Design School Kolding joins fashion forces with Tongji University

Design School Kolding and Tongji University have set up a joint fashion education programme that combines Danish and Chinese design to promote sustainability and trade. The two universities have worked together for more than 10 years and the new bachelor's fashion programme, which will start next year, is the latest addition to an impressive portfolio of joint projects.

Design School Kolding hopes that its partnership with Tongji University will serve as a gateway for increased business collaboration between China and Denmark.

Aiming to arm its students with a cosmopolitan outlook, Design School Kolding gives priority to partnerships with international universities and design institutions for academic collaborations, and student and faculty exchange programmes. Apart from the outpost at Tongji University in Shanghai, the design school also has an outpost at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.

"Design knows no boundaries," says Elsebeth Nielsen, rector. "The best design education and design ideas come from cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary collaboration."

Aside from academic partnerships, close collaboration with industry partners on real-world issues also enriches the educational experience of the students. Design School Kolding has fostered partnerships with notable Danish firms such as Bang & Olufsen, Ecco, Kopenhagen Fur and Lego.

Design School Kolding, through its Design to Innovate project, gives back to the industry by helping small and medium enterprises use design to increase innovativeness and competitiveness.