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On November 11, 2025, the International Symposium on Design Education Technology and Creative Engineering (DETCE 2025) was successfully held in Guangzhou. The event was conducted under the Guidance of the World Eco-Design Organization (UN Special Consultative Status NGO), hosted by Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University, and organized by its College of Art and Design. It focused on cutting-edge topics such as AI Empowering Education, Human-Machine Collaboration, and Cultural and Design Innovation, with experts and scholars from nearly 50 institutions, including domestic and foreign universities, research institutes, the design industry, and relevant enterprises.
At the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Prof. Xinbin YANG, President of Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University; Prof. Fangtian YING, Fellow of the European Academy of Engineering, Director General of the World Eco-Design Organization (WEDO), and Professor at Zhejiang University and Kurt T. STEINBERG, Executive Chairman of Global Art Education Association (GART).
Guest Speeches
The conference invited numerous domestic and international experts for keynote speeches. These experts shared their insights on topics such as interdisciplinary education in art schools, AI empowerment for ecological design and sustainable development, data-driven product development decisions, AI integration in vocational design education, and cross-boundary emotional engineering innovations.
Keynote Speech by Vice Dean Yong LI
Prof. Yong LI, Vice Dean of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, shared the exploration and practice of the Academy under the Four New Initiatives in higher education introduced by China’s Ministry of Education. He introduced the curriculum system of Art-Science Integration and Industry-Education Integration and the experiences of the Da Vinci Innovation Experimental Class, showcasing the results of school-enterprise collaboration and the cultivation of interdisciplinary design talents. His insights offered a replicable path for interdisciplinary education in art schools.
Keynote Speech by Prof. Fangtian YING
Prof. Fangtian YING, Fellow of the European Academy of Engineering, Director General of WEDO, and Professor at Zhejiang University, discussed global sustainable development strategies. He proposed the "D+X" interdisciplinary integration innovation concept, incorporating originality, ethics, emotion, and aesthetics as core factors. He emphasized the role of design in promoting the three major ecological constructions of the environment, industry, and culture. He also shared global collaboration networks and the 133 Aesthetic Education Value System, combining examples of intelligent rehabilitation and technological transformation, advocating for AI-driven ecological design and sustainable innovation.
Keynote Speech by Designer Nicolas MELAN
French designer Nicolas MELAN, Senior Manager of the Industrial Design Department at EASTREME, discussed innovative design thinking empowered by data. He used examples like the Kapelse Health Reader and Haier’s customized water heaters in Russia to explain how precise data analysis helps products meet market and cultural demands, driving business success. He emphasized that data application must be based on correct understanding to avoid blind reliance, advocating for data-driven differentiated innovation and scientific decision-making.
Keynote Speech by Prof. Xue CAO
Prof. Xue CAO, Ph.D. supervisor at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and former Dean of the School of Visual Arts and Design, focused on the core theme-Design Empowering Cultural Communication and Urban Development. Using classic examples such as Future with Bamboo and the logo of Asian Cuisine Festival Guangzhou, he shared design concepts that integrate cultural connotations and modern aesthetics. Combing the Big White Rabbit IP with Urban Identity Practices, he also explained how design connects tradition and innovation, and serves cities and industries, offering valuable references for cultural design in the AI era.
Keynote Speech by Dean Yuanlong GUI
Prof. Yuanlong GUI, Dean of the College of Art and Design at Guangdong Industry Polytechnic University, systematically outlined the development path of art and design education from traditional craftsmanship to digital creative design. Focusing on the dual empowerment of Technology+Humanities, he introduced the college's-integration of engineering, research, and business-talent training model and school-enterprise collaborative practices. He discussed the integration of intangible cultural heritage construction and international certification, proposing the AI+Humanities teaching approach and demonstrating innovative experiences in integrating technological empowerment with cultural inheritance.
Online Keynote Speech by Prof. Christine LÜDEKE
Prof. Christine Lüdeke from Pforzheim University in Germany pointed out that touch is the core link in human perception and creativity. She explored the weakening of craft cognition in the digital age and advocated for the restructuring of craft knowledge systems through cross-boundary integration, enabling tactile design to shine with individuality and cultural value in innovation.
Online Keynote Speech by Associate Prof. Nazlina SHAARI
Associate Prof. Nazlina SHAARI from Universiti Putra Malaysia discussed how emotional engineering, as a key method connecting user emotions with product functions, is pushing design education beyond regional and disciplinary boundaries. By incorporating technologies such as eye tracking and EEG into teaching, she highlighted the fusion of humanistic empathy with quantitative analysis and advocated for cross-cultural collaboration, nurturing design talents with both a global vision and cultural roots.
The forum also set up a sub-session for paper exchanges and presentations, chaired by Prof. Fenghong WANG , Vice Dean of the School of Design, South China University of Technology. The papers covered topics such as the transmission of intangible cultural heritage and regional identity, AI-driven cultural product innovation, AI-assisted design's semantic bias and cultural differences, and more. Outstanding papers, organizational units, and conference participation certificates were presented on-site, providing a platform for young scholars and industry practitioners to showcase and exchange ideas. In addition, the Association Standards was officially released at the forum, offering new industry references for the standardization and professionalization of design creative evaluation.
The forum also set up a sub-session for paper exchanges and presentations, chaired by Prof. Fenghong WANG , Vice Dean of the School of Design, South China University of Technology. The papers covered topics such as the transmission of intangible cultural heritage and regional identity, AI-driven cultural product innovation, AI-assisted design's semantic bias and cultural differences, and more. Outstanding papers, organizational units, and conference participation certificates were presented on-site, providing a platform for young scholars and industry practitioners to showcase and exchange ideas. In addition, the Association Standards was officially released at the forum, offering new industry references for the standardization and professionalization of design creative evaluation.
Event Highlights
The event, with AI empowerment as its core theme, gathered global wisdom from design education and industry sectors. It established an important platform for cross-border exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and international design fields, actively promoting the international transformation of Chinese vocational art and design education, upgrading the digital creative industry in the Greater Bay Area, and demonstrating the dialogue capabilities and innovative vitality of Chinese vocational education on the international design stage.
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