Xi’an Jiaotong – Liverpool University (XJTLU) is a new international university jointly founded by Xi’an Jiaotong University China and the University of Liverpool UK as a joint venture. As an independent Sino-Foreign cooperative university, it captures the essence of both prestigious parent universities and is the first and only one of its kind approved by the Ministry of Education in China.

The University offers undergraduate degree programmes in the fields of science, engineering and management, and awards both its own Chinese degree and a degree from the University of Liverpool.

Overview

• Growth in China will redefine patterns of consumption, production, and cultural appropriation domestically and globally for generations to come. As China-based companies shift to a designed-in-China strategy and international companies seek to design for the Chinese market, there will be a growing number of high profile design opportunities for Industrial Design Masters at a strategic level.

• The MDes Industrial Design programme is for graduates or professionals with design or engineering backgrounds, who want to deepen their design and design research thinking. You will develop an appreciation for – and practice transformative approaches towards – design solutions, including products, interaction design and environment systems

• During the programme, you will gain specialist knowledge and skills whilst broadening your design practice experience through individual research projects and final prototype development work for exhibition and manufacture.

CSD Accreditation

• Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is the first university in the Chinese mainland to have BEng and MDes Industrial Design programmes officially accredited by the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD), an internationally recognised body for professional designers.

• The accreditation provides XJTLU students with free Student Membership of the professional body, which allows them to get better job prospects, to access a large international network of peers and a large amount of resources.

• CSD membership allows students to access a much wider network of professional designers working both in industry and academia, and foster their preparedness to the upcoming challenges of their career development.

Why should I study Industrial Design at XJTLU?

• • Benefit from the strong links of the Department of Industrial Design with International Organisations, Universities, Design Studios and Manufacturing Companies.
• • Forge a consistent learning process through the support of the Industrial Design Department Research Labs, directly connected to the three main Design Tracks: Design for Social Innovation / Digital & Interaction Design / Design for Manufacturability.
• • Enjoy a creative and challenging program with a wide range of live design projects with our industry partners, study visits to Europe and design exhibitions and competitions.
• • Earn a prestigious Masters’s Degree as a competitive step towards becoming a fully equipped contemporary designer, ready to work in a variety of design fields.

Knowledge and skills

By the time you graduate from the MDes Industrial Design, you will have:

• • an original creative approach with the ability to develop and explore new design ideas and applications
• • undertaken a final major design project to prepare you for a responsible design studio role within industry, or a project with an academic structure to prepare for doctoral study.
• • strong critical, creative thinking, creative and communication skills.

Careers

• Graduates from this program are well-prepared for careers as design practitioners and design managers. The program also offers a solid research foundation for graduates wishing to pursue further study in a design-related PhD.

Core Modules:

Semester 1
Framing Design Research
Parametric Design & Industry
Design Beyond Carbon

Semester 2
Design For Social Innovation
Transdisciplinary Design
Body, Space And Machine

Semester 3
Design Research Project

Semester 4
Design Research Project

For the latest information regarding programmes, please refer to the official XJTLU website.

Why Choose XJTLU?

• Two Degrees: 1 from the University of Liverpool & 1 from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (Bachelor's students)
• The University of Liverpool degree (Master's and PhD students)
• All degree courses are taught 100% in English.
• No knowledge of the Chinese language is required to apply to XJTLU.
• Learn free of charge Chinese alongside your course.
• A friendly international community.
• International Opportunities: "2+2" study route to the University of Liverpool, UK for undergraduate students (more than 3,500 XJTLU students are now studying at the University of Liverpool, UK through "2+2")
• International Opportunities: Wide range of study abroad opportunities in partner institutions in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, the USA, South Korea, Russia, etc.
• International Opportunities: Partnerships with multinational companies in the likes of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Siemens, KPMG, Alstom, Schneider, ICBC, etc.

About Suzhou

You have the opportunity to live in one of the most culturally rich areas of China, with Suzhou’s UNESCO World Heritage gardens and canals famous around the world.

Suzhou combines its rich 2,500-year-old history with a drive to become one of the most modern cities in China. It has a population of more than six million and a GDP of a trillion RMB – far larger than those of many entire countries!

Alongside its beautiful tourist spots, Suzhou has many excellent learning resources and sports facilities, a great choice of shopping malls, cinemas and restaurants, and a variety of bars and nightclubs.

Today, the city’s canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions in China. The classical gardens in Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000.

Suzhou is located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. Within Suzhou is Suzhou Industrial Park, one of the most competitive development zones in China. This area also contains the Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District (home to XJTLU), which sits beside Dushu Lake, one of two lakes in SIP.

Central Shanghai can be reached from Suzhou in just 30 minutes by high-speed train.

Library

XJTLU students have access to a wide range of library resources, from books and journals to electronic databases and articles. The library plays a key role as a research support and learning centre for the University, developing its collection by focusing on subject development and research requirements.

The library currently holds over 500,000 books, which are added to and updated throughout the year in response to requests from academic departments. It provides 22,000 square metres of space, housing 300 PCs and 2,500 seats for studying, discussion and computer and studio work.

Campuses

North Campus

Full of striking, architecturally impressive buildings, our North Campus provides state-of-the art teaching, laboratory, research and support facilities. This includes the award-winning and iconic Central Building, which houses our library.

The campus also has sports facilities, world class-fully equipped science and engineering laboratories, International Business School Suzhou, and design studios, as well as a variety of catering facilities, including Subway, Pacific Coffee Company, and many canteen-style fast-food options.

Landscaped gardens complement pieces of modern art to create a campus environment that has become one of the striking features of Suzhou Industrial Park.

South Campus

The first phase of our South Campus was opened to the public on 26 July 2016, as a major part of the University’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Architecturally it contrasts our North Campus and features modern designs that complement the surrounding area. Eventually, the South Campus will satisfy the learning and teaching needs of approximately 6,000 XJTLU students as well as the University’s academic exchanges and research development plans. It will consist of eight buildings and be developed over two further phases:

Phase II: International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU

This phase will see the completion of a new building for International Business School Suzhou, set to open by the end of 2017.

PHASE III: XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and XJTLU Gym

Phase III consists of two buildings – the construction of the XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and a gym. Both buildings are expected to open by the end of 2018. The development of the School, in collaboration with financial services provider Gold Finance Group, is a significant part of XJTLU’s academic development strategy. It will mix digital media arts and film and television production and technology with performance and acting. The gym will provide improved and diversified sports facilities for students and staff on campus.

Living in University

When you come to XJTLU, you will have the opportunity to try a whole range of different sports and activities as well as developing any existing skills you already have.

Student clubs and societies

Student clubs and societies play an important part of student life. XJTLU has many organisations with themes such as art, sports, music, entrepreneurship, dance to name but a few. Some of the more established groups include a Model United Nations and the Student Union.

Another society, Intercom, provides a platform for all international students to arrange activities and events, and share ideas and experiences with the wider student body.

Catering

3 canteens, 3 coffee shops, Bar, Restaurants

Sports 

Currently, 21 sports are offered through PE classes at XJTLU, including badminton, basketball, belly dancing, billiards, boxing, bridge, Chinese martial arts, football, free combat, body building, golf, popping, roller-skating, sport dancing, table tennis, taekwondo, tai chi, tai chi sword, tennis, Ultimate Frisbee and yoga.

We have outside sport facilities that include basketball and tennis courts as well as indoor facilities, such as a golf training venue, gym, dance room, and table tennis room. There is also a football field located next to the new South Campus.