SUTD Leads First Global Design Alliance With World’s Top Design Tech Universities to Study the Impact of Design on Education

15 May 2024

The who’s who of the design and tech world of higher learning have, for the first time, come together to form a global Design Alliance that aims to reassess how design can play an even greater role in education.

From left to right (including screen panels): Prof Benjamin Linder (Olin College of Engineering, United States), Prof Liu Xin (Tsinghua University Academy of Arts & Design, China), Prof Tai Lee Siang (Deputy President-Designate and Head of Pillar, Architecture and Sustainable Design, SUTD, Singapore), Prof Masao Kakihara (Tokyo University of Science, Japan), Prof Kazutoshi Tsuda (Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan), Mr Chan Chun Sing (Minister for Education, Singapore), Prof Sun Lingyun (Zhejiang University, China), Dr Venka Purushothaman (LASELLE College of the Arts UAS, Singapore), Ms Christabel Teng (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore), Prof Antti Ahlava (Aalto University, Finland), Prof Daan van Eijk (Delft University of Technology, Netherlands), Prof Enrico De Angelis (Politecnico di Milano, Italy).

Led by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the Design Alliance Summit brings together 12 other like-minded Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) including Olin College of Engineering, Parsons School of Design, The New School, Delft University of Technology as well as Zhejiang University to promote design as a driver of change and push the frontier and adoption of design in education.

Launched today at the SUTD Design Innovation Forum - Design Alliance Summit, the Design Alliance is envisaged as a platform for the members to not only shape the role that design will play in education going forward, but also look at the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology on design and education, as well as other pertinent related issues like how design is used in different parts of the world. It is about creating a global community of designers, educators, and innovators who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of design and driving positive change in the world.

In addition to extensive discourse on key design education related issues, the Design Alliance will also look at student and faculty exchanges to leverage on the strengths of individual members. One possible form of collaboration is to see how SUTD’s final year Capstone project, which brings together students from different majors to work and contribute their respective expertise and skills to solve real-world problems in design teams, can be done in partnership with students in other member IHLs.

Calling the formation of the Design Alliance a “significant step forward” in the history of education, SUTD Deputy President-Designate and Head of Pillar, Architecture and Sustainable Design Professor Tai Lee Siang said: “Design is poised to play a critical role in the support of sustainable living going forward. The fact that this illustrious list of IHLs has come together to pay special attention to the importance of design and its impact on education and the world at large is testament to that. We foresee design becoming the core of all education, rather than an elective.”

Professor Tai, who was instrumental in bringing the members of the Design Alliance together, will form part of SUTD’s new leadership team come August 2024. SUTD, which was the first university to incorporate design thinking and design innovation into its entire curriculum over a decade ago, is embarking on a new strategy “SUTD Leap” aimed at redesigning higher education with a greater focus on design and deep tech so as to nurture design x tech innovators and innovator leaders going forward. The University also aims to redefine research by carving out a whole new segment in the research frontier.

Speaking at the launch of SUTD Leap in March 2024, SUTD Chairman Lee Tzu Yang explained the importance of design.

“We can have the most amazing technological innovation, but it must address human needs and challenges, or even create new demand. This is why Apple has been so successful. Top design innovators like Apple and Dyson create and apply novel technology, processes, and solutions within the realm of design to address challenges, improve functionality, and work with others to enhance user experiences. Today our complex challenges such as population health and sustainability call for both technology and design-led innovation to spur behavioral changes for a better outcome. There is a worldwide need for talent in the design and technology field to tackle our most pressing problems,” he said.

Echoing his views are Professor Al Sacco, Jr., Chief Academic Officer and Provost of Olin College of Engineering. He said: “At Olin, we believe that engineering and design begins and ends with people. Enabled by the Design Alliance, we look forward to sharing our strengths in redefining engineering education, leveraging design, innovation, and a spirit of collaboration that care for people and the planet.”

