The United Nations Industrial Development Organization Global Call (UNIDO Global Call) is an initiative and flagship project of UNIDO to promote global technological cooperation. It aims to address climate change, boost post-pandemic economic recovery and green industrial transformation, thereby achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In 2020, it was awarded the United Nations Innovation Award. Currently, the UNIDO Global Call, spearheaded by UNIDO's Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs) worldwide, has been held five times in Italy, Germany, Shanghai (China), Beijing (China), and South Korea. It has attracted over 2,200 technological proposals from 110 countries across five continents, selecting highly innovative solutions and scalable technology projects from around the world. This has provided excellent demonstrations and case studies for sustainable development in various countries and has had a significant global impact on the sustainable application of innovative technologies.

As a knowledge partner for the "UNIDO Global Call 2025 China Project Pipeline," Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (SCF) at Donghua University will fully leverage its leading advantages in sustainable fashion, interdisciplinary design, and industry-education integration. Focusing on key issues such as the application of green materials, co-creation of digital new products, and low-carbon fashion communication, SCF will promote Chinese original design and sustainable brands internationally, injecting Chinese creativity and Shanghai wisdom into the global green and low-carbon transition.

SCF was jointly established in 2014 by Donghua University and the University of Edinburgh (UK) and is a transnational higher education institution approved by the Ministry of Education, China. Rooted in China and integrated with international perspectives, SCF adopts an outcome-based education (OBE) model and a project-based research teaching system. Focusing on the sustainable development of the international fashion industry, it cultivates interdisciplinary, top-tier innovative talents with capabilities in design, technology, marketing, and communication.

（SCF Showcased at 2024 World Design Cities Conference）

Focusing on the convergence of industry resources within the fashion and creative disciplines, the College has collaborated with authoritative institutions such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Woolmark Company, and Alibaba Group's Tmall Innovation Center to establish multiple industry-education integration platforms. These platforms promote digital co-creation, sustainable community building, and the popularization of innovative materials, forming a complete "industry-academia-research" talent cultivation system. Its achievements have been showcased multiple times on renowned domestic and international platforms, including the Edinburgh International Festival, the China International Import Expo, and the World Design Cities Conference.

（COACH CHINA COOL Zero-Waste Co-Creation Workshop）

SCF is committed to building bridges for international cultural exchange, fostering dialogue between the international fashion industry and academia. It has undertaken exemplary practices in the fields of sustainable fashion and smart wearable technology apparel, earning accolades such as the Education Innovation Award at the China-Scotland Business Awards, the National Award for Outstanding Contributions to Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education, the Shanghai City Talent Education Award, the Hongqiao Friendship Award, and multiple provincial and ministerial-level teaching achievement awards. The College has established off-campus internship bases with over 30 leading industry enterprises and has been recognized as a "Shanghai Design Innovation Center" by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, becoming a significant force in Shanghai's development as a "Design Capital" and "Fashion Capital."

 （The Future of Fashion Dialogue with Stella McCartney）

SCF has joined forces with internationally renowned fashion brands such as Burberry and Coach to carry out industry-education integration projects focusing on timeless and sustainable design. These projects involve the innovative deconstruction of product materials and, by gaining insights into local culture and contemporary lifestyles, integrate circular concepts into creative practices, collaboratively exploring innovative solutions for sustainable design. In partnership with WWF, it has conducted research on Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for the fashion industry, the revitalization of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and sustainable fashion community building, and research on sustainable fashion materials.

Upholding the philosophy of stimulating sustainable creativity, and with the joint support of UNIDO Headquarters and the ten global UNIDO ITPOs, the UNIDO Global Call 2025 has been initiated and is spearheaded by ITPO Bahrain. Under the theme "Orange Economy, Creative Future," this global call is dedicated to fostering innovation, creativity, and sustainability within the creative industries. The event will focus on three main areas: eco-friendly production, digital innovation, and cultural heritage & trade, seeking innovative solutions and notably including a new award category for youth and students.

