University of Nottingham Ningbo China was invited to attend the Hebei International Industrial Design Week 2021 as Britain was the guest of honor this year.

Seven FoSE students majoring Product Design and Manufacture (PDM) and four Architecture students’ design works have been exhibited in the Hebei International Industrial Design Week (HIDW 2021). Their design works are in the same topic of bringing a better urban life for the future, for example, products for aged people and children, waste treatment facilities, shared space and urban infrastructure design.

Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi, Head of Architecture and Built Environment was invited to give a lecture themed “Building a caring and inclusive future city: barrier-free environment design”. Dr Xinwei Wang, Assistant Professor in Product Design and Manufacture was the curator of the UNNC booth and was interviewed by the local TV station.

Later in the 2021 World Industrial Design Conference, together with the representatives from domestic design focused universities like Pekin University, Tsing Hua University, Tongji University, and representatives from the industrial domestic design committee, Dr Bingjian Liu and Dr Jiang Wu, two Assistant Professor and student representatives from PDM were invited to join the Summit of Development of Industrial Design Theory.

Linchuan Zhou, a Year three PDM student said that she was very proud of her senior classmate who could have their design work exhibited in this kind of high-level events. She also found that the diversified development in the product design industry is going to be the driving power for the future industry. In the future study, she hope she could come up with better innovative design which can benefit the whole society.

BEng (Hons) Product Design and Manufacture programme is a multi-disciplinary programme which values creativity whilst emphasizing an understanding of manufacturing, material science, ergonomics and management. Students are able to experience the whole product design and development process. They will be equipped with the cutting-edge design techniques like human factor engineering design, computer aided design, digital manufacturing design and human-computer interaction design. Our students have been the recipients of many prestigious international design awards like A’ Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, International Design Awards, European Product Design Award.

Dr Bingjian Liu, Course Director of PDM programme in the UNNC, explained that it was a great opportunity for both academic staff and students to understand the industry. “We will enhance the link between theory teaching and practice and expand our collaboration with industry”, said Dr Liu.