On March 25^th , Melanie Robertson, the Head of Academic Department of the School of Art and Design at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, and Wallace Murdoch, the Director of Academic Programmes, visited International College(IC), Xiamen University(XMU) to conduct professional interview assessments for the second-year students of the art program.

Founded in 1843, Nottingham Trent University occupies an important position in the British education sector. Over the past six years, the university has won the title of “University of the Year” five times. In the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, it was awarded a gold rating. According to Uni Compare rankings, it tops the list in the UK for employability and course quality. As one of the oldest art and design schools in the UK, the university is equipped with a world-class art and design center and studios. Its art and design programs rank highly not only in the UK but also globally, and have cultivated many outstanding talents who have led fashion design trends.

Prior to the interviews, Wallace Murdoch, the Director of Academic Programmes at the School of Art and Design, delivered a presentation to first- and second-year students of the art program. The presentation covered a wide range of topics, including information about the university, admission requirements, the unique features and strengths of the programs, and detailed examples of portfolios. He also elaborated on how art and design students can prepare their portfolios, as well as the university’s expectations and standards for student portfolios.

Subsequently, a teaching seminar was held, the teachers of art teaching and research group attended. The two sides engaged in a lively discussion on teaching philosophies, curriculum design, and student development, laying a solid foundation for further deepening cooperation.

1During the interview session, each student meticulously created multiple pieces of work in strict accordance with the assessment requirements of Nottingham Trent University, presenting a complete creative system. At the interview site, students not only showcased the entire design documentation process, from research and creative ideas to sketching and final presentation, but also submitted beautifully formatted portfolios. These portfolios comprehensively demonstrated their learning outcomes, creative thinking, and practical processes. This emphasis on a "traceable creative trajectory" fully highlighted the systematic teaching achievements of IC in cultivating creative talents.

After the interviews concluded, the expert team from Nottingham Trent University engaged in further exchanges with the teachers of art teaching and research group of IC. The experts highly praised the professional quality and creative abilities of the students, commending the novelty of their designs, the clarity of their thinking, and the completeness of their work structures. They also highlighted the unique artistic perspectives that the students had demonstrated in their exploration of "contemporary Eastern aesthetics." This achievement fully reflected the effective work of our teachers in guiding the creative process and integrating ideological and political education into the curriculum.

This interview not only provided the students with a platform to showcase themselves but also offered an international opportunity to assess the teaching outcomes of the art program of IC. It is believed that in the future, both parties will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, creating more opportunities for learning and growth for the students and helping them shine even brighter in the field of art.