taiwan-2025 - C-IDEA

C-IDEA Conference 2025 in Taiwan, China

The 2025 C-IDEA Association Annual Conference was also held on October 23 at Shih Chien University in Taiwan, China. This year’s conference focused on in-depth discussions about the future development of design education, featuring speeches and contributions from experts and scholars from multiple countries including Australia, China, Germany, Georgia, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Mexico, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Hungary, and the United States.

Shih Chien University (Kaohsiung Campus)

Academic Forum

Shih Chien University (Kaohsiung Campus) showcased innovative threads in contemporary design from multiple dimensions: it featured both modern interpretations of traditional Chinese character creation wisdom and explorations of new design methodologies in the age of artificial intelligence; it addressed both the development paths of individual designers and the macro design trends of the twenty-first century.

Professor David Blaiklock from the University of South Australia, Australia, initiated an in-depth exploration of the fundamental drivers of design with his theme “Design Curiosity”; Professor Dan McLean prospectively discussed new paradigms for sketching design within AI-enhanced studios in “From Brush to Smart Prompt”.

Professor Qixin Shi from Anhui Institute of Information Technology / Anhui Polytechnic University, China, presented “The Inspiration of Chinese Character ‘Six Writings’ Wisdom for Modern LOGO Design”, skillfully integrating millennia-old philosophical principles of character creation with contemporary design practice. German Creative Director Raban Ruddigkeit unveiled the working mechanisms of creative thinking through “Hybrid State: How Creativity Truly Happens”.

Professor Carlos Gonzalez Manjarrez from Anáhuac University and Mondragon University, Mexico, outlined a blueprint for future design with “Design for the 21st Century”. Carmit Makler Haller from Carmit Design Studio, USA, shared the journey of constructing a personal creative identity through “Finding the Designer’s Unique Voice”.

Workshop

A workshop titled “Visualizing Projects (Integration of Designer’s Processes)” was held in the International Conference Hall of Shih Chien University. This session was led by David Blaiklock, Chair of the C-IDEA Association, and Dan McLean, Bachelor of Industrial Design Program Director. The explanations were insightful and engaging, featuring strong interactivity that greatly stimulated students’ creative thinking and design inspiration, and proved highly effective. Following the workshop, students completed and presented their respective projects, fully demonstrating the knowledge and progress they had gained through the event. The students unanimously expressed that they found the experience immensely beneficial and made significant gains.

Cultural Visits

During the annual conference, participants visited Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Art Center, traditional cultural landmarks including the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and Shunxian Temple, as well as the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Neiwei Arts Center, and the Art and Cultural Center of the Nanzih Campus of National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology. This series of cultural visits integrating traditional and modern elements fostered a deeper understanding of the local cultural and artistic ecosystem within the international design community, while also creating valuable opportunities for cross-cultural exchange.

2025 C-IDEA Educators Association

New Member Ceremony

During the annual conference, the C-IDEA Association held a grand new member induction ceremony. Shih Chien University (Taiwan, China) became one of the Council Members of the C-IDEA Association, marking a further expansion of the association’s influence. Additionally, C-IDEA Association Chair David Blaiklock presented an Honorary Membership certificate to Professor Chang Fangpang from Shih Chien University (Taiwan, China).

At the Art and Cultural Center of National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (Taiwan, China), C-IDEA Association Chair David Blaiklock presented the association’s various activities and the 2026 event plan to the attendees.