East China University of Science and Technology

Mission Statement

The School of Art, Design and Media at East China University of Science and Technology is committed to social application and cutting-edge academic research, characterized by interdisciplinary integration. Relying on the university's strong background in science and engineering, the school focuses on the development of the creative industry, pursuing a path of integrated and comprehensive development. Since the establishment of the Industrial Design major in 1984, the school has developed a comprehensive education system and has cultivated and provided a large number of outstanding professionals to society.

International Role

The school explores new avenues of "innovation and entrepreneurship" to foster students' holistic thinking and systematic grasp capabilities. It places great emphasis on students' innovation and entrepreneurship, with faculty and students winning numerous international design awards such as the Red Dot and iF awards, and achieving first prizes in the "Challenge Cup" national competition.

New expansions in international exchanges will create new opportunities and conditions for the overall development and internationalization process of the school. Through "science and art integration," the school breaks down barriers between majors to cultivate cross-disciplinary talents needed by the industry. Annually, the school conducts regular international student design exhibitions and has established academic exchanges and faculty and student visits with over ten domestic and foreign institutions, including Gwangju University in South Korea, Dundee University in the UK, Northumbria University in the UK, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Hsuan Chuang University in Taiwan, Ulster University in the UK, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, Second University of Naples in Italy, Sapienza University of Rome, Hannover University in Germany, Condé School of Art in France, Goldsmiths, University of London, Brunel University London, École Supérieure de Creation Audiovisuelle in Paris, and others, reaching cooperation agreements or intentions.

National Role

The school practices "industry-education integration" to bridge the gap between design education and societal needs. It has established several professional research institutions, including the Art and Design Research Institute, Advertising and Brand Culture Research Institute, Living Form and Urban Culture Research Institute, Tourism and Exhibition Research Institute, Integrated Innovation and System Design Research Institute, Green Design and Carbon Neutrality Research Center for the Yangtze River Delta, Urban and Rural Cultural Heritage Research Center, Environmental Design Research Center, and Participatory Community Planning Research and Practice Center, achieving a deep integration of research and teaching. The school is one of the platform schools for the "Shanghai Design Discipline Urban Collaborative Construction Four Types of Peak Plateau Disciplines" project and leads in the direction of product and brand innovative design.

The school continuously accelerates the promotion of original innovation and vigorously gathers the construction of "innovation joint operation platforms," actively promoting the construction of a university student innovation system. It actively mobilizes faculty and students to participate in university student innovation and entrepreneurship training programs, University Student Research Projects (USRP activities), scientific research training, "Challenge Cup" series competitions, domestic and international design competitions, and other projects, forming a multi-level, interactive, and open innovation practice platform.

In terms of undergraduate curriculum construction, the school has achieved significant results, with 5 courses awarded as national first-class undergraduate courses, 4 courses rated as Shanghai first-class undergraduate courses, and 1 course recognized as a Shanghai model undergraduate course. 12 courses have been funded as key undergraduate courses in Shanghai. The "Industrial Design" and "Digital Media Art" majors have been approved as "National First-Class Professional Construction Points." "Design Studies" ranked 18th in the 2023 Alumni Association China University Design Discipline Ranking, in the top 10%, and was rated as a first-class discipline in China.

In recent years, the school has guided students to win nearly 200 awards in domestic and international famous design competitions annually. Since 2019, the school has won 1 first prize, 2 silver prizes, and 2 bronze prizes in the National Challenge Cup College Students' Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition; 3 special prizes and 2 first prizes in the Shanghai Challenge Cup. Starting in 2022, the school began to undertake the Shanghai division of the China Good Ideas and National Digital Art Design Competition, and in 2023, it began to undertake the national competition. In recent years, the school has won 1 first prize and 1 second prize in the National College Teachers Teaching Innovation Competition.

Main Focus

The School of Art, Design and Media at East China University of Science and Technology focuses on the core philosophy of comprehensively nurturing design talents, aligning with the nation's industrial transformation and upgrading. The school has established a variety of extracurricular practice platforms to support students, including both online and offline activities that are closely integrated with their professional studies. Offline, the school facilitates seamless connected with majors through the establishment of student clubs such as the Eco-Culture Society, Photography Society, and Rubik's Cube Society, and hosts brand events like the Creativity Festival and Traditional Culture on Campus, enhancing the educational impact of the second classroom. Online, the school supports student development through new media platforms, particularly the "ECUST Art & Design" WeChat public account, which features sections like Learning Arts, Creative Arts, and Art Source Shop, leveraging new media to construct a new educational front. The school has also established four specialized bases: the USR Innovation Laboratory Base, Shanghai Creative Industry Talent Training Base, Teaching and Research Interactive Base, and National Animation and Game Industry Revitalization Base. Each student is provided with dedicated classrooms, studios, and high-specification professional computer rooms to support their academic and creative growth.