International seminar explores design for intercultural innovation

How can we better exchange our respective creative ideas to bring novel solutions to older problems? How do we contribute to the intercultural innovation of design?

These were some of the questions asked at the Cumulus Regional Seminar on Inter-Cultural Innovation held at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University from 28 to 29 November. The event aimed to seek opinions and generate debate about the collective responsibility to maintain an intercultural dialogue about the role of creatives in fostering change in our world.

Panel discussion of the seminar

It gathered designers to discuss the ongoing challenges and opportunities in design education related to the rapid development of AI and other emerging technologies. It also welcomed design leaders from the Netherlands as part of the Dutch-Chinese collaboration on culture, innovation, and education.

The two-day seminar invited 11 keynote speakers from academia and industry to share insights and foster dialogue and collaboration. It also incorporated two panel discussions, two workshops, 20 themed presentations, a PhD poster session, live performances, a digital exhibition showing design objects from the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Collection, and a game called “Refugeoly.”

The game “Refugeoly”, designed by Vicente Esteban, Associate Professor from XJTLU’s Department of Industrial Design, invited participants to take on the role of a refugee as they try to navigate their way to safety.

A “Mazha Workshop” was part of the seminar

Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, said in his opening speech video that XJTLU believes in creating connections that overcome boundaries in cultures, academia, or industry.

“This seminar exemplifies that belief, bringing together faculty, students, and professionals from across China and beyond to share ideas, explore innovations, and imagine the role of design in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable world,” he said.

Professor Youmin Xi delivering video message

Marjo Crompvoets, Dutch Consul-General in Shanghai, said that this seminar is a testament to the importance of collaboration and dialogue in shaping the future of design, education, and professional practice.

She said: “Intercultural innovation is more than just a concept. It is a call to action and an invitation to rethink how we educate, design, and create in a world that is more interconnected, and facing more challenges than ever before.”

Marjo Crompvoets

Professor Lorenzo Imbesi, the President of the Cumulus Association and Full Professor at the Sapienza University of Rome, delivered his greetings online.

“The topic of the seminar resonates very much with the mission of Cumulus, as we are now reaching nearly 400 members in 71 countries in every corner of the globe.

“The seminar is about developing new forms of local internationalisation, sharing the value of different cultures, and building an international space of knowledge,” he said.

Professor Lorenzo Imbesi giving speech online

One of the keynote speakers, Ingeborg de Roode, an industrial design curator at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, talked about what design can do to make the world a better place.

“Nowadays, there are many more new challenges like climate change and sustainability. Finding materials that help against the climate crisis is one of the main issues for designers all over the world.

“Apart from that, more and more design now is about interfaces and non-material projects, such as services and online apps. This means that the focus of design has been shifting from product design to system design as an important development towards sustainability,” she said.

Ingeborg de Roode

Other keynote speakers included Dr Miaosen Gong from Jiangnan University, Dr Francesca Valsecchi from Tongji University, Professor Joseph Press from L’École de design Nantes Atlantique and the China Academy of Art, Dr Tian Ye from Gengdan Institute of Beijing University of Technology, Dr Li Yicheng from Soochow University, Professor Marc Aurel Schnabel from XJTLU Design School, Dr Enza Migliore from Southern University of Science and Technology, and Professor Daan van Eijk, Dr Annemiek van Boeijen, and Stefan Persaud from Delft University of Technology.

Keynote speakers

Performance artist KIMVI, who is an assistant professor from XJTLU’s Department of Architecture in collaboration with Senior Associate Professor Jacob de Baan and Research Assistant Boyi Zhou from the Department of Industrial Design, dedicated a live performance titled “Ambiguous Antiquity” to the event. She explored re-imagined uses of the oldest ceramic reconstructed vessel, to deepen the connection to the past while pursuing artistic inquiry of cultural artefacts.

Kimvi Nguyen’s live performance

The seminar was co-organised by the Department of Industrial Design in the Design School and Academy of Film and Cultural Technology at XJTLU.

The organising committee included Dr Cheng-Hung Lo, Dr Mariia Zolotova, Jacob De Baan, Paul Denison, Emanuela Corti, Luis Felipe Moreno Leyva, Professor Richard Appleby, Aven Le Zhou, Dr Mengjie Huang, Zhongshan Chen, Andrew O’ Dowd, Xiaokun Zhang, and Ferdinand Ogada.

By Yi Qian

Edited by Catherine Diamond