International Collaborative Courses with Dalian University of Technology

A 5-month global design project was conducted in collaboration with Dalian University of Technology (DUT) in China. DUT has now over 34,700 students, and 1,200 of which are students of the School of Architecture and Fine Arts. This project was an industry-academic cooperation project in collaboration with nine local industrial companies in Fukuoka Prefecture. Students from Kyushu University and DUT formed mixed teams challenging the design of products and sales promotion tools to sell in China.

Schedule
April 12 Guidance, Forming teams
May 19 Launch review meeting (@Kurumi City Plaza)
May 20 Visit company, conduct field observation and interview by the teams
July 22 Interim review meeting (@Kyushu University Ohashi campus + live steaming with DUT)
September 21 Final representation and product exhibition(@DUT)

Though there weren’t many opportunities for everyone to stay together after the company visits, field observation and interview, the teams worked proactively through meetings via Skype and Wechat.

The final presentation and product prototype exhibition were held at DUT on September 21. The design aimed to implement in society. Currently, 4 out of 9 companies are working to commercialize their product.

Through this program, the students were able to learn practical design and product development processes, the differences in design thinking between the two countries, and working in teams with people from different cultures. For the faculty members of the Faculty of Design, they have gained knowledge such as the differences in design education, the strength and weaknesses of the students, remote presentation methods.

For next year, this program will sustain, and the international collaborative courses will be held every year in the future. Also, as we accumulate the knowledge gain through these international collaboration courses, we want to establish the methodology for joint courses with China.

Organizer
Kyushu University: Faculty of Design, Graduate School of Design, School of Design
Dalian University of Technology

Co-sponsored
Nine local industrial companies in Fukuoka
・ SING Co., Ltd.
・ KONOITO Co., Ltd.
・ Enomoto Koma (German Music Studio Enomoto Wood Works)
・ Kyushu Beiko Honpo Co., Ltd. and others