It is worth mentioning that the UNIDO Global Call China project pipeline, organized annually by ITPO Shanghai, has become an excellent platform for Chinese enterprises to engage in international cooperation. Technologies and solutions recommended by ITPO Shanghai have won individual global championships at the Global Call for five consecutive years. These achievements are undoubtedly inseparable from the strong support of numerous partners! This year, ITPO Shanghai will continue to join hands with policy, knowledge, industry, and innovation partners to support ITPO Bahrain in hosting the Global Call 2025.

The UNIDO Global Call is a flagship initiative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) that promotes global technological cooperation. It aims to address climate change, support post-pandemic economic recovery, and drive green industrial transformation in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2020, it was awarded the United Nations Innovation Award.

To date, five editions of the Global Call have been held under the leadership of UNIDO’s global network of Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs), including those in Italy, Germany, Shanghai, Beijing, and the Republic of Korea. These events have attracted more than 2,200 technological solutions from 110 countries across five continents. The initiative has selected highly innovative and scalable solutions from around the world, providing exemplary models and successful cases for sustainable development, and has had a significant global impact in the field of sustainable technological application.

As a knowledge partner of the “UNIDO Global Call 2025 Project Docking in China,” SCF will leverage its strengths in sustainable fashion, interdisciplinary design, and industry-education integration to promote original Chinese design and sustainable brands on the global stage. Focusing on green material applications, digital product co-creation, and low-carbon fashion communication, the college aims to contribute Chinese creativity and Shanghai wisdom to the global green and low-carbon transition.

Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation, Donghua University–University of Edinburgh Joint Institute (SCF) was established in 2014 as a Sino-foreign cooperative education institution approved by China’s Ministry of Education. Co-founded by Donghua University and the University of Edinburgh, SCF integrates a China-rooted and globally-oriented approach, adopting the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) model and a project-based, research-driven teaching system. With a focus on the sustainable development of the international fashion industry, the college cultivates T-shaped fashion innovation talents equipped with interdisciplinary capabilities in design, technology, marketing, and communication.

Centering on fashion and creative disciplines, SCF collaborates with partners such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), The Woolmark —— Comany and Tmall Innovation Center (TMIC), to build multiple platforms for industry-education integration. These include initiatives in digital co-creation, sustainable community development, and the promotion of innovative materials. With a —— comprehensive “industry-academia-research” talent development system, SCF’s outcomes have been showcased at international and national renowned platform such as Edinburgh Art Festival, China International Import Expo(CIIE),World Design Capital Conference(WDCC) and successfully commercialized, positioning the college as a key force in Shanghai’s development as a “City of Design” and “City of Fashion.”

The college has joined hands with internationally renowned fashion brands such as Burberry and Coach to launch industry-education integration projects focusing on design for longevity and sustainable design. These projects involve innovative, deconstruction of product materials and incorporate circular concepts into creative practices through insights into local culture and current lifestyles, exploring innovative solutions for sustainable design. It has also collaborated with the World Wide Fund for Nature on projects such as research on the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for the fashion industry, the revitalization of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and the construction of sustainable fashion communities, and research on sustainable fashion materials.

With the vision of inspiring sustainable, creativity, UNIDO Global Call 2025 has been launched by the Bahrain ITPO, with support from UNIDO headquarters and ten ITPOs worldwide. The theme for this year is “Orange Economy, Creative Future”, focusing on the promotion of innovation, creativity, and sustainability in the creative industries. The Call will concentrate on three major areas: eco-friendly production, digital innovation, and cultural heritage and trade. A special award category for young students has also been introduced.

Notably, the UNIDO Global Call 2025 Project Docking in China, held annually by the Shanghai ITPO, has become an excellent platform for Chinese enterprises to cooperate internationally. Technologies and solutions recommended by the Shanghai ITPO have won the Global Call's top global awards for five consecutive years. These achievements would not have been possible without the strong support of many partners. This year, Shanghai ITPO will again support Bahrain ITPO in hosting Global Call 2025 with industrial, innovation, and knowledge and policy partners.