On the afternoon of March 12, 2023, the Joint Annual Conference of Design-AI Lab (D-AI), the International Forum for Design Research (IFDR) and the Design Intelligence Union (DIU) was successfully held in Shaoxing International Convention and Exhibition Center. One of the agendas is to the Work Report on the International Forum for Design Research (IFDR)

Gao Shiming, President of China Academy of Art, Han Xu, Vice President of China Academy of Art, Wang Yun, Secretary General of the DIA Committee and Initiator of IFDR, Xiong Na, Secretary General of IFDR and representatives of IFDR International Advisory Council: Lou Yongqi, Vice President of Tongji University; Zhao Chao, Associate Dean of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University; Fugee TSUNG, Acting Dean in Information Hub, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou); Eray Sertac Ersayin, President of Society of Turkish Industrial Designers; And Representatives of IFRD Academic Advisory Council: Duan Shengfeng, Vice President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute; Fang Xiaofeng, Associate Dean of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University and Editor-in-Chief of ZHUANGSHI Journal; Luo Shijian, College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University; James Hope, Director of the Institute of Transportation, China Academy of Art, attended the Conference as representatives. Experts from Design-AI Lab (D-AI) and representatives of the initiators of the Design Intelligence Union (DIU) attended the event and participated in the discussion. Chairman Song Jianming of the DIA Committee took the chair of the Conference.

IFDR Secretary General Xiong Na is making the work report

Xiong Na made the annual work report from five aspects: IFDR's establishment background, construction objectives, main functions, organizational structure and work priorities in 2023. She pointed out that IFDR takes the international academic platform as its main construction objective and building an academic highland in the context of intelligent design as the mission, which mainly includes three major functions: (I) To promote the exchange and interconnection among universities, research institutions and industry organizations at home and abroad with international workstations as the working mechanism. (II) To promote cross-border collision of ideas, experience exchange and achievement sharing with a series of international academic activities as the carrier. (III) To promote the common accumulation and common growth of global scholars with the shared values and common mission of all countries as the vision. IFRD will set up the International Advisory Council, the Academic Council, the Administration Board and the Secretariat. In 2023, IFRD will continue to develop members, continuously expand its international workstation network, strengthen mutual recognition and mutual learning among international awards, and complete the publication of academic achievements of the first International Forum for Design Research.

Lou Yongqi, Chairman of the IFRD International Advisory Council and Vice President of Tongji University, is delivering a speech 

Lou Yongqi thought that the design discipline is at a very important turning point, and the original design research in a narrow sense is rapidly integrating into other cross-cutting fields. Although the innovation of the discipline comes from the redefinition of its boundary, the design discipline is also being challenged unprecedentedly. How should we actively integrate with other disciplines while avoiding becoming another discipline? Faced with such a proposition, we need to develop a new knowledge system, and the importance of research, as the most effective means to create knowledge in a systematical way, has been highlighted unprecedentedly. In 2011, design was listed as a first-level discipline. Ten years later, the Ministry of Education added an "interdisciplinary" category (category code 14). Besides retaining its place in art, design was also included in the "interdisciplinary" category. These interdisciplinary disciplines are focusing on major national strategies and common challenges for all mankind. Now the design colleges all over the world are standing at the same starting line, and need to carry out a new round of international cooperation. The problems facing mankind cannot be solved by one country alone. In the face of complex problems, academic circles should cooperate more, transcend national and cultural restrictions, and discuss how to strengthen international cooperation through IFRD after the COVID-19 epidemic, which is of special significance.

