[Unboxing Glo-cal Class] Reviving the Value of Silk Among Young People with the “Lái Lụa” Project – Part of the Course Project “Art and Culture” in Digital Communication and Media Design

27 Mar, 2025

#Glo-calEducation #Art_Culture #DigitalCommunication_MediaDesign

# The project for the subject "Art and Culture" is one of the ways UEH integrates the Glo-cal education style into its classrooms.

# The highlight lies in practical experiences, which are highly applicable as students interact directly with local businesses.

# Exploring the project "Lái Lụa" to understand how to harness traditional materials in the modern fashion products of young people.

# This is a course project for the Major in Digital Communication and Media Design.

The project "Art and Culture" - School of Media Design (SMD), UEH College of Technology and Design (CTD)

Art and Culture is a project course for second-year students in the Digital Communication and Media Design major at the School of Media Design (SMD). This course integrates multidisciplinary fields like culture, art, communication, and technology, helping students incorporate and intertwine global values (sustainability, creativity, innovation) into addressing local issues, preserving traditional culture, and promoting it through modern products of global value.

In this course, students combine various design skills ranging from 2D to 3D, market research skills, field research, communication, and interviewing local residents, as well as communication planning skills to create a system of products and to promote and to advertise local culture to consumers, especially the youth. Through innovative and creative teaching methods that blend theory with field research and practice, students engage in real projects with the direct participation of relevant partners such as: Oolong Tea Company Tang Vinh An; Four Seasons Tea Company; Ha Bao Silk Company Limited; Nhat Minh Silk Limited Company; and the Ma ethnic group.

The products from the "Lái Lụa" Project are displayed at Hall B - UEH

What is happening in the Glo-cal classes of the "Arts and Culture" course project?

In addition to classroom learning, students are engaged in researching and developing highly applicable project products that address specific community challenges, listed as branding systems for local small businesses, cultural promotion magazines, product packaging systems, games, and TV commercials that connect with the cultural stories of the Mạ people, aiming to raise awareness regarding them through the representative products of this locality in a more innovative form. These activities not only enhance professional skills but also promote creative thinking and social responsibility.

"The project will provide an experience just like working in a real business environment!" – Associate Professor Dr. Trịnh Thùy Anh affirmed. "This is beyond an opportunity for students to apply knowledge in practice, this is a way to help them better understand market demands, thereby developing soft skills, critical thinking, and adaptability. UEH believes that only when UEH students get to 'really do' can they truly mature and be ready for the ever-changing future of the job market," she emphasized.

Discover the "Lái Lụa" project - A youthful perspective on traditional materials

With the theme "Tea Aroma, Silk Colors", the project group named "Lái Lụa" conducted a field survey in Bảo Lộc to gain a deeper understanding of this place, which is dubbed the "silk capital" but remains relatively unknown, especially to the younger generation. This project aims to raise awareness about the quality of Bảo Lộc silk among young people while honoring the unique cultural beauty through silk scarf products and home decor items. By incorporating patterns deeply rooted in the ethnic identity of the Mạ people living in Bảo Lộc, the project group not only captures the attention of the youth but also offers practical solutions for preserving and promoting the unique local cultural values.

Poster of the "Lái Lụa" Project

Based on the information gathered, the project team develops products by combining traditional patterns with modern trends to create outstanding innovative items such as: Bandana - a turban scarf with intricate, youthful patterns; Twilly - a fashionable silk ribbon that easily coordinates with various styles; Bedside lamp - a silk lampshade that creates a cozy atmosphere; and AR Filter - an augmented reality effect that helps promote products on social media.

Students displayed the designs of Lái Lụa at the lobby of Campus B - UEH

At the product display booth at Campus B- UEH, the “Lái Lụa” group recreated a small part of the cool green space of Bảo Lộc by decorating the area based on the terrarium concept (a term used to refer to a miniature ecosystem that simulates a natural environment). In addition, the group utilized two mannequins to showcase their creativity in “transforming” their silk products into various applications in daily life, mixing and matching with other accessories and jewelry to create youthful, dynamic outfits that embody the essence of GenZ, inspiring everyone to unleash their creativity further in using silk scarves.

Despite the limited time for implementation, the “Lái Lụa” project has achieved certain effectiveness in raising awareness and generating interest among UEH students regarding the silk culture of Bảo Lộc besides simultaneously opening up the potential for project expansion in the future.

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This article is part of the branding campaign for the "Glo-cal Education" training initiative with the message "Empower Global Citizens for Sustainable Development," implemented by UEH.

Glo-cal Education represents a distinct educational orientation at UEH, centering on learners, striving to teach and convey global knowledge in connection with local contexts and market realities. The unique aspects of training at UEH are realized through: (1) Teaching and continuously updating knowledge from the Top 200 Universities; (2) Diverse teaching methods that facilitate easy access to knowledge: from traditional classrooms, expert-led seminars, simulated learning environments, to project-based courses and online classes; (3) Enhancing the international connectivity of training programs at UEH.

Graduates from UEH are expected to become the next generation of global citizens with the following qualities: (1) Self-directed learning capabilities, (2) The ability to work transnationally and experience multicultural collaboration environments, (3) The capacity to develop lifelong learning pathways in advanced countries, and (4) A readiness to explore real and virtual environments with technological understanding.

UEH cordially invites readers to look forward to the upcoming series of articles!

News, images: School of Media Design (SMD), Department of Communications and Partnerships