Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Mission Statement

Mission of XJTLU 

• Educate technical and managerial professionals with international perspectives and competitive capabilities 

• Integrate global economic and social development with expertise in business and technology 

• With our unique focuses and features, conduct research in areas where humanity faces severe challenges 

• Explore new models for higher education that will exert a strong influence on the development of education in China and the world 

Mission of Academy of Film and Creative Technology

• The Academy of Film and Creative Technology dismantles traditional disciplinary boundaries to deliver an integrated, industry-driven education. We cultivate agile, ethical creative talents of digital visual/audio content who master digital technology, creative content generation and entrepreneurial practice, and we empower them with an adaptive teaching-support ecosystem that guarantees the highest-quality professional preparation for—and continuous impact on—the rapidly evolving creative industries.

International Role

Design School
The Design School operates within the framework of the international joint venture university founded by Xi’an Jiaotong University in China and the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. This circumstance forged an internationally oriented community that expresses its global aptitude through the collaboration with its main partner in the UK as well as with other international academic players. On our 2+2 route students study the first two years of their programme at XJTLU in Suzhou and the final two years at the University of Liverpool. In addition to the special relationships with our parent universities, the Design School works with an ever-expanding network of universities across the world. This network provides our students with opportunities to study abroad at partner universities. The Beng in Architecture has established a student exchange partnership with Politecnico di Torino (Polito), for a full-year study abroad in Y3. An exchange program with Universitad Politecnica de Madrid is currently being scrutinized. UG programmes in architecture, industrial design and civil engineering have gained international validations and accreditations by leading professional institutions including the RIBA, JBM and the CSD. The Design School plays a leading role internationally in producing high-quality research in a number of areas including Urbanisation and smart cities, Urban ecologies, Sustainable materials and infrastructures, Green and low carbon buildings, Computational design and fabrication, Smart construction and Construction management. The Design School is currently leading the international research group shortlisted in the Solar Decathlon China 2021 on a triple challenge: sustainable development, smart connection and human health. The Design School regularly hosts international guests through its ARD Lecture Series, and is active in the promotion of international workshops and seminars.

National Role

Design School
Founded in 2020, the Design School consists of the Departments of Architecture and Design (Department of Architecture and Department of Industrial Design from Feb. 2021), Civil Engineering, and Urban Planning and Design. The School aspires to become a leading interdisciplinary built-environment education unit in China and beyond. Our students are exposed to a research-led, interdisciplinary learning environment that amalgamates design knowledge as well as technical and management education. Our programmes in architecture, civil engineering, and industrial design have gained international validations and accreditations by leading professional institutions, showcasing the learning quality and global recognition of our graduates.

Dedicated to sustainability, the Design School houses some of the leading research institutes, centres and laboratories focused on sustainable and digital design with significant collaborations and projects with industrial partners. The Design School plays a leading role in producing high-quality research in a number of areas: Urbanisation and smart cities; Urban ecologies; Sustainable materials and infrastructures; Green and low carbon buildings; Computational design and fabrication; Smart construction; Construction management.

The Design School has already developed strong collaborations with leading national and international companies located in SIP and in greater China in the areas of architectural design, construction and management, such as ARUP, Bosch, Buro Happold, Sika, ARTS Group, TUS-Design, Shanghai Construction Group and others through industrial advisory boards and research project collaborations.

Through its research centres, such as the Urban and Environmental Studies (UES) Research Centre, and in close collaboration with the local government, the Design School has a significant impact in the future regional planning. The Institute of Sustainable Materials and Environment plays a significant role in providing sustainable solutions to the regional sector through material development for the China’s Sponge City initiative, as well as advanced construction materials and materials for energy applications. The School places a great emphasis in digital technology and design, as well as construction digitalization and energy efficient design, expressed through the research priorities of the Design Research Centre, the Automation in Construction Engineering research lab, and the Building Physics lab.

In addition to the parent Universities of XJTLU, the Design School has established close research collaborations with several national universities such as Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong University, Zhejiang University, Chongqing University, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI) and many others.

Main Focus

Design School 

XJTLU provides double degree awards following the Chinese and UK degree categories respectively. In the UK context, the Design School focuses on and delivers a wide variety of programmes primarily BA and BEng at the undergraduate level (i.e. BA Architecture, BA Urban Planning and Design, BEng Industrial Design, BEng Civil Engineering, BEng Architectural Engineering), as well as MArch, MDes and MSc programmes at the postgraduate level. The Design School aims to build on the success of the existing Arts and Engineering programmes and provide exciting and highly interdisciplinary opportunities to students at all levels, where research-led, design, technical and management education form the core element of the delivered curriculum. 

The Academy of Film and Creative Technology

The Academy of Film and Creative Technology aspires to be a world-leading academy for digital visual and audio content creation and production. We cultivate creative talents with three core abilities: digital expertise, creative content generation, and deep knowledge of industry workflows. Through interdisciplinary learning and industry-focused practice, our students are not confined by traditional subject boundaries. They are prepared to adapt and excel across film, animation, gaming, short-form drama, cultural tourism, digital performance, online media, and data visualisation, ensuring success in the fast-evolving creative industries.