Teachers and representatives from XJTU, POLIMI, and enterprises gather in XJTU-POLIMI School.

In recent years, Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) has consistently advanced the integration of academia, industry, and local governments, promoting deeper collaboration between education, research, and industry. As a leading example of the university's international education initiatives, the Xi'an Jiaotong University-Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) Joint School of Design and Innovation (XJTU-POLIMI School) has been exploring how to fully use the educational resources of both institutions to implement this integration effectively.

Li Hongwei, associate head of the XJTU-POLIMI industrial design department, said that the cultivation of innovative design talent must first align with economic and social development needs. Businesses must play a central role as problem-setters and evaluators in this process.

He also emphasized integrating industry demands, cutting-edge technologies, and real-world engineering scenarios into the curriculum. This is especially crucial in key areas like design practice, as it nurtures well-rounded, innovation-driven talents under the 'Big Design' concept, which stresses engineering as the foundation.

With this in mind, and after multiple discussions, the school proposed a collaborative teaching model that integrates industry and education with international cooperation. On June 5, 2024, the school called for enterprise projects focused on this model, marking the first step in turning industry-academia integration theory into classroom practice.

Upon receiving enterprise proposals, the school assembled a teaching team from XJTU and POLIMI faculty and industry professionals. The team then refined the course content by aligning academic objectives with practical industry challenges.

Liu Xintong, an industrial design major, expressed her appreciation for the course's innovative approach, "Unlike before, we no longer focus solely on product concepts; now we must also consider costs and how to bring products to market." The hands-on guidance from Chinese and Italian instructors and industry mentors gave her valuable insights into products and markets, significantly enhancing her practical design skills.

"This model stimulates students' learning motivation by allowing them to experience the entire process of design, development, production, and sales in a real-world environment and opens up opportunities for diverse collaborations between Chinese and international institutions. Additionally, it helps companies enhance the value of their technological innovations through design, thereby increasing product value," added Li.

Giorgio Colombo, a professor from POLIMI and one of the lead instructors for the XJTU-POLIMI School’s course Design Practice, expressed his hopes for deeper collaboration with Chinese faculty and industry partners through this teaching approach, paving the way for more opportunities in the future.