School of Design, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts

Mission Statement

The School of Design is firmly committed to the university's objective of becoming "the first-class domestically and renowned globally",  implementing the "Five Famous Strategies",  embracing the principle of "Design for the People",  and establishing a high-quality, innovation-and-entrepreneurship-oriented talent cultivation model. Rooted in the western region, the school draws heavily from the historical and cultural legacies of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, the red culture inspired by the Yan'an Spirit, the outstanding traditional cultures along the Silk Road, and the folk arts of western ethnic groups. Emphasizing inheritance and innovation, design and transformation, the school has become a prominent hub for innovative design education and teaching, distinctly reflecting the cultural characteristics of western China. With the mission of "Design Serving Society," the School of Design prioritizes serving regional economic and cultural development as a key research and teaching focus, nurturing top-tier design and art talents with innovative capabilities and entrepreneurial mindsets. In parallel with its educational endeavors, the School of Design undertakes numerous significant design projects at the national, provincial, and municipal levels.

International Role

In the past years, the School of Design and Art at Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts has organized numerous international master workshops and lectures, featuring renowned professors and designers from various countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the United States. The exchange content is diverse and extensive, encompassing interdisciplinary art studies, the fusion of art and technological innovation, and various other cross-disciplinary fields. These events have provided a vast academic exchange platform for teachers and students, fostering design thinking and enhancing professional competencies. Furthermore, our school has independently initiated the Silk Road Spirit – Western International Design Biennial. Since its inaugural edition in 2017, the biennial has received over 20,000 submissions from both domestic and international sources, with its influence steadily growing. Leveraging this platform, the school has established friendly and cooperative relationships with countries along the Silk Road, including Kazakhstan and Pakistan, thereby promoting international cultural exchanges and cooperation. Concurrently, the school has been invited to participate in international academic events. For instance, since 2023, it has taken part in the ArtTech Fusion themed forum hosted by the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Over 30 works have been exhibited, showcasing the school's prowess and charm on the global stage. These figures fully illustrate the proactive efforts and remarkable achievements of the School of Design at Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts in international cooperation. With an open mindset, the school is actively integrating into the international design education arena and continuously bolstering its international influence.

National Role

The School of Design has won multiple major project achievements in education and teaching at the national and provincial levels, including one second prize for national teaching achievements, one first prize and one second prize for teaching achievements in Shaanxi Province, one key research project for provincial education and teaching reform, one second prize for graduate education and teaching achievements in Shaanxi Province, and two courses have been awarded provincial course ideological and political demonstration courses and teaching team projects, as well as the title of 'Creative Design and Innovation of Culture, Museum and Tourism' team for young people in Shaanxi universities.

Main Focus

The School of Design and Art currently offers three undergraduate programs: Visual Communication Design, Art and Technology, and Product Design, all recognized as national first-class undergraduate majors. In 1983, it was authorized to confer master's degrees, and in 2005, it gained the authorization to confer doctoral degrees in the first-level discipline of design, making it the first higher art education institution in the western region to hold such authority. It received a B+ rating in the fourth round of national discipline assessments and is designated as a key discipline in design education in Shaanxi Province.