Overview

Foundation Design Program was founded in 1997, which was the earliest foundation design education platform set up in Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art.

Referring to the essential spirit of 1998's new BA (hons)'s specialty catalog, our academy out lined "broaden specialty pathway, dilute specialty boundaries, and enhance students' adaptation," "restructure students' knowledge, ability and quality", and "build a firm foundation, integrate courses, and construct a new platform" (note: extracted from No.9 document, GAFA.) These outlines are the founding base of our program.

Today, focus on broadening base, better human resource allocation, and knowledge integration are the ongoing revolution nationwide.

Complying with the highere ducationa l requirement, foundation design program encourage every teaching staff to undertakes exploration freely, delivers courses in his own way. Therefore, every course will be new for students, from which they will be enjoying the creativity, diversity, and flexibility. Also, the courses encourage a critical response and an ability to engage in discussion with staff and fellow students. Through these practices, students will change from passive learning to active learning. In foundation design program, we invite teachers of other departments to attend workshops and exhibits of student works regularly. The feedbacks are positive and inspiring.

Education Target
 Education target of College of Design, GAFA for BA graduates: to educate professionals with wide understanding of design, knowledgeable in specialty, competent in relevant fields of design developing,design education, design planning, design management, etc., in a word, eligible in all aspects that essential to contemporary.

Our orientation: This is a practical program with a keen focus on acquiring and applying technical skills in innovating and problem solving, aiming to prepare students for educational of career progression within the specialist design fields.

Teaching staff
 As of today, Foundation Design Program has 7 teaching staffs including 2 associated professors, 3 lecturers as well as 2 teaching assistants, besides full-time staff, appoints 13 specialist of other department within Design College to take on courses.

Degrees and Certificates
We response for providing core courses to first year students of Design college, as well as honor 3-year MA degree for "Foundation Studies of Design" specialty.

Education Concept
Generally, we structure foundation courses into two parts:
1. Foundation level
      In the first year, all courses with College of Design will be the same. This independent module is good for knowledge and skills systematically taught, so that enriches the teaching quality and efficiency. In this stage, we want to avoid diversity but more focus on common interest. The general knowledge of different specialties can lead students to better integrity.

2. Integrated Level
When the second year, based on the teaching schedule of appointed specialty, teachers much attach to the specialist foundation teaching, with emphasis on the connection from the base to in-dept studies.