Professor Antti Ahlava from Aalto University said: “Design is an idea in practice – a graceful gesture that shapes not only our places and tools, but also the way we live and think, elevating spirits, improving experiences, giving hope and bringing meaningfulness. The challenge of contemporary design education is to persuade the students to appreciate the physical and natural worlds as much as people, and to combine excellent tangible design to our intangible ideals. AI facilitates translating and transforming modes and styles, but it is also a sparring partner, inciting higher level human creativity. In collaboration, it is not enough that people from different fields and backgrounds work together, but we should attract the rare multi-talented individuals.”

Professor Sun Lingyun, Vice Dean, College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University added: “Design has always looked to the future. Today, AI brings new opportunities and challenges. Design should not only confront these challenges and provide solutions, but also adopt a forward-looking approach towards offering new guiding value.”

The 13-member Design Alliance led by SUTD

The 13-member Design Alliance, which assembled for the first time in SUTD yesterday for a closed-door session¹, comprises the following members (For more details of the IHLs, please refer to Annex A below):

From Asia: LASALLE College of the Arts (UAS), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and SUTD from Singapore; Tsinghua University Academy of Arts and Design and Zhejiang University from China; Kyoto Institute of Technology (KYOTO Design Lab) and Tokyo University of Science from Japan;
From Europe and the United Kingdom: Delft University of Technology from Netherlands; Aalto University from Finland; and Politecnico di Milano from Italy; as well as
From the United States: MIT Morningside Academy for Design, Olin College of Engineering and Parsons School of Design, The New School.

At their second meeting which took place today, the Design Alliance spoke about “The Future of Design Education: Collaborative Approaches and Global Impact”, with Guest-of-Honour, Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Minister for Education.

Professor Phoon Kok Kwang, Provost, SUTD presenting Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education with a unique gift representing the newly formed Design Alliance led by SUTD.

This is the first of many parallel discussions that the Alliance will have. A journal on “The Power of Design” is currently in the works and it will highlight innovative activities from participating IHLs in a more systematic and scientific way, so as to quantify the value of design and advance the cause of design. The journal will also showcase their design methodology, exhibit their ability to harness advanced and emerging technologies safely and constructively, and demonstrate their ability to achieve sustainability and economic development without compromising social well-being and equity.

1 The closed-door session was held in person and remotely via Zoom.

Quotes by Members of the Design Alliance

“Design is an idea in practice – a graceful gesture that shapes not only our places and tools, but also the way how we live and think, elevating spirits, improving experiences, giving hope and bringing meaningfulness. The challenge of contemporary design education is to persuade the students to appreciate the physical and natural worlds as much as people, and to combine excellent tangible design to our intangible ideals. AI facilitates translating and transforming modes and styles, but it is also a sparring partner, inciting higher level human creativity. In collaboration, it is not enough that people from different fields and backgrounds work together, but we should attract the rare multi-talented individuals.” – Professor Antti Ahlava, Aalto University

“The future of society and the economy demands a creative and innovative mindset – a creative citizenry. Design, alongside the sciences, more than ever stimulates ground-breaking innovations for the emerging economy. At the same time, it intensifies people's imagination to engender a sustainable and caring society.” – Dr Venka Purushothaman, Provost, LASALLE College of the Arts I University of the Arts Singapore

“Design serves as a catalyst for innovation, driving change and inspiring solutions that transcend creative and cultural boundaries. NAFA’s rich history in design education spans back to the early 1970s, and we continue to expand the fields of design through interdisciplinary programmes such as BA (Hons) Biophilic Design and BA (Hons) Design Practice. They are forward-looking to anticipate future needs and focused on solutions that are sustainable, equitable and responsible. Design as a discipline is inherently exploratory and multidisciplinary, and through collaborative partnerships, our artistic talents can confidently navigate the design landscape of today.” – Mr Jerry Soo Tah Keng, Vice President (Academic) and Provost, Nanyang Fine Arts Academy I University of the Arts Singapore

“At Olin, we believe that engineering and design begins and ends with people. Enabled by the Design Alliance, we look forward to sharing our strengths in redefining engineering education, leveraging design, innovation, and a spirit of collaboration that care for people and the planet.” – Professor Al Sacco, Jr., Chief Academic Officer and Provost of Olin College of Engineering

