Taiwan, October 25, 2026 — The Department of Visual Communication Design (DKV), Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), continues to strengthen its international academic network through educational collaboration with the Department of Visual Communication Design, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (YunTech), Taiwan. This collaboration was realized through the participation of 10 DKV ITS students in the Student International Outbound program and the assignment of two lecturers as speakers at an international academic forum held on October 23–25, 2026, in Taiwan.

This initiative is part of DKV ITS’s educational internationalization efforts, particularly in expanding students’ academic experience through cross-cultural learning, knowledge exchange, and design collaboration with higher education institutions at the international level. Student participation also supports the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) for internationalization, especially in increasing the number of students participating in academic activities outside their study program.

As part of the program, two DKV ITS lecturers, Dr. Putri Dwitasari, S.T., M.Ds., and Andita Wibyasti Sari Putri, S.T., M.Ds., had the opportunity to contribute as keynote speaker and workshop speaker at the International Conference and Workshop of the Visual Communication Design, Taiwan Institute of Kansei, and Taiwan Society of Basic Design and Art Conference (ICWVCD) 2026, themed “Spectrum in Essence.” The involvement of lecturers in this forum reflects DKV ITS’s academic contribution to the exchange of ideas, the development of design scholarship, and the strengthening of professional networks at the international level.

This academic program featured seminars and workshops involving international design academics and practitioners. Students had the opportunity to learn from Yu-Tung Liu, Chair Professor and former Vice President of Asia University. Interaction with the speakers provided perspectives on visual design development, narrative exploration, and creative approaches to responding to different cultural contexts.

One workshop was led by Andita Wibyasti Sari Putri, S.T., M.Ds., through a presentation titled “Visual Narrative: A Cross-Cultural Exchange Between Taiwan and Indonesia.” The workshop invited students to explore visual narratives as a medium for cross-cultural communication, positioning the cultural richness of Indonesia and Taiwan as sources of inspiration in the design process.

The series continued with a workshop titled “Deconstructing Puppetry: A Visual Redesign.” Through an experimental approach, students were encouraged to deconstruct the visual elements of traditional puppet performances and translate them into contemporary design language. This process encouraged students to understand how cultural heritage can be communicated through visual approaches relevant to today’s audiences.

One of the main focuses of the workshop was exploring the potential of visual design as a medium for cultural preservation, particularly through wayang potehi, which has developed within the Chinese community in Surabaya, and budaixi, the traditional Taiwanese puppet performance art.

In this activity, DKV ITS students developed visual boards and visual concepts to promote wayang potehi as part of efforts to preserve Chinese culture in Surabaya. Meanwhile, students also designed experimental posters inspired by budaixi as a form of visual communication exploration to introduce and preserve Taiwan’s cultural heritage.

The design process was carried out collaboratively with students from the Department of Visual Communication Design, YunTech. Through hands-on workshops, students were directly involved in discussions, idea exploration, concept development, and visual experimentation with speakers and DKV YunTech instructors.

This approach not only enriched students’ technical skills but also developed their sensitivity to social and cultural contexts in design practice. Students were encouraged to understand that visual communication design is not solely oriented toward aesthetics, but also has a strategic role in building narratives, expanding cross-cultural understanding, and supporting the sustainability of cultural heritage.

As a final stage, students will present the design outcomes developed during the workshop. The presentation serves as a space to communicate design ideas, explain the creative process, and obtain academic feedback from lecturers and international practitioners. Thus, the learning process does not stop at the production of visual works but also includes design argumentation skills and critical evaluation of design outcomes.

The collaboration between DKV ITS and YunTech demonstrates the importance of internationalizing design education in shaping graduates who are adaptive, collaborative, and possess a global perspective. Learning experiences in an international academic environment provide opportunities for students to compare design approaches, understand differences in cultural perspectives, and develop visual solutions through cross-country cooperation.

Through participation in ICWVCD 2026 and the Student International Outbound program at YunTech, DKV ITS continues to encourage the strengthening of international collaboration as part of the development of education, research, and design practice. This initiative is expected to open opportunities for sustainable academic cooperation while enhancing DKV ITS’s contribution to global conversations on design, culture, and visual innovation.