On November 20, a delegation led by Vice Rector Mari-Anna Suurmunne from LAB University of Applied Sciences (Finland) visited SUES. Vice President Xia Chunming extended a warm welcome to the guests. The meeting was chaired by Wang Qin, Director of the International Office, and attended by Gao Zhu, Dean of School of Art and Design, Gu Yi, Dean of International Institute of Creative Design, and Professor Joseph Press of the Design Discipline.
In his welcome speech, Vice President Xia Chunming noted that SUES is advancing interdisciplinary innovation through its 3-wings initiative of “Engineering–Management–Design”, accelerating its development into a world-class, application-innovation university. He emphasized that LAB University of Applied Sciences has distinctive strengths in applied education and sustainable innovation, which align closely with SUES’ development vision. The two sides, he suggested, could deepen pragmatic cooperation in three major areas—art and design, engineering and technology, and business management—through initiatives such as joint dual-degree programs, PBL-based teaching collaboration, and co-developed curricula, thereby establishing a sustainable and high-quality international partnership mechanism.
Vice Rector Mari-Anna Suurmunne expressed gratitude for the warm reception and appreciation for SUES’ achievements in industry-education integration and innovation ecosystem development. She noted that LAB University of Applied Sciences is likewise committed to fostering interdisciplinary education and industry collaboration, and she looked forward to in-depth cooperation in creative design, intelligent manufacturing, and sustainable innovation, with the goal of cultivating globally minded, application-oriented talents.
During the meeting, representatives from tSchool of Art and Design and International Institute of Creative Design engaged in in-depth discussions with the visiting guests on topics such as disciplinary development, talent cultivation, and research collaboration. Both sides reached a consensus on signing a university-level cooperation agreement as early as possible, promoting faculty and student exchanges, and advancing joint research projects. They agreed to leverage their respective disciplinary strengths to build a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial strategic partnership.
During the visit, the delegation toured representative laboratories in SUES’ engineering, art, and design fields to gain a firsthand understanding of the progress in industry-education integration and innovation practice. The visit laid a solid foundation for future collaboration between the two universities.