“The SUTD forum represents an important platform to exchange views about the importance of design as an expansive field of research and practice deeply connected to addressing many of the complex challenges we face today as an interconnected global community. The forum is also an opportunity to advance a conversation about global learning with the values we uphold at Parsons and The New School: inclusion and collective well-being. These are vital to creating the conditions for innovation in a safe environment for dialogue and pluralism in our universities.” – Dr Renée T. White, Provost and Executive Vice President For Academic Affairs, Parsons School of Design, The New School

“Science or art. Business growth or social well-being. Design has long been addressed in the midst of various intellectual and pragmatic tensions. Facing the recent advancement and rapid diffusion of AI tools and services in our everyday life, design should be taken seriously again. It should guide us in understanding how today's consumers think and act, and help us use this understanding to maximise the unique value humans bring to AI-enabled social interactions.” – Professor Masao Kakihara, Tokyo University of Science

“Design has always looked to the future. Today, artificial intelligence brings new opportunities and challenges. Design should not only confront these challenges and provide solutions, but also adopt a forward-looking approach towards offering new guiding value.” – Professor Sun Lingyun, Vice Dean, College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University

Annex A - Members of the Design Alliance

1. Aalto University

https://www.aalto.fi/en

Aalto University was founded in 2010 as three leading Finnish universities, Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design Helsinki, were merged to strengthen Finland’s innovative capability. It has been ranked the 7th best young university in the world (Top 50 under 50, QS 2018) and one of the world’s top technology challenger universities (THE 2017), thinking outside the box on research collaboration, funding and innovation.

Aalto has six schools with nearly 12,000 students and 4,000 employees of which close to 400 are professors. Its campuses are located in Espoo and Helsinki, Finland. With 37% of its academic faculty coming from outside Finland, it is a highly international community with strong academic standing.

At Aalto, high-quality research, art, education and entrepreneurship are promoted hand in hand. Disciplinary excellence is combined with multidisciplinary activities, engaging both students and the local innovation ecosystem. Its main campus is quickly transforming into an open collaboration hub that encourages encounters between students, researchers, industry, startups and other partners. It excels and makes breakthroughs in and across science, art, technology and business. It also renews society with research-based knowledge, creativity and entrepreneurial mindset. With an exceptionally strong entrepreneurial community, 70 to 100 new companies are born in its ecosystem every year.

2. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/

Netherland’s Delft University of Technology is a modern university with a rich tradition. Its eight faculties and over 30 English-language Master programmes are at the forefront of technological development, contributing to scientific advancement in the interests of society.

Ranked among the top universities of technology in Europe (#15, QS 2013) TU Delft’s excellent research and education standards are backed by outstanding facilities, research institutes and research schools. TU Delft maintains close links with (inter)national industry, a strategic alliance contributing to the relevance of its academic programmes and career prospects for its graduates.

3. Kyoto Institute of Technology (KYOTO Design Lab)

https://www.kit.ac.jp/en/

The history of Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT) began over 100 years ago with two forerunner institutions; one specialising in engineering, design and the applied arts and another in sericulture, spinning and weaving. Throughout their half century of influence, both predecessor institutions produced human resources vital to the demands of the times. They aided modernisation and conserved the applied art traditions of Kyoto at the point of industrialisation.

With post-war educational revision in 1949, these forerunner schools became the undergraduate Faculty of Engineering and Design and the Faculty of Textile Science. This was the birth of Kyoto Institute of Technology.

In 2004, with the advent of the National University Corporation Law which increased the autonomy of national tertiary institutions, KIT reorganised itself in 2006. Faculty were separately organised into departments to enable flexibility in interdepartmental teaching. All 10 undergraduate programmes were consolidated under a single faculty – the School of Science and Technology and graduate programmes were branched into 12 masters and four doctoral programmes.

