About

The Department of Industrial Design at Chaoyang University of Technology, established in 1994, is one of the earliest higher education institutions for industrial design in central Taiwan. The department focuses on nurturing diligent and dedicated professionals with a comprehensive skill set, covering everything from new product planning, hands-on execution, and strategy implementation to production and marketing. This ensures that graduates meet the specific needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for well-rounded professional capabilities.

Over the years, the department has successfully cultivated "practical, diligent, and eager-to-learn" industrial design talent. The employment and accomplishments of numerous alumni demonstrate that graduates can fully meet the needs of SMEs for industrial design professionals. Alumni have become elite designers across various fields, significantly contributing to industry and academia.

In addition to the core competencies required for industrial designers, the curriculum structure includes mastering manufacturing technologies and developing the ability to assess and understand market demands. The four-year integrated design course, from foundational to advanced levels, gradually cultivates students' ability to design "mass-producible products" based on user needs and market requirements.

The department emphasizes integrating teaching with the needs of enterprises at different levels of design courses and introducing industry-academia collaboration projects. This provides students the opportunity to practice and experience the compromises and adjustments between design ideals and industrial realities, seeking practical solutions. Students also learn to address the complex issues they encounter in practical design work. Additionally, a concurrent multi-project design teaching method helps students become familiar with executing multiple design tasks simultaneously, reflecting real-world industry conditions.

In terms of industrial design competencies, aside from the core design courses, auxiliary subjects such as sketching, color theory, creative thinking, and presentation techniques are offered to provide a foundational skillset for main design courses. In cultivating mastery of manufacturing technologies, students are required from their first year to practice workshop internships, learning the concept of working from blueprints, supported by courses such as "Engineering Graphics" and "Materials and Processing." This helps students familiarize themselves with various manufacturing processes and material applications, ensuring effective control and use during design execution.

Beyond traditional hand-drawing training and familiarity with conventional manufacturing processes, the department also incorporates the latest manufacturing technologies and computer software, offering a series of courses such as "Computer-Aided Industrial Design" and "Computer-Aided Manufacturing," enabling students to keep pace with technological advancements and make good use of them.

To develop the ability to assess and understand market demands, the department teaches market trends, consumer needs assessment, and new product planning concepts and methods. Courses such as "Market Research," "Product Planning," and "Design Management" are specifically designed to instill the correct ideas. Designers who understand, master, and eventually lead the market can transcend the technical level and become a competitive force in the industry.

From the outset, the department quickly planned and established well-equipped facilities such as a model workshop, ceramics studio, metalworking studio, and glass studio. The teaching staff includes many professionals with deep expertise and rich practical experience, enhancing the teaching quality. Faculty members, while teaching, maintain ongoing interactions and services with the industry, keeping pace with industrial development. The combination of experienced faculty and strong ties with the industry is a hallmark of the department.

The curriculum has three main features: "Industrial Product Design," "Cultural and Craft Design," and "Digital Technology Design." The educational philosophy of "Industrial Product Design" is "Life as the source, Humanity as the focus, Technology as the tool, and Design as the essence." For "Cultural and Craft Design," the philosophy is "Craft as the form, Technology as the means, and Culture as the content."

With the booming development of the global cultural and creative industries, cultural and creative sectors have become key industries in the knowledge economy. In planning the training of cultural and craft designers, the department emphasizes increasing cultural, historical, and aesthetic literacy. Practical training in facilities such as the "Ceramic Craft Studio," "Metal Processing Studio," and "Wood and Bamboo Composite Material Workshop" helps students integrate cultural aesthetics with everyday creative design. This enables them to become designers with detailed observational skills and a broad cultural perspective.

"Digital Technology Design" focuses on logical training in scientific design methods, computer-aided integrated design, and enhancing other technological applications. This prepares students to meet the needs of industries such as 4C (computer, communication, consumer electronics, and content), home appliances, medical equipment, sports equipment, transportation tools, power tools, and hand tools.