Reflections on Design Management Education in China

Abstract

AbstractDesign management and its instruction is a recent phenomenon in China. Rapid development is anticipated in the near future alongside the advances in China's innovation‐oriented society and its further economic growth. After reviewing the features of design management, the development of MBA programs, and the higher‐education system in contemporary China, this paper proposes a range of future solutions to the development of design management education programs in China. It suggests that curriculum development for better cultural fit with the current Chinese reality must be based not only on research into successful models in Europe and the United States, but on investigation into the specific demands of Chinese companies and Chinese teaching and learning styles. The paper goes on to show that, at this initial stage, foreign‐partner programs can be an immediate and efficient way of developing Chinese design management education, and concludes by outlining opportunities for further research.