KIT encourages students to participate in internships, experience the realm where design and science converge and take part in projects with its partner universities abroad. KIT also promotes collaboration in business and research with industries. The close rapport maintained with area industries over the past 100 years has allowed KIT to continue to have its fingers on the pulse of Kyoto design and technology.

4. LASALLE College of the Arts I University of the Arts Singapore (UAS)

https://www.lasalle.edu.sg/

LASALLE College of the Arts, UAS, is the highest ranked specialist arts institution in Singapore and joint top in Southeast Asia for art and design (QS World University Rankings 2023). The College offers 35 Diploma, BA (Hons) and postgraduate programmes in fine arts, design communication, interior design, product design, film, animation, fashion, dance, music, theatre, arts management, art histories, curatorial practices, arts pedagogy and practice, arts and cultural leadership, art therapy, music therapy, creative writing and arts and ecology.

LASALLE provides a nurturing, interdisciplinary learning environment to inspire the next generation of forward-looking, globally engaged artists, designers and leaders of creative industries. Its faculty is led by a community of award-winning artists, designers, educators and researchers, and their practice-led research sets LASALLE apart as an international centre of excellence.

Founded in 1984 by the late De La Salle Brother Joseph McNally – a visionary artist and educator – LASALLE is a non-profit private educational institution. The College receives tuition grant support from Singapore’s Ministry of Education. LASALLE is a founding member of the UAS which opens its doors for its first degree intake in 2024.

5. MIT Morningside Academy for Design

https://design.mit.edu/

MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MIT MAD) is an interdisciplinary hub that celebrates the transformative power of design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and beyond. MAD exists to foster innovation, empower individuals, and reshape the way students learn. It also provides and supports programmes, fellowships, events and resources for students, researchers, faculty, and design enthusiasts to learn, innovate, and create.

6. Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

https://www.nafa.edu.sg/

Established in 1938, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is Singapore’s pioneer arts institution. The academy is known for its rigorous and high-quality curriculum, innovative and practitioners-led teaching approach, diverse artistic creations and community outreach. NAFA is part of the new University of the Arts Singapore (UAS). Supported by the government, UAS will open its doors for its first degree intake in 2024.

NAFA has nurtured 13 recipients of the Cultural Medallion – Singapore’s highest accolade bestowed on art practitioners who have significantly impacted arts and culture. Another 15 alumni have been presented the Young Artist Award. NAFA graduates are creative changemakers, highly skilled, and well-rounded in inter-disciplinary approaches. Many of the academy’s alumni have gone on to make their mark in the professional arts scene in Singapore and abroad.

The academy offers full-time diploma and degree programmes across three faculties: Faculty of Art & Design comprising the School of Fine Art, School of 3D Design, School of Design & Media, as well as the School of Fashion Studies; Faculty of Performing Arts comprising School of Dance, School of Music, and School of Theatre; Faculty of Interdisciplinary Practices comprising School of Arts Management and School of Interdisciplinary Arts. Diploma programmes are aligned with the degree programmes offered in partnership with top universities in the world, namely University of the Arts London (ranked second globally for Art and Design since 2019), Royal College of Music, London (ranked first globally for Performing Arts in 2022) and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

7. Olin College of Engineering

https://www.olin.edu/

Olin College of Engineering is leading the revolution in undergraduate engineering education, igniting passion in young engineers to solve complex global challenges. Olin engineer-innovators envision and deliver the ideas, products, services and systems that positively transform the way people live on this planet. With an enrollment of about 350 students, Olin is forging new models for educating engineers and successfully collaborating with other educators and institutions to catalyse and accelerate change.

8. Politecnico di Milano

https://www.polimi.it/en

Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) is a public scientific-technological university which trains engineers, architects and industrial designers. It has always focused on the quality and innovation of its teaching and research, developing a fruitful relationship with business and productive world by means of experimental research and technological transfer.

Research has always been linked to didactics and it is a priority commitment which has allowed Politecnico Milano to achieve high quality results at an international level as to link the university to the business world. Research constitutes a parallel path to that formed by cooperation and alliances with the industrial system.

