On the afternoon of July 5, a delegation from the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) of UNESCO visited HUTB for exchange and signed a cooperation agreement with the university. Attending the event were Oriol Calvo Vergés, President of IAC; Jacques Kaufmann, President Emeritus; Lynn Rachel Frydman Kuhn, Treasurer; Hou Junjun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC HUTB Committee and President; and Deng Weiping, Member of the CPC Leading Group and Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province.

Hou noted that in recent years, the university has been vigorously advancing the interdisciplinary integration of business, technology, and art. He expressed hope that this cooperation will not only promote ceramic art exchange but also extend to the synergy of technology empowerment and commercial transformation, driving the connotative development of the university’s art disciplines and providing strong support for cultivating versatile talents with a global vision and innovative capabilities.

In his speech, Deng Weiping pointed out that Hunan is an important cradle of ceramic civilization. Changsha Kiln pioneered underglaze painting, and the Liling ceramic industry cluster has exceeded RMB80 billion in scale. He expressed hope that taking this cooperation as an opportunity, Hunan’s ceramic industry will deeply connect with global art resources to achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefit.

Oriol Calvo Vergés introduced the IAC’s development history and mission. Founded in 1952, the IAC currently has over 1,200 members worldwide, with China ranking first in terms of membership. He expressed hope that both sides will carry out in-depth cooperation in ceramic art education, technological innovation, cultural dissemination, and other fields, jointly promoting the prosperous development of global ceramic art.

Witnessed by all the attending guests, Hou Junjun and Oriol Calvo Vergés signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

Before the meeting, the delegation toured teaching and research spaces at the Lingnan Campus, including the Creativity Gallery, Maker Workshop, Sculpture and Ceramic Art Studio, Woodworking Workshop, and Creative Center, gaining firsthand insights into the university’s achievements in ceramic art education, innovation in traditional crafts, and integration with digital technologies.

This event will help advance the university’s open education initiative, playing a positive role in promoting the discipline building of design and art, cultivating internationalized talents, and disseminating Hunan’s ceramic culture.

(Reported by School of Art & Design and International Exchange and Cooperation Office)