On Feberaury 10, Premiere Li Keqiang hosted a seminar with foreign experts working in China at The People’s Great Hall. Prof. Yrjö Sotamaa, winner of The People’s Republic of China Friendship Award, Advisory Dean of Design and Innovation College, Tongji University, former Executive Vice Director of SFC was invited as speaker to the seminar, sharing his opinions about design innovation, economic transition and international cooperation with other foreign experts.

As one of the key contributors of Finland’s transformation, Prof. Sotamaa play an important role in integrating design to the National Innovation System and in reforming higher education system to meet the future challenges in Finland. From his point of view, China is in a significant transformation period just like Finland after the World War II, and design innovation should be the key to success. Cultural diversity, tolerance and openness, and ambitious talents are the key drivers of innovation. Based on Chinese distinctive culture with long history and strong national identity, keeping openness of the society, openness to innovative new ideas, courage for transformation of the country and openness to welcome talents from all over the world are all key elements for realizing sustainable development in China.

According to Prof. Sotamaa, China has been successful in training people capable of delivering project. However, for changing Made-in-China into Design-in-China, more and more strategic leaders who are good at problem solving, cooperating within international context are needed. It’s more than a cultural issue than an educational issue. Shanghai is aiming to become a Global Innovation Center, and to develop economy feathered with “new industries, new technologies, new business models, and new paradigm”. The openness city culture and high-qualified international education have attracted talents from all over the world. The design innovation thinking and entrepreneurial spirit have formed the economic development in Shanghai. Based on broad vision and dynamic culture, daring to fail and learn from failures in practice, Shanghai is qualified to be one of the best design and innovation city among the world. Design and Innovation College, as well as Sino-Finnish Centre in Tongji University have become design innovation education organizations with international influential. Shanghai is now supporting Tongji University collaborating with Aalto University, Espoo and other international partners to build an open international design education and research platform based on Design and Innovation College, for further attracting global talents and knowledge in service of the demand of Chinese design driven economic transition.

Photo: Rao Aimin, Xihua Agency, from State Council Website