On March 20, 2026, Dr. Chong Keng Hua, Vice President and Provost of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, led a delegation to visit college of Chinese & ASEAN Arts for exchange activities. Co-organized by international department and Fine Arts and Design School of the college, this event took art as the bond and advanced in-depth interaction in art education and design innovation through diverse forms including campus tours, keynote speeches and professional workshops, jointly writing a new chapter of international cooperation.
Immersive Visit to Witness the College’s Development Achievements
At 9:30 a.m., Vice President Chong Keng Hua and his delegation arrived at college of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, and were warmly welcomed by Li Jian, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Chengdu University, and Ran Yisong, Director of college of Chinese & ASEAN Arts.
The delegation visited China-ASEAN Art Center, Traditional Craft Research Institute and international department in succession, gaining an in-depth understanding of the college’s achievements in teaching philosophy, traditional craft inheritance and international education. At the Traditional Craft Research Institute, the Singaporean guests showed strong interest in the modern transformation of traditional crafts such as lacquer art and Shu embroidery. Both sides conducted on-site exchanges on the international communication and innovative development of traditional crafts.
Keynote Speech to Envision the Future of Art
At 14:00, the 2026 China-Singapore Seminar on Art Education and Design Innovation themed Art Blending East and West, Innovating the Future Wisely was held in Lecture Hall A-1018 of college of Chinese & ASEAN Arts. Vice President Chong Keng Hua delivered a keynote speech entitled Beauty in the Future: Seeking Balance between Artificiality and Nature. From the perspectives of challenges and opportunities for art education in the artificial intelligence era, the integration of natural aesthetics and digital creation, and innovative project cases of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he brought an intellectual feast to teachers and students present. During the interactive session, students engaged in lively discussions with him on digital art creation and cross-cultural design.
Workshop Practice to Explore Design Innovation
Subsequently, Lin Kuang Wen, Associate Dean of School of Design & Media, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, hosted a professional workshop at Lacquer Art Workshop E-1003 of Fine Arts and Design School. Centering on the theme of "Improving the Welfare of Migrant Workers through Design Thinking", students from Fine Arts and Design School learned the five stages of design thinking and explored innovative service design solutions with mind mapping methods. Adopting a practical teaching model, the workshop guided students to apply design thinking to social issues and won high recognition from all teachers and students.
Celebrating Cooperation to Sketch a New Chapter through Art
This visit serves as a key measure for college of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, Chengdu University to deepen international cooperation with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore. As an important platform for China-Singapore artistic and cultural exchanges, the college has maintained long-term and stable cooperation with multiple universities and cultural institutions across Southeast Asia. The visit has not only deepened mutual understanding and trust, but also bolstered confidence and momentum for future collaborative projects.
Both sides agreed to establish a regular exchange mechanism and carry out practical cooperation in student exchange, joint workshops, teacher training and scientific research collaboration. They will jointly promote the high-quality development of art education between China and Singapore, and contribute to cultivating globally competitive talents in art and design.
