Beijing, May 19, 2025 — A Strategic Collaboration in Art, Design, and Cross-Cultural Education
WRITER: ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY OF THAILAND
In a landmark step for cross-border arts education, Assumption University of Thailand (AU) and Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts & Design have announced a dynamic collaboration aimed at fostering educational innovation, creative exchange, and interdisciplinary talent development across China and Southeast Asia.
Led by Rev. Bro. Sirichai Fonseka, f.s.g., Ph.D., President of AU, the AU delegation visited Tsinghua’s prestigious Academy of Arts & Design on the morning of May 19, 2025. This high-level visit signals a strategic deepening of academic and artistic cooperation between the two institutions, especially in the fields of digital art, design innovation, and cultural entrepreneurship.
High-Level Meeting: Designing the Future of Creative Education
Held in the VIP Reception Room at Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts & Design, the meeting featured robust discussions on interdisciplinary curriculum design, faculty and student exchanges, and the mutual potential to shape the creative economy in the region.
Professor Ma Sai, Dean of the Academy, warmly welcomed the AU delegation and introduced the Academy’s leadership in art and design education, especially in areas such as information art and technology and global academic outreach.
“Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design is committed to interdisciplinary integration and international development,” said Dean Ma. “We look forward to resource-sharing and joint innovation with AU in areas of academic research, talent cultivation, and cultural creativity.”
Rev. Bro. Sirichai highlighted AU’s strengths in creative industries, business technology management, and international education, emphasizing the synergy between both institutions.
“Our institutions are highly complementary,” he stated. “We are aligned in our vision to co-develop programs, exchange knowledge, and nurture Southeast Asian talent in digital art and design.”
Four Focus Areas: A Strategic Framework for Partnership
Both sides reached consensus on four key areas of cooperation, creating a framework to advance their shared mission:
- Joint Programs and Dual-Degree Initiatives
- Co-developing interdisciplinary courses such as Digital Art & Design and Cultural & Creative Management.
- Launching dual-degree pathways and summer workshops hosted at Tsinghua, with scholarship opportunities for AU’s top art students.
- Joint Research & Innovation Platforms
- Creating a Smart Art & Design Laboratory, integrating AI and design innovation with the support of AU’s Vincent Mary School of Engineering, Science and Technology.
- Collaborating on digital cultural heritage preservation and sustainable design projects with potential support from Thai and Chinese government research funds.
- Faculty-Student Exchanges & Academic Activities
- Establishing a China-Thailand Arts Exchange Fund to support faculty visits, artist residencies, and student mobility.
- Co-hosting the Asian Youth Art Biennale 2026, a regional cultural platform uniting youth and professionals across Asia.
- Industry-Academia Collaboration & Creative Business Incubation
- Partnering with AU’s Graduate School of Business & Advanced Technology Management to bridge design education with Thailand’s booming cultural tourism and creative sectors.
- Exploring the creation of a China-Thailand Creative Industry Incubation Center in Bangkok to support young entrepreneurs in arts and innovation.
From Concept to Creation: Touring Tsinghua’s Design Labs
The AU delegation, guided by Associate Professor Fu Zhiyong, toured Tsinghua’s cutting-edge Information Art & Design Laboratory and Digital Media Innovation Center. The showcase included demonstrations in VR art, interactive installations, and immersive media.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Narong Aphiratsakun, Dean of AU’s Vincent Mary School of Engineering, Science and Technology expressed admiration for Tsinghua’s artistic tech applications, proposing future collaborations to explore real-world implementation in Thailand’s creative economy.
Looking Ahead: A Shared Vision for Asia’s Creative Future
To ensure progress, both universities will form a joint task force to coordinate upcoming projects and academic exchanges. The aim: implement joint degree programs, regular exhibitions, and exchange programs within three years.
Ms. Hao Juanjuan, Director of International Cooperation at Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design, added, “We are excited to co-create programs that empower a new generation of artists, designers, and digital thinkers across our regions.”
The meeting concluded with an exchange of symbolic artworks representing friendship, and both parties agreed to finalize details of the cooperation framework agreement by the end of 2025.
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