The first "Design BRICS" International Symposium was held in the HNU School of Design on January 15 and 16, 2018. More than 50 prestigious designers from seven countries and regions attended, and discussed the innovative design and sustainable development in the BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The lecturers at the symposium included Russian Designers Association Chairman Vitaly Stavitsky, Brazilian Federal University of Paraná Department of Design Prof. Aguinaldo dos Santos, Brazilian Federal University of Pernambuco Department of Design Prof. Leonardo Castillo, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Department of Design Prof. Ravi MoKashi, South African Cape Peninsula University of Technology Prof. Mugendi K. M'Rithaa, and HNU School of Design Prof. He Renke.

The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (Norway), Aalto University (Finland), Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Taiwan Shih Chien University, and HNU experts exchanged views at the symposium.

The participators introduced the design history, development, education, and practice in their respective countries. When it comes to the common challenges and long-term cooperative mechanism faced by the BRICS countries, the designers discussed on climate and environmental crisis, gap between the rich and the poor, regional development imbalance, and cultural inheritance and renaissance. They proposed ways for these countries in design innovation and sustainable development, and reached a BRICS Design Declaration.

After the symposium, there will be a LeNS (The Learning Network on Sustainability) course on design for sustainability  which aims to promote economic and social sustainable development in the undeveloped areas. The experts will visit Hunan's main targeted poverty alleviation region Huaihua, to collaborate with the local government in term of poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and social innovation.