PhD Researcher
Karen Li, Yang

Li Yang (Karen) graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2009 and with a master’s degree in 2012 majoring in Art & Design from School of Art & Design, Nanchang University in PRC. In the graduate school period, she contributed as a part-time counselor to the Economic major in Economic & Management Academy of the Nanchang University. After graduation, she worked as a design teacher in School of Art & Design, Nanchang University. In 2013, she joined the School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her PhD research area is design education, with a focus on the investigation of social innovation and cultural integration in design education.

Research Title
Social Innovation and Cultural Inheritance as a New Path for reforming design education in China

Supervisor
Dr. Tina Luximon 

About The Research
The project is aimed at exploring the relations between cultural inheritance and social innovation, providing knowledge and case studies supporting design education in China. The objectives of this project are:

Identifying the existing problems of design education in mainland China in terms of losing their own cultural origin and over relying on the curriculum learned from foreign countries

Studying the relationship between cultural heritage and social innovation in the context of design practice and design education, and providing knowledge and methodologies for designers, design teachers and design students;

Investigating on how to define social innovation objectives in the design process and developing pilot design projects with which such objectives can be implemented and evaluated;

Developing strategies and case studies for reviving Chinese cultural strength in the curriculum development of design education institutions in China.

Study: Ph.D

Study mode: Full Time

Hometown: China