Shanghai Today
New World Industrial Design Association, headquartered in Shanghai, aims to boost global standards - April 21, 2026
总部位于上海的新世界工业设计协会旨在提升全球标准
The World Industrial Design Association's secretariat is housed at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.
The Shanghai-based World Industrial Design Association was launched over the weekend to strengthen global academic research in industrial design and industry ties.
The association's goal is to improve industrial design standards worldwide and create an open, collaborative, and efficient innovation ecosystem across borders and sectors.
The launch comes as global industries increasingly look to design as a driver of innovation and competitiveness, positioning Shanghai, a hub of manufacturing and technological advancement, as a central node for global design collaboration.
Co-founded by a diverse coalition of domestic and international players, including the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), the China Industrial Design Association, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Germany's Mathis Heller Design, the organization encompasses industry groups, corporations, universities, design firms, and individual experts.
Its secretariat is housed at USST, and Zhu Xinyuan, the university's president, has been named the association's first chairman.
The group's founding members include 168 units and individuals from 23 countries and regions, and it has connections with over 60 nations. It covers design thinking, design science, artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace, automotive engineering, high-end equipment, new materials and processes, information interaction, intelligent design, ecological and low-carbon design, and more.
Source: City News Service
