With a diversified curriculum, advanced studios and state-of-the-art laboratories (State Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Media), the School offers a rigorous and creative environment to cultivate interdisciplinary talent with empathy, innovation, critical thinking, independent esthetics, and the spirit of teamwork. This enables the achievement of a wide range of cross-disciplinary collaboration and research goals, thereby equipping the students to handle complex and dynamic global challenges. During this process, students can develop their own interests in animation, graphics and virtual reality production within progressive curriculums and workshops in pursuit of their career goals. The interdisciplinary program has equipped students with solid techniques to excel in a number of key national projects—including the design of the mixed reality electronic sand table for the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, the design and construction of the virtual museum of the Chinese examination, the design of the virtual reality technology exhibition at the China Science and Technology Museum, and the shape design of the lunar rover, among others. The main research directions of the School are as follows:

Artistic Innovation Design and Theory

Artistic innovation design and theory seeks to bridge the gaps in contemporary design studies, integrating theory and practice, art and engineering, as well as normative and empirical research. Drawing on scholarly and rational ideas from both Chinese and international design history and theory, Beihang University develops a distinctive approach, which emphasizes immersive experience and interaction design, information art design, innovative product design, human-machine engineering, and new aerospace concept equipment design. It also addresses research across knowledge, behavior, and values. In addition, it focuses on theoretical reflections and practical guidance in innovative design with value-oriented perspectives, and aims to reshape the "scope of thinking," and establish a systematic "future-oriented" design theory and pioneer new research in design innovation.

Immersive Experience and Interaction Design

Immersive media, which includes immersive imagery, virtual reality, and augmented reality, centers on constructing a hyper-spatial domain that connects the real and virtual worlds and integrates sensory experiences like sight, sound, touch, and smell. This new-generation content-delivery medium is gradually changing the way people live, work, and socialize in the future. To realize this vision, there is an urgent need to enhance the technological capabilities of immersive art design. Priority should be given to the theory of intelligent creation and interaction design of immersive art in combination with technology. Additionally, research methods should explore innovative ways to integrate artistic design and technological advancements into social productivity. Key areas of focus include developing content creation and intelligent design strategies for immersive media experiences, exploring creative display and interaction design techniques, and investigating human-computer interaction paradigms along with innovative design approaches for future immersive computing terminals.

Information Art and Design

Information art and design integrates interdisciplinary research areas, including visual arts, new media design, video art, innovative design, and cross-media visual arts with intelligent design. It pioneers the exploration of new fields in design that transcend time and space, media and information, and science and art, adopting a multi-dimensional, multi-form, and multi-approach perspective. This field examines new forms, meanings, experiences, and aesthetic orientations in digital media and information art design from both artistic practice and design theory perspectives. In the context of human society entering the intelligent era, the field of art and design faces new challenges and tasks. Information art and design has witnessed fundamental changes in its essence, form, media, audience interaction, and aesthetic experience. As a new art form and design paradigm, information art and design encompasses three research directions: New Visual Art and Information Design, Future Video Art and Innovative Design, and Cross-Media Visual Art and Intelligent Design.