Car Design Awards China winners head to Coventry University

Two Car Design China Award 2012 winners won the fantastic opportunity to spend two weeks in Coventry's Automotive Design department.

We headed to Coventry to find out how Cao Chengang, a Tongji University graduate, and Gao Zhigiang, currently studying at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, are finding their time in the UK.

After shaking off their jet lag they rolled their sleeves up and began an intense project under the watchful eye of the Art and Design school's senior lecturers. Nick Hull, Transport Design lecturer (and CDN contributor) and Industrial Design MA course leader Aamer Mahmud had already guided them throgh five days of sketching when we found the guys three days into working on their clay models.

"There are excellent facilities here, better than those in China," said Chengang said. "I think we both have felt there is more of an opportunity here to learn and improve our skills."

Zhigiang agreed, saying he'd be keen to return to Coventry University or another UK or US-based university to complete a Master's course after he's completed his summer internship with Volkswagen China.

"I like it here a lot. It is like I expected when I found out I was coming here. Everyone is very friendly and happy to help. I'm very happy about how we have developed here," he said.

Students from Saudi Arabia and the United States are taking part in a summer school at Coventry, and together with the Car Design China Award winners they traveled to London to sample what the capital has to offer.

"London is a very fast-moving city. It is very multicultural, you can have food from the Middle East, Asia and Europe whenever you want, but the multicultural nature comes very naturally. It's not really like this in China," said Chengang.

Their enthusiasm in their studies has not gone unnoticed by Nick Hull and Aamer Mahmud, who have been very impressed by the caliber of students that the Car Design China Awards attracted.

"They've come with a lot of high skills and have been very open to ideas and how we approach it and they've wanted to learn and capture as much as possible," said Mahmud. "They've been very focused, engaged and have asked the right questions."

From Coventry's perspective, he said, "I think it's made us a little a bit more aware of maybe thinking of doing more of this. Not the full-time engagement but of giving short bursts so they can take that back with them. Hopefully it will be very positive and that will filter through to their friends or an internship they have or the course they're on."

Hull said, "It's a strange environment for them, but they've got stuck in and have picked up a lot up from these two weeks."

Chengang and Zhigiang also clearly feel they have benefited hugely from Nick and Aamer's support in helping them hone their skills in Coventry's design studios. "Our tutors have been very good to us," said Zhigiang said. "They have been very helpful and teach us well, and gave us the chances we might not have had in China."

The tutors believe that Coventry in particular has gained from their experience of attracting overseas students, with Mahmud believing that it is a great way to enrich and sell the course and what it's all about rather than just words and web links.

By Rufus Thompson