Shanghai College of Fashion and Innovation

Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (SCF) is a Joint Institute between Donghua University and the University of Edinburgh. It was set up in 2014 with the aim of strengthening existing relationships between Edinburgh College of Art within the University of Edinburgh and Donghua University (DHU).

Based at DHU’s City campus, SCF enables students to engage with fashion and creative industry events within the city, and benefit from the dynamic culture of Shanghai as a cosmopolitan city.

SCF aims to embrace a trans-cultural pedagogical vision for the disciplines of design, whilst also harnessing professional skills and intellectual support from the fashion and creative industries in Shanghai and other global fashion centres. SCF is centred on two programmes, fashion innovation and fashion interior design.

During their second year of study, SCF students have the opportunity to transfer for years 3 and 4 to study Fashion or Interior Design at Edinburgh College of Art. Students who have completed two years’ study at SCF and two years’ study at ECA, and passed all courses required by both SCF and ECA, will receive a University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) in Fashion or BA (Hons) Interior Design award. Students who remain at SCF will receive the Donghua University Undergraduate Graduation Certificate.

Research projects

Successful research projects hosted by SCF include the ‘Shanghai Histories Project’ with participation from colleagues at SCF, ECA and London College of Fashion. This project culminated in Styling Shanghai (eds Christopher Breward and Juliette MacDonald) published by Bloomsbury in 2020 and ‘CARE: Sustainable Fashion’ a collaborative project between researchers and students at SCF, ECA, Amsterdam Fashion Institute and Lasalle, Singapore.

City connections: making a positive contribution to Shanghai and Edinburgh

SCF reflects the education and research strengths of DHU and the University of Edinburgh and is part of the wider internationalisation strategies of the two universities.

SCF enjoys a long-standing and fruitful relationship with FutureLab, Shanghai. This close relationship with FutureLab provides an opportunity to demonstrate the advanced design thinking and making skills which are at the heart of the vision and ethos at SCF and ECA.

In 2019, ECA and SCF showcased work by current and former students demonstrating the innovative and interdisciplinary practice and research which takes place in both institutions. In 2020, ECA’s Institute for Design Informatics presented work questioning the ever-changing digital economy and, in 2021, Interior Design students from ECA and SCF students from Fashion Innovation and Fashion Interior Design showcased their work at FutureLab.

SCF enjoys a strong relationship with Edinburgh most notably through its connection with the Edinburgh Festival: From Shanghai with Love is a fashion show produced each year (until Covid intervened) in connection with Donghua Edinburgh Centre for Creative Industries. The show aims to present the transition of Chinese fashion from the past to the contemporary and highlights contemporary trends in Chinese fashion technology, presenting new materials and ideas for sustainably focused fashion.