Teaching Professor Yang Jidong, a design innovation practitioner with extensive industry experience, has been appointed vice dean of the School of Creativity and Art (SCA). The appointment was announced at a ceremony held on September 20.
Yang Jidong
Yang joined ShanghaiTech five years ago. He holds degrees in industrial design from Tsinghua University and Jiangnan University and has more than 20 years of experience in design innovation education and design management. His work spans smart technology products, fashion and consumer goods, brand strategy, product development, user experience, and interactive design, and he has worked with companies such as Dow, Intel, Philips, and Broadcom.
Yang thanked the university for its confidence in him. He noted that with the rapid advance of AI and the accelerating transformation of creative industries, the school is entering a new period of opportunities. “I will work closely with the school’s leadership, faculty, and staff to explore new approaches, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration with other schools, and help the SCA move forward,” said Yang.
Yu Jingyi, vice president and vice provost of ShanghaiTech, congratulated Yang on his new role. Yu praised the SCA’s progress in recent years and outlined expectations for its future. “AI is reshaping both student development and the creative industries. Faculty and students at SCA should embrace new technology to explore intersections of art, design, and technology, and become creators of new tools, methods, and models,” Yu said. He also called on the school’s leadership to work together to advance student growth and academic development.
Professor Wang Shouzhi, former vice dean of the SCA, congratulated Yang on his new role at the school. He also emphasized the need to continue adapting the curriculum to keep pace with AI, making teaching more open and adaptable. “We also need to strengthen collaboration with institutions in China and abroad to support the school’s long-term growth,” Wang added.
Zhou Yu, chief human resources officer at ShanghaiTech, said the new vice dean together with the school’s leadership would bring new energy and momentum to the SCA. She added that the university would continue to support SCA and work with its faculty and students to advance the integration of design, art, and technology.
In addition to Yang’s appointment, Zhou also announced the appointment of Li Xian as secretary of the SCA Party branch.