On January 6th, the 11th International Young Scholars Shangshi Forum: Design Studies Session & the Inaugural Global Emerging Fashion Scholars Forum was held at the College of Fashion and Design from Donghua University. Twelve distinguished young scholars from world-renowned institutions, including the University of the Arts London, the Royal College of Art, the University of Bologna, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Tsinghua University, and Tongji University, gathered to engage in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics such as artificial intelligence, fashion design, cultural heritage, and industrial transformation, centered around the theme "Harnessing Global Emerging Forces in Design to Explore New Paradigms for the Future."
Professor Sun Jie, Dean of the College of Fashion and Design, noted that the forum aims to establish a high-level international academic dialogue platform to identify and attract outstanding young talents with global perspectives and innovative thinking. Guided by the "Trans-Fashion" disciplinary development strategy, the College is currently in a critical transition from traditional design education to an "arts-engineering integration, data-intelligence fusion" model. The future development of design disciplines requires more interdisciplinary talents capable of addressing real-world problems. He sincerely invites outstanding young scholars worldwide to jointly build a new hub for world-class design disciplines.
During the exchange session, Professor Shen Bin, Associate Dean of the Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, encouraged young scholars by emphasizing that research requires not only an engaging spirit but also the ability to effectively communicate "research narratives," aligning personal interests with national strategies and societal needs. Professor Liu Yu from the College of Fashion and Design stated that the essence of "emerging fashion forces" lies in "novelty"—rejecting conformity, always staying at the forefront, and maintaining keen insight. Professor Chen Qingjun from the College of Fashion and Design, reflecting on the discipline's heritage, remarked that the present and future of design research in China require the collective efforts of young scholars, encouraging them to persevere in their academic pursuits.
Young scholars explored the concept of “human-AI collaboration” design cooperation and AI-empowered apparel design systems under the theme of “Digital Intelligence Empowerment and Human-Machine Synergy.” They exchanged insights on generative AI applications in cultural relic exhibitions and traditional costume revitalization, proposed cultural innovation pathways in digital contexts, presented design solutions for trust calibration in autonomous driving systems, and articulated new material-experience-driven approaches to smart apparel design. Focusing on “Social Innovation and Service Design,” they shared co-creation and co-governance practices of service design in China's rural governance, explored “trust-driven” service design mechanisms, and proposed inclusive design concepts for aging societies in the digital era. Concentrating on “Cultural Heritage and Strategic Decision-Making,” they exchanged insights on heritage preservation and spatial reimagination across cultural contexts, and analyzed strategic production decisions for textile and apparel enterprises amid tariff uncertainties.
