The online defense of the 2020 graduates receiving bachelor's degrees from the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University took place during May 27-28, 2020. Departments of the Academy, including Textile & Fashion Design, Ceramic Design, Visual Communication, Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Arts & Crafts, Information Art & Design, Painting, Sculpture, and Art History, organized 27 thesis defense meetings. A total of 303 bachelor's candidates defended their theses, including 266 candidates pursuing one degree and 37 candidates seeking two degrees - bachelor's degree in Digital Media Arts and bachelor's degree in Product Design.
Defense meeting of the Department of Sculpture
On the day of the online defense meeting, the candidates in China, the United States, South Korea, Malaysia and other countries defended their theses and answered the questions raised by the teachers at the virtual meeting with the defense committee convening at the main meeting venue of the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University. The members of the defense committee discussed, reviewed, and scored the candidates' theses, graduation design and projects on the spot. The defense secretaries and the teaching secretaries of the relevant departments assisted in the completion of the online defense process, and recorded the entire process of the defense meeting.
Defense meeting of the Department of Industrial Design
The candidates' theses and projects are centered on people's work and life, real-life problems relating to clothing, food, housing and transportation, young people's thoughts about themselves, current trends, and the legacy and innovation of traditional Chinese culture.
There are also many students who are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic. They have demonstrated social responsibility by incorporated what they have learned about the pandemic into their works and papers.
Defense meeting of the Department of Art History
For the 2020 bachelor's degree candidates and instructors, this was an unprecedented graduation experience. It also gave rise to an unforgettable relationship between teachers and students. After the defense meeting, the candidates and the defense committees took group photos online to preserve precious memories of this special defense experience.
Defense meeting of the Department of Arts & Crafts
Defense meeting of the Department of Visual Communication
The Academic Affairs Office and the relevant departments of the Academy made sufficient preparations to ensure the smooth progress of the online defense meetings during the pandemic. Yang Dongjiang, the deputy dean of the Academy, oversaw the whole process. All the staff of the Academic Affairs Office, the teaching secretaries of the relevant departments and 23 defense secretaries provided strong support. The technicians of the property management team provided assistance to ensure the smooth progress of the 27 online defense meetings.
Defense meeting of the Department of Textile & Fashion Design
Defense meeting of the Department of Information Art & Design
Every defense committee recorded the defense meeting according to the requirements of the university. Public access to the online defenses was allowed. More than 49 teachers and students observed the defenses. All attendees were required to use their real names and the identities of observers were reviewed before they attended the online defenses. The observers were also required to show their observer identity to facilitate verification.
The defense meeting of the Department of Environmental Design
Defense meeting of the Department of Painting
Defense meeting of the Department of Ceramic Design
Source: Academic Affairs Office
