Kicking Off the WSA–CUC Collaboration

On April 14, the Global Smart Lab team from Winchester School of Art (WSA) began the first day of our visit to the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing. The day focused on introductions, shared research, and setting the tone for a collaborative and creative week ahead.

The WSA delegation—Chris O’Connor, Dr. Ruohan Tang, and Professor Yuanyuan Yin—was joined by three student teams from WSA online. These teams were partnered with three student teams from CUC to co-develop projects around inclusive design, XR, and immersive media throughout the week.

Morning: Formal Meeting with CUC Leadership

Our morning began with a meeting at the West Annex, hosted by the School of Theatre, Film and Television at CUC. We were welcomed by Dean Zheng Yue, Vice Dean Sun Bin, and Prof Lin CHE who introduced the school’s current focus areas and discussed opportunities for academic and creative collaboration. The meeting created a solid platform for ongoing dialogue between the two institutions, with shared interest in immersive technologies, storytelling, and socially engaged design.

Afternoon: WSA Open Lecture

In the afternoon, the WSA team gave an open lecture at West Stage 2 to an audience of CUC students and staff. The talk focused on the work of the Global Smart Lab, highlighting key research themes such as immersive experience design, inclusive technologies, and design for social good. The presentation also showcased examples of recent student-led projects and outlined the goals of the collaborative week.

The response from students was thoughtful and engaged, with a number of insightful questions and discussions following the session. The atmosphere throughout the day was welcoming and curious—setting the stage for meaningful collaboration in the days ahead.