An Investigation of the Transferability of Design Management Education from the UK to China

Abstract

AbstractAn Design management has not previously been taught in China and many of the new courses are imported from the West. However, differences in culture, education system, and economic need make the transfer complex, thus requiring interpretation, as well as translation. This paper aims to explore the nature of problems and challenges faced in design management education when transferring from the UK to China. It will also present a program of research set up to explore these issues.The transfer of educational programs to a culturally different context must consider both the curriculum and the teaching and learning methods of participants. In the case of education that aims to prepare graduates for industry, the structure and needs of the employer must also be considered. There is already much written about the transfer of management education from West to East, and although this knowledge should inform our study of design management education in China, the discipline has additional aspects that may be culturally sensitive. From existing literature, this paper presents key issues relating to curriculum and teaching and learning that need to be taken into account when developing new courses.The findings from a research project described in this paper are expected to provide groundwork for the development of design management education as an enabling discipline. It will also provide a better understanding of cultural aspects of design management provision, question Western paradigms, and assist in an understanding of the transfer of curriculum across cultural boundaries.