By referring back to the needs of the industrial world and public administration, research is facilitated in following new paths and dealing with the need for constant and rapid innovation. The alliance with the industrial world, in many cases favoured by Fondazione Politecnico and by consortiums to which Politecnico belong, allows the university to follow the vocation of the territories in which it operates and to be a stimulus for their development.

Politecnico takes part in several research, sites and training projects collaborating with the most qualified European universities. Politecnico's contribution is increasingly being extended to other countries: from North America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe. Today the focus on internationalisation sees Politecnico Milano participating in the European and world network of leading technical universities and it offers several exchange and double degree opportunities and a wide range of degree programmes entirely taught in English.

9. Parsons School of Design, The New School

https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/

Parsons School of Design, The New School enables students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing society. Students collaborate with peers, industry partners, and communities around the world and in New York City, a global centre of art, design, and business. At Parsons, a diverse community of students develop critical thinking skills and apply them to challenges ranging from environmental degradation to physical accessibility and humanitarian crises. Through a network of interconnected design laboratories, students explore global phenomena at multiple sites and scales of engagement, from on-campus research initiatives to partnerships that effect change in New York and around the world. In fall 2013, Parsons began offering undergraduate degree programmes at its new Paris campus.

10. Tokyo University of Science

https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/

Tokyo University of Science (TUS) founded in 1881, is one of the oldest private universities of science and technology in Japan. Rooted in a strong sense of ethics, scientists and engineers at TUS strive to solve global challenges and make the world a better place through science.

11. Tsinghua University Academy of Arts & Design

https://www.enad.tsinghua.edu.cn/

The Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, with The Central Academy of Arts & Design being its predecessor, was established in 1956. It was merged into Tsinghua University in 1999, resulting in the first higher education institute of arts and design in China.

Since its establishment, the mission of the Academy has been twofold: serving the daily needs of the population, and contributing to the economic and cultural development of the country. Its notable achievements include design work for the "Top Ten Architectural Decorations", the Beijing Olympics, and the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the National Day.

The Academy can grant doctorate degrees in three first-level disciplines, namely design, fine arts, and art theory. In addition to a basic teaching and research group, there are 10 departments to cover textile and fashion design, ceramic design, visual communication design, environmental art design, industrial design, arts and crafts, information art & design, painting, sculpture, and art history.

The Academy has also developed a comprehensive platform integrating teaching, research and academic publications. Its Laboratory for Arts & Design Education, a national experimental teaching demonstration centre, consists of 29 labs. It publishes ZHUANGSHI, a core art journal in China.

The Academy actively cultivates "virtuous, artistic, knowledgeable and creative" talents, putting a premium on individuality and innovation. It aims to raise its international profile and strengthen its global influence. The Academy will also continue to expand on the tradition, enhance the integration of arts and science, and strive to become a global centre of excellence for art education.

12. Singapore University of Technology and Design

https://sutd.edu.sg/

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) was one of the first universities in the world to incorporate the art and science of design and technology into a holistic interdisciplinary education and research experience. SUTD students thrive in a design-steeped environment and are encouraged to think creatively and innovatively to solve real-world problems. We leverage on the power of deep tech like artificial intelligence to bring to life human-centric solutions using design and technology.

On 11 March 2024, SUTD unveiled a new growth strategy called SUTD Leap. By redesigning higher education with an even greater focus on design, AI and technology, SUTD Leap aims to propel the university to the forefront of the design x tech space whilst nurturing the next generation of design x tech innovators and innovator leaders.

13. Zhejiang University

https://www.zju.edu.cn/english/

Zhejiang University (ZJU) is one of China’s top higher education institutions, as well as one of its oldest; its roots can be traced back to 1897 and the founding of the Qiushi Academy. Located in Hangzhou – one of China’s most picturesque cities – the University is organised across seven faculties and 37 schools. It is home to 4,191 full-time faculty members, including 52 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. ZJU has 60,739 full-time students, over 56% of whom are postgraduate students.