Creating Change Through Design: A Cross-University Collaboration to Address Socio-Economic Challenges in China through Multidisciplinary Design-led Approach

Ania A  Drzewiecka; Mona Azadian Qomi; Mariia Zolotova

doi:10.30574/wjarr.2025.27.2.2840

Creating Change Through Design: A Cross-University Collaboration to Address Socio-Economic Challenges in China through Multidisciplinary Design-led Approach

Ania A Drzewiecka
, Mona Azadian Qomi
, Mariia Zolotova

Heriot-Watt University’s Scottish Borders Campus (SBC)

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper presents a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary design project – Creating Change Through Design - involving undergraduate students from Heriot-Watt University’s Scottish Borders Campus (SBC) and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China. The initiative aimed to ideate design-led solutions for emerging economic challenges in China: youth unemployment, declining business and consumer confidence, a rapidly ageing society, and issues related to waste and pollution (Mark, 2024). Through a series of collaborative online workshops, students engaged in design thinking and systems thinking to co-create socioeconomic opportunities. The project concluded with an interactive digital exhibition, which contributed to the development of a global mindset, intercultural empathy, and employability skills among participants. This paper outlines the project’s conceptual framework, methodology, outcomes, and its alignment with Heriot-Watt University’s Strategic Plan (2025).

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceeding of 10th International Conference on research in Humanities and Social Sciences
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2025.27.2.2840
Publication status	Published - Jul 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords

design-led learning
cross-cultural collaboration
Design thinking
systems thinking
UN Sustainable Goals 4 and 17

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10.30574/wjarr.2025.27.2.2840

http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://wjarr.com/sites/default/files/fulltext_pdf/WJARR-2025-2840.pdf

Create Change through Design: International Cross-University Collaboration:
Azadian Qomi, M. (Organiser), Zolotova, M. (Organiser) & Drzewiecka, A. A. (Organiser)
Sept 2024 → Dec 2024
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising an event e.g. a conference, workshop, …

Cite this

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title = "Creating Change Through Design: A Cross-University Collaboration to Address Socio-Economic Challenges in China through Multidisciplinary Design-led Approach ",

abstract = "This paper presents a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary design project – Creating Change Through Design - involving undergraduate students from Heriot-Watt University{\textquoteright}s Scottish Borders Campus (SBC) and Xi{\textquoteright}an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China. The initiative aimed to ideate design-led solutions for emerging economic challenges in China: youth unemployment, declining business and consumer confidence, a rapidly ageing society, and issues related to waste and pollution (Mark, 2024). Through a series of collaborative online workshops, students engaged in design thinking and systems thinking to co-create socioeconomic opportunities. The project concluded with an interactive digital exhibition, which contributed to the development of a global mindset, intercultural empathy, and employability skills among participants. This paper outlines the project{\textquoteright}s conceptual framework, methodology, outcomes, and its alignment with Heriot-Watt University{\textquoteright}s Strategic Plan (2025). ",

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author = "Drzewiecka, \{Ania A\} and \{Azadian Qomi\}, Mona and Mariia Zolotova",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

doi = "10.30574/wjarr.2025.27.2.2840",

language = "English",

booktitle = "Proceeding of 10th International Conference on research in Humanities and Social Sciences",

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Creating Change Through Design: A Cross-University Collaboration to Address Socio-Economic Challenges in China through Multidisciplinary Design-led Approach . / Drzewiecka, Ania A ; Azadian Qomi, Mona ; Zolotova, Mariia.
Proceeding of 10th International Conference on research in Humanities and Social Sciences. 2025.

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

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AB - This paper presents a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary design project – Creating Change Through Design - involving undergraduate students from Heriot-Watt University’s Scottish Borders Campus (SBC) and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China. The initiative aimed to ideate design-led solutions for emerging economic challenges in China: youth unemployment, declining business and consumer confidence, a rapidly ageing society, and issues related to waste and pollution (Mark, 2024). Through a series of collaborative online workshops, students engaged in design thinking and systems thinking to co-create socioeconomic opportunities. The project concluded with an interactive digital exhibition, which contributed to the development of a global mindset, intercultural empathy, and employability skills among participants. This paper outlines the project’s conceptual framework, methodology, outcomes, and its alignment with Heriot-Watt University’s Strategic Plan (2025).

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KW - cross-cultural collaboration

KW - Design thinking

KW - systems thinking

KW - UN Sustainable Goals 4 and 17

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DO - 10.30574/wjarr.2025.27.2.2840

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ER -

Creating Change Through Design: A Cross-University Collaboration to Address Socio-Economic Challenges in China through Multidisciplinary Design-led Approach

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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Activities

Create Change through Design: International Cross-University Collaboration:

Cite this