During the 4th Meeting of China-UK High-Level People-to-People Dialogue, Justine Greening, the British Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, visited the Yan’an Road campus of Donghua University in the afternoon of December 5 on the first China tour since her appointment. President Jiang Changjun, together with Vice President Liu Chunhong and Dean of Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (hereinafter referred to as SCF), welcomed Ms Greening.
University classes build the bridge of China-UK Higher arts education cooperation
Ms Greening first came to the exhibition room of Yifu Building, which comprises a collection of students’ course works under the cooperation program with the University of Edinburgh. She was attracted by a runway design work that represents the old street view of Edinburgh. Student Liang Hao said, “the college never confines fashion and innovation education to the campus; instead, our teachers often encourage us to learn fashion and innovation design from practices in enterprises and art exhibitions, which is conducive to reify our learning harvest and put theory into practice.” Ms Greening spoke highly of such an educational approach.
(Student Liang Hao introduces the design work to Ms Greening)
(Runway design work represents the old street view of Edinburgh)
On the same day, Ms Greening and President Jiang Changjun jointly unveiled the “Donghua-Edinburgh Centre for Creative Industries,” which signifies that the University of Edinburgh, Donghua University and Shanghai International Fashion Innovation Center will work together to promote the construction of Shanghai as a fashion cosmopolitan from the areas of teaching, scientific research and industries. Mr. Jiang Changjun stated, “Donghua University plays a leading role in textile, fashion and design among Chinese universities while the University of Edinburgh and University of the Arts London are in a leading position among universities in UK, the cooperation between Donghua and famous UK art institutions therefore embraces broad spaces. It is both an opportunity and responsibility for universities to give full play to the role of culture carrier and set up firm humanistic bridge of China-UK higher education cooperation.”
(Justine Greening and Jiang Changjun in the unveiling ceremony of Donghua-Edinburgh Centre for Creative Industries)
Fashion and innovation serve as the medium of China-UK cultural exchanges
Justine Greening had an interaction with teachers and students in the classroom of SCF. The students were having the lesson of Visual Culture taught by Professor Michal Hann from UK. He interpreted the similarities and differences between Chinese and western visual arts through case analysis in order to facilitate students’ reflection on multiculturalism. Michal Hann said, the teaching experience in SCF not only enables him to transmit British culture and arts, but influences his vision and knowledge system that is quite enlightening for his teaching and creation. He felt quite honored to see Ms Greening in a foreign land.
(Justine Greening observes the lesson of Visual Culture taught by Michal Hann from UK)
(Professor Michal Hann has worked in Donghua University for three years)
(Justine Greening interacts with students in class)
Student Zhu Jilei presented a chic scarf to Justine Greening as a gift. Originally as an assignment of the course “Printing and Fabric Surface Design” co-established by SCF and a domestic well-known enterprise, Zhu Jilei’s design has been made into a fabric sample and further into the finished scarf that will make its debut at the Première Vision Paris. She said that she will endeavor to design more artistic works with China-UK cultural elements and become an envoy of China-UK cultural exchanges.
(Student Zhu Jilei presents her design work to Justine Greening)
Zhu Jilei is one of the students proactively involved in China-UK people-to-people exchanges. It has been normal for Donghua University to focus on multi-channel and cross-cultural talent cultivation. As Liu Chunhong introduced, a typical instance is the “Donghua New Designers” supporting plan, under which “Greater Donghua Fashion Week,” “Shanghai Fashion Week” and “London Graduate Fashion Week”function as the pathway for students to go out of classes to the campus runway and even to the international fashion show.
In the exhibition room of Yifu Building, Justine Greening also visited the Shanghai Qipao Exhibition and praised repeatedly. Displayed at the 2016 Edinburgh Art Festival for the first time this August, this highly commended series of Qipao includes both Qipao featuring the five elements of “Gold, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth” for commercial purposes and customized Qipao of high-end brands, embodying the popular styles and cultural and artistic characteristics of Qipao in different historical periods.
(Justine Greening visits Shanghai Qipao Exhibition)
After one-hour visit, Ms Justine Greening left Dong University. According to her, attributed to the premium quality of cooperative education, China and UK are now the leaders in international education. She was deeply impressed by the professional knowledge and practical skills of students jointly cultivated by Donghua University and University of Edinburgh. The opening of Donghua-Edinburgh Centre for Creative Industries will further stimulate China-UK cooperation in education, scientific research and student exchanges. Besides, Justine Greening will attend the 9th China-UK Education Summit for discussing the priorities of educational cooperation.
