In order to implement the national innovation-driven development strategy and promote the multi-dimensional development of China’s innovative design education, the “2022 Tomorrow’s Society and Design Reflection - Future Design Academic Forum”, organized by the School of Future Design of Beijing Normal University, co-organized by the College of Design and Innovation of Tongji University, School of Design and Art of Beijing Institute of Technology, Future Lab of Tsinghua University and the School of Design and Art of Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, and supported by Beijing Normal University Future Design Seed Fund was successfully held online from October 29 to 30. The forum set up two sections - Theme Forum and Youth Forum, and topics about future design were discussed. More than 20 guests from universities at home and abroad shared their latest research results and cutting-edge developments in the industry.

At the opening ceremony of the forum, Gao Peng, Dean of the School of Future Design of Beijing Normal University, gave a welcome speech and expressed his gratitude to the Seed Fund Project Team of “Speculative Design on the Study of Future” and the co-organizers. He said, “This forum focuses on the future of design research, especially on the interaction and mutual reference of art creation, and brings together experts and scholars from different fields to discuss tomorrow’s society and design reflection in 2022. In 2021, Beijing Normal University launched the Future Design Seed Fund, hoping to promote the development of future design education in China together with scholars from all walks of life through the support of the fund.”

In the Theme Forum, Professor Huang Housh from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, interdisciplinary design researcher and independent curator Shen Bin, American designer and cultural scholar J. Paul Neeley, Associate Professor Zhao Hongwei from the Department of Mobile Media Art of Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, Professor Zhang Li from the School of Art and Design of Guangdong University of Technology, Associate Professor Du Qin and Francesca Valsecchi from the College of Design and Innovation of Tongji University, French artist Sitraka Rakotoniaina and Lu Dandan from Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts of Shanghai University, shared their leading-edge observations and research results from the perspectives of speculative design framework, design ethics, science and art integration, world construction theory, and historical research of speculative design. In the Youth Forum, Associate Professor Wu Xuesong and Assistant Professor Li Zilong from Hunan University, Cui Shijin from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Zhao Xiao from China University of Mining and Technology, Wei Jingjing from Hubei University of Technology, doctoral student Zhang Yizhi from Communication University of China, doctoral student Yang Yiyi from Nanjing University of the Arts, doctoral student Ruan Haoyi from Trinity Saint David's University in Wales, designer Lin Zijie from Big Fish Community Building Development Center, doctoral student Wang Zifei from the Royal College of Art, and doctoral student Ding Kunning from the University of Dundee, made wonderful presentations on their latest research results. Their keen perspectives and distinctive views built a rich and three-dimensional knowledge field, fully demonstrating the fresh vitality of Chinese design academia.

With the concept of “Breaking the Boundary, Rebirth on the Ground”, this forum focused on the teaching and creation of speculative design for the future of design research, and aimed to promote the continuous research in this field by bringing together the perspectives of scholars from home and abroad, and to help the better development of innovative design education in China.