Industry-Academia Collaboration Cultivates Talent: WKU-Tospo Lighting Joint Designs Shine

During the Spring 2025 semester, facilitated by Wenzhou-Kean University’s Office of Research, the College of Michael Graves launched an in-depth collaboration with Tospo Deban Lighting Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hengdian Group. Under the guidance of Professor Maurizio Vrenna, 21 junior Industrial Design students developed 12 innovative luminaire concepts over the term, culminating in a joint review session on May 28. These works demonstrated the power of university-industry synergy, achieving seamless integration of industry, academia, and research.

The practice-oriented project comprised three phases: Enterprise Immersion (Mid-Late February): Students toured Tospo’s R&D center and production base, observing modern lighting manufacturing processes. Collaborative Design (March-May): Teams refined concepts through market-driven iterations—from initial ideation to technical development—with meticulous prototype refinement. Outcome Realization: Final designs spanned smart lighting, emotional interaction, and spatial aesthetics. Seven standout works were nominated for international awards (iF Design Award, Red Dot Award). Several designs are now undergoing mass production evaluation.

Fang Biyuan, a student participating in the project, commented: "Only when blueprints are transformed into products do we truly feel the warmth of design." Guo Yucheng, a student from Wenzhou-Kean University, added: "The experience of redoing the plans three times taught me about a user-centered mindset more profoundly than any classroom case study could."

Tospo Lighting experts commended WKU faculty and students for their "meticulous and innovative design approach" in a formal appreciation letter. Meng Jun, Associate Director of WKU’s Research Office, affirmed: "This partnership exemplifies successful industry-education integration. We will expand such platforms to transform academic creativity into tangible solutions."