From 31 August to 6 September, Professor Lou Yongqi, President of Shanghai University of Engineering Science (SUES) and a Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, led a delegation to Finland and France. The purpose of the visit was to engage deeply with world-class universities and international design platforms, to promote the international exchange of the “Engineering-Business-Design” three-wing integrated innovation model, to deepen academic and research collaboration, to seek like-minded partners, and to further advance SUES’s goal of becoming a “world-class applied innovation university.”
On 1 September, the delegation first visited Aalto University in Finland. President Lou met with Aalto University President Ilkka Niemelä, Associate Vice President Hannu Seristö, Development Director Raili Pönni, Head of Global Engagement Kirsi Kettula, Dean of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture Tuomas Auvinen, Senior Advisor for Global Engagement Jérôme Rickmann, etc. President Lou gave a comprehensive introduction to the history and vision of SUES, its departmental and programme structure, its industry-education integrated features, the three-wing model of “Engineering-Business-Design”, its research achievements, international cooperation and campus culture, and explained SUES’s explorations and practices in sustainable development, pedagogical transformation and creating an innovation ecosystem. The two sides fully discussed potential cooperation in interdisciplinary talent cultivation, design thinking and educational innovation, research collaboration, and faculty/student exchanges. The delegation also visited the Aalto Design Factory and had exchanges about launchinginternational interdisciplinary projects, and attended Aalto University’s opening ceremony for the 2025-2026 academic year, which provided fresh inspiration for further deepening SUES’s international educational cooperation.
As the second stop in Finland, the delegation then visited LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences. President Lou met with LAB President Turo Kilpeläinen, LUT Provost Mari Kallioinen-Mänttäri, LAB Vice Rector Mari-Anna Suurmunne, LUT & LAB Strategy Director Janne Hokkanen, etc, engaging in in-depth dialogues about the universities’ development strategies. The two sides focused on discussing joint international PBL (project-based learning) programmes in engineering sciences, energy systems and business studies, and on co-cultivating innovative talent with interdisciplinary capabilities and global vision. The delegation also visited LUT & LAB campus and engineering laboratories to gain a firsthand understanding of their industry-education-research integration and innovation ecosystem practices.
From 3–5 September, the delegation travelled to France to participate in Paris Design Week. On the mornings of 4 and 5 September, the “China Creative Pavilion (CCP)” of Paris Design Week held its Media Day and Opening Ceremony. Participants included Coordinator of Paris Design Week Pierre Gendrot,Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in France Wang Yin, as well as co-curators Yan Mi, Su Xinxuan and Gao Jianwei, together with over 30 participating designers. As Chief Curator of the China Creative Pavilion, President Lou stated that this year’s pavilion presents a more thoughtful and structured presentation of Chinese design, marking the largest-scale and highest-quality edition in the past three years. Under the new curatorial theme “Wéi (Oui)”, the pavilion focused on the philosophical depth and practical force of Chinese design, demonstrating its unique expression and creative value on the global stage. The School of Art and Design of Shanghai University of Engineering Science was one of the hosts of the China Creative Pavilion, with outstanding works by faculty and students including Gao Zhu, Yao Hui, Chen Junkai, Li Qianhui and Zhou Ningrui, which attracted wide attention.
During the visit, the delegation actively participated in cooperative dialogues in the field of design. President Lou also engaged in discussions with representatives from international universities and design institutions, such as the former Director of the École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) (Paris) Marc Partouche, on topics including academic exchange, talent cultivation, and the internationalisation of design education. These dialogues expanded the cooperation network and injected new momentum into promoting Chinese design concepts and telling the story of Chinese design.
Through its exchanges with top universities and international design platforms in Finland and France, SUES systematically showcased its distinctive advantages and development goals, further enhanced its visibility and influence. Meanwhile, SUES also further absorbed global best practices in higher-education strategy, and will continue to deepen the “Engineering-Business-Design” three-wing interdisciplinary innovation model, exploring new pathways in industry-education integration, disciplinary intersection and international talent cultivation.
