Recently, College of Design and Innovation (D&I) of Tongji University was officially incorporated in the “Promotion Plan for Demonstrative Colleges of Internationalization”, becoming one of the “pilot units”. Selected colleges will get strong and continuous support, in fiscal and administrative aspects, from State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) and Ministry of Education of China, in terms of brining in talents, cultivating talents with international exposure, promoting exchange in academic and scientific research with foreign counterparts.

“Promotion Plan for Demonstrative Colleges of Internationalization” (hereinafter referred to as “Promotion Plan”) was jointly launched by SAFEA and Ministry of Education in 2014, following the guiding principles of the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China as well as implementing National Medium- and Long-Term Programme for Education Reform and Development (2010-2020) and National Outline of Medium- and Long-term Talents Development Plan (2010-2020). With the goal of developing world-class universities, the Promotion Plan encourages colleges to employ foreign professionals in an organized way, to set up experimental bases of international education, and to adopt advanced education modes and management systems according to international practice. Thus, selected colleges are expected to play an exemplary role in promoting the comprehensive reform and development of higher education of China and provided reference for cultivating innovation-oriented talents.

Up to now, there are totally 13 pilot colleges incorporated into the Promotion Plan , while D&I is the only design college in China on the list. Undoubtedly, after being incorporated into the Promotion Plan, D&I will benefit a lot in creating a comprehensive and systematic platform for introducing intellectuals, get great support for its future development discipline construction that features international exposure and standards. Besides, Tongji University can gain more experience in university administration, talent cultivation, academic research, management system innovation, social service and so on.

Seizing the opportunities brought forth by this Promotion Plan, D&I will make persistent efforts to explore new approaches by using design thinking, continue to optimize its faculty structure, teaching system and education framework through communication and exchange with the outside world. D&I will keep pushing discipline construction, reform and innovation in education and teaching, and contribute its due share to strengthening design discipline of Tongji University, developing Tongji University into a world-class university boasting sustainability, and enhancing China’s comprehensive competitiveness and its position in global value chain.