Postgraduate Design Management Education in China: An Investigation into the Transferability of Design Management Knowledge, Curricula, Teaching and Learning Strategies from the UK to China.

Design management has not previously been taught in China and the courses are largely ‘imported’ from the west. The transfer of knowledge to a culturally different context must consider a range of aspects which impact upon design management education. This research study aims to conduct an intensive investigation into the transferability of postgraduate design management education (Pg DME) system and programmes from the UK to China. The key objectives are to identify key issues of design management knowledge and its education in a Chinese context; and understand the impact of findings on the interaction in Chinese social, industrial and educational environments.The following areas were reviewed to inform the key theoretical context of Pg DME development in China: 1) the essential issues of knowledge transfer; 2) the theory of design and design management; and 3) the strategic content of design management education and its implications. Through the literature review, the themes of the research were finally indentified: differences in culture, economic drivers and education systems make the transfer complex, thus requiring interpretation as well as translation in Chinese Pg DME 1) policy making; 2) curriculum development; and 3) teaching & learning strategies. This research project is based upon an innate belief in the subjective nature of reality from within the interpretive paradigm. Therefore the research is exploratory with an inductive approach. The 3-phased multi-method comparative research study includes a design management 1) education related policy study; 2) curriculum development study; and 3) is comprised of 18 semi-structured qualitative interviews; providing three distinct but comparable data sets, allowing investigation of the research objective from strategic, tactical and operational perspectives. Models have also been developed in this study, where each level has been designated an essential framework for the healthy development of Pg DME in China.The main findings of the research study highlight Pg DME as an enabling discipline where the needs to be satisfied are internal to the design manager and external to the market and social environment. This necessitates consideration of the appropriate level of understanding of culture background; business & market awareness; and professional practice under the influence of globalisation and knowledge transfer for the society; industries; HEIs; academics and students. It also provides a deeper understanding of cultural aspects of design management provision, enabling the understanding of knowledge transfer, curricula, and teaching & learning across cultural borders.