On June 26, 2026, the 2026 Industry-Academia Integration Conference of Dehua County and the inaugural assembly of the Quanzhou Ceramic Craft Industry-Academia Consortium took place. Rooted in Dehua’s distinctive ceramics industry and bringing together regional industrial and educational resources, the conference established a platform for close collaboration between local government, schools, and enterprises. Aiming to build a new ecosystem of deep industry-academia integration, collaborative talent cultivation, and innovation-driven industrial upgrading, it will boost the transformation of Quanzhou’s ceramics sector and the high-quality development of Dehua’s county-level economy. Dehua County Magistrate Wu Zhipu attended the conference. During the event, Dehua Deputy Magistrate Lin Yuping was elected Chair of the Consortium’s first Council, and ICI Deputy Dean He Dongmei was appointed Vice Chair.
The Quanzhou Ceramic Craft Industry-Academia Consortium is dedicated to transforming university-enterprise cooperation across the city’s ceramics sector. Moving beyond superficial internship-and-placement models, the Consortium champions deep collaboration in curriculum co-development, faculty exchange, resource sharing, joint R&D, and co-cultivation of talent. Through regular tailored training programs, direct employment pipelines, and joint practicum initiatives, the Consortium is steadily building a tightly integrated, symbiotic community of institutions and businesses.
The conference brought together five key stakeholders—government, educational institutions, industry players, enterprises, and research bodies—to facilitate efficient dialogue and targeted matchmaking on core issues such as deep industry-academia integration, talent development, and collaborative education.
At the conference, six key industry-academia projects were signed, covering ceramics digitalization, AI-aided design, creative design, cultural heritage, ceramic machinery, cross-border e-commerce, hot-spring study tours, and agricultural technology. These projects are set to strengthen talent support for Dehua’s ceramics, cultural tourism, and agricultural sectors, translating industry-academia integration into tangible outcomes.
Joining the Consortium marks a major step for ICI in deepening local partnerships and solidifying industry-academia integration, while leveraging its academic strengths to empower the region’s distinctive industries. Moving forward, ICI will harness the Consortium’s synergy of five key stakeholders to drive digital transformation, creative upgrading, and cultural revitalization in the ceramics sector. By integrating creative design, AI digitalization, and cultural innovation, ICI aims to foster both the preservation and modernization of Dehua ceramics, alongside the coordinated growth of its cultural tourism sector. Ultimately, this will enhance ICI’s academic impact and social service capacity, creating a mutually beneficial partnership that sets a new benchmark for two-way industry-academia empowerment.
