Design Education Re-Positioned

This study examines the systemic transformation of Chinese design education as it pivots from a traditional fine arts-centric foundation toward a synergistic orientation necessitated by the generative AI era. Utilizing a qualitative comparative framework, the research evaluates divergent pedagogical paradigms across nine representative institutions in China, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, specifically focusing on the interplay between admission policies, curricular structures, and assessment mechanisms. The findings reveal how structural differences influence students’ design thinking, creativity, and adaptability. Specifically, China’s historically exam-oriented and skill-centered approach creates structural impediments to innovation, whereas Korea’s holistic evaluation system and the UK’s industry-integrated, project-driven pedagogy promote creative problem-solving and critical engagement. In light of generative AI technologies, the study emphasizes the need for Chinese design education to shift from technical imitation toward fostering AI literacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and human–machine co-creation. Recommended strategies include redesigning curricula to prioritize process and ethics, strengthening partnerships between academia and industry, and re-centering pedagogy around creative intelligence. This cross-national comparison offers both theoretical insights and practical guidance for systemic reform, aiming to enhance the global competitiveness of design education in an increasingly automated creative landscape.