of the school, noting that both institutions share commonalities in their educational models and reform concepts, and should continue to leverage their synergistic innovation in the fields of education, culture, and arts, connecting the world through design.

At the opening ceremony, Kong Yuan, the chairman and vice-director of the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, remarked that this was the first time the centre had hosted a joint exhibition for higher education institutions from China and Singapore, which was of significant importance. It was expected that through this exhibition of student and faculty works, not only the latest innovative explorations and practical achievements in art and design education from both countries would be showcased, but also it would enhance the exchange and learning among students from both institutions and allow the Singaporean audience to experience the innovation and creativity of young artists from both countries. The vice dean (Academic Affairs) and Dean of Academic of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Si Zuoqing, stated that the exhibition marked further achievements in innovation, sustainability, and interdisciplinary practice for both institutions. The exceptional works displayed by students and faculty set a high standard for future cooperation. Dean Gao Peng of SFD stated that the exhibition aimed to showcase the educational outcomes in design disciplines of both institutions and the outstanding abilities of students in theory, creativity, and design implementation, promoting international academic exchange and cooperation. He looked forward to deepening and continuing such interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchanges in the future.

During the exhibition, SFD displayed outstanding PBL (Project-Based Learning) project outcomes from its various laboratories, including the Future Smart Living Lab, Future Smart Scenarios Lab, Service Design and Social Innovation Lab, Art and Technology Lab, and Design and Education Lab. The exhibits included designs such as a smart tea table for the Dubai Expo, a national gift design for Kyrgyzstan, modular visual graphic design in Macau, the D/BAY smart service system design for Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza, a children’s reader on the architecture of the Forbidden City, a shared space design for community children, a series of campus culture designs, uniform designs for primary and secondary schools, and campus education scene designs. These exhibits showcased the unique perspectives and trend predictions of the students and faculty, demonstrating their ability to solve practical problems through design, as well as their foresight and leadership in design.

Smart Tea Table Design Project for the Dubai Expo

D/BAY Smart Service System Design Project for Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza

Children's Reader Development Project on the Architecture of the Forbidden City

During their visit to Singapore, students and faculty from SFD engaged in a series of rich and meaningful cross-cultural exchange activities. The students and faculty of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts specially organized a Southeast Asian art workshop for them to view the undergraduate final design exhibition of the institution. Additionally, SFD’s students and faculty visited cultural and art venues such as the Asian Civilizations Museum, the National Gallery Singapore, the Peranakan Museum, and the Art Science Museum. They also visited companies like Singauto Technology, Longchuang Automotive Design Company, and Tencent Group’s Singapore branch, where they interacted and exchanged ideas with company executives and representatives.