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Supporting students to develop their creativity
Educators’ Republic has partnerships with over 20 Chinese schools, and approximately 750 students. The curriculum introduces students to creative art & design practice, supporting practical and conceptual creativity, portfolio building and preparation for future international study.
About
ABOUT EDUCATORS' REPUBLIC
‘Educators' Republic are redefining art and design education in China, blending pedagogical philosophies and approaches from both East and West - providing a solid foundation for Chinese students that ensures they succeed in future international study.’
- Professor Ben Stopher, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Norwich University of the Arts
Integrating Eastern and Western Pedagogies in Art and Design
Educators' Republic has been designed to blend the best of Eastern and Western educational philosophies, fostering creativity, technical skills, and a deep understanding of global artistic traditions. This course provides students with a unique opportunity to develop a robust portfolio of work, essential for university applications and future creative careers in a global context. In today's interconnected world, successful artists and designers are those who can draw from a diverse range of cultural perspectives, combining technical mastery with imaginative expression. Our curriculum has been carefully structured to support this goal, integrating Eastern approaches that emphasise discipline and the development of foundational skills, with Western pedagogies that encourage experimentation, conceptual thinking, and self-expression.
Course Principles
Master fundamental techniques in Art & Design practices with a strong emphasis on precision, craftsmanship and innovation.
Explore creative problem-solving through project-based learning, where critical thinking and innovation are nurtured.
Engage with global art history, learning how cultural contexts have shaped artistic expression in both Eastern and Western spheres, inspiring cross-cultural synthesis.
Build a comprehensive portfolio that showcases technical proficiency, originality, and conceptual depth, aligned with the requirements of premier and design universities around the world.
Prepare students for undergraduate art & design education, including written and oral communication in English, and understanding terminologies and lexicons associated with discipline specialisms
Course Structure
This course provides a structured yet flexible learning environment where students can develop their technical skills, explore their creative voice, and produce diverse creative outcomes that reflect both personal and global influences.
By integrating the discipline of Eastern pedagogy with the free-form exploration championed by Western models, students will be well-prepared to enter higher education with confidence and originality. The teaching is a blend of onsite Chinese tutors working with Western colleagues online.
Interactions and discussions are in both Chinese and English, supporting the students to develop their language skills and facilitate confidence in
bi-lingual dialogues.
In addition to practical skills, students will gain insight into how to present and contextualise their work, honing the communication skills necessary for successful university applications and future creative endeavours. Whether aiming for a career in Fine Arts, Graphic design, Fashion, Illustration, Animation, Gaming, Product Design, UXUI, Creative Computing or Architecture, this course equips students with the skills, knowledge, and portfolio needed to thrive in the competitive world of higher education in art and design.
NEWS
Gallery
GALLERY
Thinking hats
The Six Thinking Hats approach was created by Edward de Bono a Maltese physician, psychologist and philosopher. He wanted it to be a practical tool for everyday problem solving. "Six Thinking Hats" is a way of investigating an issue from a variety of perspectives, but in a clear, conflict-free way. It can be used by individuals or groups to move outside habitual ways of thinking, try out different approaches, and then think constructively about how to move forward.
In this project students are individually tasked with researching one hat or way of thinking from De Bono’s six thinking hats and reflect upon the meaning and interpret that meaning visually and viscerally through colour, shape, size, material and production. Students were tasked with creating a symbolic ‘thinking hat’ that communicates meaning and purpose.
We also asked the students to art direct their own fashion photoshoot where students must art direct the shoot, models, mood and lighting, even situ in relation to the hat and its meaning.
Godzilla
Students are asked to immerse themselves in film and art history (specifically the work of Toho Studio), and generate a ‘homage’ to the cultural icon ‘Gojira’ (Godzilla) This introductory project aims to introduce students to art history, cultural studies, materiality, graphic design, sound and film, set and costume design.
Environmental Typeface Design
Typography is the art of arranging letters and text in a way that makes the copy legible, clear, and visually appealing to the reader. It involves font style, appearance, and structure, which aims to elicit certain emotions and convey specific messages. In short, typography is what brings the text to life.
Students were required to create a unique typeface of a unique place. This typeface will be inspired by visiting a street in China and to communicate the discoveries and learnings that made a familiar place new and unusual again.
Typologies
Information is the biggest commodity today. Visual Communication is its biggest delivery system.
Students were asked to record and gather evidence of consumption of one product or brand they use regularly each day for two weeks. From how the product is made, its ingredients and properties. It’s price and value, how the product is consumed and when is it consumed and in what quantity.
Students were then required to research their own behaviours and relationship with consumption. And finally creating a visual Typology that communicates this consumption to others.
Graduation Showcase
After graduation we hold an exhibition of all students work, showcasing their talent and dedication.
Partners
PARTNERS
Current Chinese School Partnerships
Shanghai Baoshan World Foreign Language School
Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School INT’L Division
Shanghai United International School QIngpu Campus
Shanghai Shangde Experimental School
Shanghai Hongwen School
North America International School (NAIS)
International School of Nanjing Yuhuatai High School
Nanjing Hankai Academy
Nanjing Dongshan Foreign Language School
Nanjing No.13 High School
Wuxi Foreign Language School
Olive Tree International Academy
Wuxi United International School
Suzhou Science & Technology Town Foreign Language School
Tianyuan College
Shenghua Zizhu Academy
BANZ
Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's)
Norwich University of the Arts
Middlesex University
Arts University Bournemouth
Leeds Beckett University
Falmouth University
STAFF
Grant Rose
Co-Founder
Grant began a career in the creative industry before moving into academia, working at various institutions including UAL London College of Communication (LCC) Royal College of Art (RCA), Ravensbourne University London (RUL) University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
Awards:
White Square Students Union Teaching Award (2012 - 2017)
Shu Kang
Project Manager
Shu Cang has been involved in international education for over a decade, and her work and study experience in China, the United States and Ireland has given her an insight into the education systems of various international regions. She started her career as a TA at an American university, moved on to become the marketing director at an education company, and a teacher and classroom teacher at a famous international school in Shanghai. As a startup member, she has participated in and witnessed every detail of Educators’ Republic.
Yuwei 'Ken' Zhong
Co-Founder
After achieving a MA degree in Graphic Design from UAL, he started teaching at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art in China. He also founded Artslink International Art Education in 2015.He became the head of the A-level art program in Suzhou Industrial Park Foreign Language School, and subsequently founded Educator's Republic with Grant Rose.Awards:Tencent News: The most influential international education brand, 2023.
Piaoer Zhang
Teaching Director
Graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a master degree in Landscape architecture. Over 5 years of teaching experience in space design.Currently, mainly responsible for the teaching management of master class and other art and design related course in high school, e.g. IGCSE and A level course.
Neil Drabble
Academic Director UK
Neil has worked in academia for over 16 years across a range of roles from Lecturer to Programme Director, at various Art & Design Universities. His primary practice is photography both inside and out of education His photographic works and published books are included in various collections including the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert museum in London.Awards:SUARTS Teaching Award (UAL) – Highly Commended 2011-2017SUARTS Teaching Award (UAL) – Teacher of the year 2016
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Wennie Bai
International Outreach and Academic Assistant
Wennie Bai graduated from the University of the Arts London and has been working in design, marketing, and event & administrative management.
The academic team consists of Chinese and Western educators collaborating in a blended delivery model utilising both on-site and online teaching methods.
Staff
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