“Design Futures·Shared Vision” 2025 International Summer Program

Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University

Program Overview

"Design Futures: Shared Vision", the 2025 International Summer Program of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, leverages the academy's advantageous resources in cultivating innovative interdisciplinary talent. It focuses on three key directions: "Smart Aerospace", "Smart Creation", and "Smart Living", exploring the deep integration of technology and humanities. This year's summer program will focus on exploring intelligent interactive innovations in future aerospace, AI-driven artistic innovation, and intelligent design for future living scenarios. The program aims to develop innovative solutions by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as generative artificial intelligence, biofeedback, mixed reality, and embodied interaction.

  

Program Organization

Host: Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University

Organizer: Art and Technology Innovation Base (ATI), Tsinghua University

Co-organizer: The Department of Information Art and Design, AADTHU and other schools and departments at Tsinghua University

 

Program Schedule

The Summer Program lasts for two weeks, from June 29 to July 13, with a maximum of 60 participants.

Location: The Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing,

and the locations of international summer program partners.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This program is open to international student teams at undergraduate level or above. We welcome applicants who meet the following criteria:

 

1.Academic background in design studies and related interdisciplinary innovation fields.

2.Strong interest in innovative design and cutting-edge technologies, with good teamwork and cross-cultural communication abilities.

3.Fluent in English and capable of working in English.

4.Must be international student teams currently enrolled in undergraduate programs or above.

 

Program Tracks

Smart Aerospace: Future Aviation & Interaction, Future Space & Environment

Smart Creation: Future Creation & Experience, Future Performance & Interaction

Smart Living: Future Health & Care, Future Home Living & Wellness

 

Application Process

1.Application method: Applicants need to apply as a team (2-4 people) via the ATI official site of the program: http://www.ati-tsinghua.com.cn/en/summerschool.html

2.Proposal selection: Applicants need to package their initial proposal materials (including project overview, video introduction, and related images. Please note that the submission is in PDF format, no more than 10 pages, and the video is limited to 200M.) and submit them to the site via a Dropbox link.

3.Acceptance notification: After a comprehensive expert review, 10-15 outstanding teams will be selected as the final competition teams and publicly announced.

4.Travel Arrangements: Selected student teams will receive an invitation letter from Tsinghua University. They need to arrange their own visas and round-trip flights, and arrive at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China before June 29th for program registration.

 

Note*: Teams participating in the two-week international summer program held at Tsinghua University in 2025 will also be eligible to compete in the Tsinghua University 2025 International “Design+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

 

Important dates

Proposal submission deadline: May 6, 2025

Final list of selected participants announced: May 15, 2025

 

Program Schedule

Day	Activity	Notes
	Arrival in Beijing and Check-in
Week 1	Opening ceremony and Ice-breaking activities	Orientation & campus tour
	Design thinking workshop	Lean startup (business plan)
	Future thinking and design foresight	Inspiring future thinking
	Cutting-edge AI theory lecture	Smart hardware and tech frontiers
	Company visit	Team work
	Team work	Mid-term presentation
Weekend	Local visit
	Local visit
Week 2	Open source technology meeting	Team work
	Material preparation	Team work
	Work design guidelines
	Roadshow tutorial	Team work
	Final presentation	Award ceremony
	Departure from Beijing

 

Curriculum

Opening Ceremony and Ice-breaking Activities: Team-building activities to help students establish collaborative relationships.

Design Thinking Workshop: Invite experts to teach design thinking methods and guide innovative project practices.

Futures Thinking and Design Foresight: Invite futurists and design foresight experts to inspire students’ future-oriented thinking.

Cutting-edge AI Theory Lectures: Introduce the latest developments and applications of artificial intelligence technology to stimulate innovative ideas.

Intelligent Hardware and Technology Frontiers: Share advancements and applications in cutting-edge technology, guiding the integration of technology into innovative designs.

Company Visit: Visit renowned enterprises to understand industry trends and practical cases, gaining insights into real-world problems.

Team Project Practice: Under the guidance of mentors, utilize the innovation and entrepreneurship platform and expert resources to develop innovative solutions.

Lean Startup (business plan): Guide students in transforming creative ideas into business models, using startup methodologies for iterative validation.

Final Presentation and Roadshow: Present the project’s innovative highlights, feasibility, and market potential in a business roadshow format, followed by a defense and evaluation.

 

Faculty Team

Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University and Other Schools and Departments:

Provide courses in design, creative industries, computer science, and innovation and entrepreneurship.

Help students expand their innovative thinking and master cutting-edge design concepts and technologies.

 

International Design Education and Technology Institutions:

Introduce trends in future design and applications of AI in the design field.

Expand students’ international perspectives and understanding of the global design ecosystem.

 

Innovation Incubators and Entrepreneurship Mentors:

Guide students in transforming creative ideas into viable business models.

Impart practical entrepreneurial experience to assist in project implementation.

 

Renowned Industry Designers, Entrepreneurs, and Product Managers:

Share practical experiences and case studies from the industry.

Provide hands-on guidance and link students to industry resources.

 

Financial Support：

All participating teams are responsible for their own international travel expenses, visa fees, insurance costs, personal expenses, and any travel costs outside the summer school program.

The organizer will provide the following support:

1.Tuition fee waiver for teams invited to attend the summer program.

2.A stipend for accommodation and local transportation.

3.Working facilities support, including access to classrooms and maker lab equipment, smart hardware, and necessary consumables.

 

Organizers and Contact Information

Hosted by: Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University

Organized by: Art and Technology Innovation Base (ATI), Tsinghua University

Contact Person: International Summer Program Working Group, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University

Contact Email: ljw23@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn

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