Sertac Ersayin, Member of the IFDR International Advisory Council and Chairman of the Society of Turkish Industrial Designers, is delivering a speech

Sertac Ersayin mentioned that the Society of Turkish Industrial Designers, which he represents, has cooperated with DIA for more than five years, and the two sides have established a good foundation for cooperation. He was very happy that China Academy of Art could set up an international research organization based on DIA. He believed that design itself is a creative activity that needs to realize ideas through cooperation, and the influence of design should not be limited to industry, but should pay more attention to how to improve people's lives, improve living environment and create positive energy and happiness. Since the birth of modern industrial design, although the average living standard of people all over the world has been significantly improved, today's world is also facing a series of problems such as more diseases, natural disasters and armed conflicts. Men must make joint efforts, brainstorm ideas and assume greater social responsibilities.

Duan Shengfeng, Members of the IFDR Academic Council and Vice President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, is delivering a speech 

Professor Duan Shengfeng first congratulated the establishment of IFRD. As he said, we are in a new technical context represented by artificial intelligence and cloud universe, a new social context represented by Chinese path to modernization, and a new globalization context with the internal and external circulations. In view of this, we should find a new positioning and a new growth point for design. At such a turning point, it is very necessary and meaningful for China to initiate an international design forum where we can discuss this topic together. Based on years of efforts in internationalization and relying on the international resources of the Design Intelligence Award, China Academy of Art has a good foundation and ecology for initiating and organizing such a forum. In the future, as a member of the IFDR Academic Council, he would work with IFDR to promote the exchange and growth of global scholars.

Fang Xiaofeng, Members of the IFDR Academic Council, Associate Dean of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Editor-in-Chief of ZHUANGSHI Journal, is delivering a speech

Fang Xiaofeng, as a member of the IFDR Academic Council, affirmed the value of the establishment of the Forum. He mentioned that ChatGPT has been hotly discussed recently, and many people are worried that human beings will be replaced by machines. However, there have been many times in human history when human being were replaced by machines, and each time we would have a deeper understanding of who we are. Photography replaced painting, but painting did not die out. Now people discussed painting more, and painters no longer pursued realistic things in their paintings. Artificial intelligence, in turn, will promote deeper thinking about ourselves. Moreover, Professor Fang Xiaofeng suggested that the design community should not pay too much attention to technological innovation, while ignoring the construction of culture as superstructure. The Deutscher Werkbund, which has promoted the new image of "Made in Germany", still exists today, and its soul is not technical heroes, but cultural heroes.

CAA President Gao Shiming and Vice President Han Xu are issuing letters of appointment to the members of IFDR International Advisory Council on behalf of the initiator

CAA President Gao Shiming and Vice President Han Xu are issuing letters of appointment to the members of IFDR Academic Council on behalf of the initiator

The International Forum for Design Research (IFDR) is an international non-profit design academic organization established under the background of intelligent technology revolution, design discipline transformation and the DIA internationalization strategy. With the concept of cross-border integration of design, art, science and technology, culture and commerce, IFDR aims to explore the change of design value, thinking and methods in the intelligent era, try to establish a new context and new paradigm of design and research in the new era, and build a cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary and cross-industry academic square. Founded in January 2021, IFDR was jointly initiated by China Academy of Art and 20 universities and colleges in 12 countries and regions around the world, including Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy), Loughborough University (UK), Eindhoven University of Technology (the Netherlands), Imperial College London, Chiba University (Japan), University of Tsukuba (Japan), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal), Umeå University (Sweden), Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (Germany), University of Texas (the United States), National Autonomous University of Mexico (Mexico), Tama Art University, Shih Chien University (Taiwan, China), Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Zhejiang University, Hunan University and Nanjing University of the Arts.

Photo playback of the Joint Annual Conference

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Organizer 

China Academy of Art 

Supporter 

National Center for Art Science Planning Project Management 

Undertaker 

Design Innovation Center (DIC) of China Academy of Art 

School of Design, China Academy of Art 

College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University 

School of Design, Hunan University

Design-AI Lab 

Co-organizer 

Design Intelligence Award 

International Forum for Design Research 

Industry Supporter

Zhejiang Industrial Design Association

Hangzhou Industrial Design Association

Shaoxing Industrial Design Association