During June 12-13, 2024, Prof. Guangju Chen, Deputy Dean of SLIBNU, Ms. Huanhuan Wang, Core Member of UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence in Education, and Ms. Hongyan Kuai, Focal Contact of Design and Learning Lab, were invited to Croatia to attend the annual Printing & Design Conference. The Conference for graphic technology, multimedia and visual communications, design and the art of printing, has created one of the leading platforms for communication and publishing papers in the graphic profession.
During the keynote session, a digital avatar of Prof. Guangju Chen, created by NetDragon Websoft Inc., made a striking appearance. Prof. Chen primarily shared the research achievements and practical explorations of SLIBNU in the field of Design and Learning. He introduced the “Design and Learning” course, as well as some annual activities, such as Global Competition on Design for Future Education (GCD4FE). These activities not only served as practical applications of teaching and research, but also provided an international exchange platform for teachers and students from all over the world.
In 2015, The Design and Learning Lab was jointly established by Prof. Ronghuai Huang and Prof. Dejian Liu, Co-Deans of SLIBNU. It aims to studying on the features and patterns of design, computational and innovative thinking for youth, developing courses and books about design methodology, computational thinking, ICT, and building cooperative platform with world-renowned universities, enterprises and institutes for design and innovation. In 2017, the “Design and Learning” course was first offered at BNU and has gradually expanded to over 20 universities both domestically and internationally. Since 2018, the GCD4FE has been hosted as an annual event by the Design and Learning Lab, attracting over 10,000 participants from 35 countries and regions worldwide. It encourages teachers and students to participate across borders, schools, and disciplines, to consider educational issues from a global perspective, and to design educational solutions based on design thinking. Based on years of practical activities, SLIBNU has gathered experts and scholars worldwide to jointly compile the Design and Learning textbook in Chinese, published the English book Envisioning the Future of Education Through Design, and developed the Design and Learning MOOC. Through the textbooks, publications, and online courses, SLIBNU shared mature theories and the latest research findings in the field of design and learning, showcasing innovative applications of design in education and typical cases, and providing valuable references and inspiration for educators.
Furthermore, the award ceremony of the regional selection contest of Central and Eastern Europe this year was held concurrently during the Conference in Croatia. Prof. Guangju Chen, Chairman of GCD4FE Steering Committee and Prof. Petar Jandrić from the Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, both expressed their expectations for the GCD4FE. They unanimously agreed that the regional selection contest of Central and Eastern Europe held in Croatia would lay a solid foundation for the extensive promotion and in-depth development of GCD4FE in CEECs. Prof. Jandrić believed this event inspired students in CEECs to actively participate, broadening their international horizons and academic exchange capabilities, and promoting in-depth cultural exchanges and integration. He expressed his expectation for more Chinese scholars and students to participate in international exchanges in Croatia in the future.
Through the exchange and cooperation, educational design concepts have collided, sparking unprecedented ideas and enabling the profound integration of their unique methodological essences. In the future, we will jointly strive to cultivate design talents with international perspectives and innovative spirits, becoming the backbone of the global educational design, and together writing a brilliant chapter to design the future of education.