Chinese art students embrace global creativity

"Art creation is fundamentally a journey of self-discovery," said Liu Ziyang, founder of the School of International Art (SIA), a study abroad agency.

Liu, born in 1991, pursued further studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2010. At that time, he noted that not many Chinese students were studying art abroad. Due to differences in domestic and international art teaching methods, he encountered challenges.

"This is why I understand the difficulties Chinese students face when applying for art studies abroad," he said.

Inspired by this awareness and motivated by the lack of available services, Liu established SIA in 2011 during his second year of college.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service and Pearson recently collaborated to release the latest trend report on Chinese students studying in the UK. According to the report, the popularity of business subjects has been on a decline since 2013, while interest in art majors has more than doubled over the past decade. "Studying abroad for art has become a new trend today," Liu said.

To him, SIA is more than just a study abroad agency. "It's a bridge. I want to introduce diverse teaching methods in art education from abroad to China," he said.

Following this philosophy, Liu has invited professors from various overseas universities to teach his students, offering them a genuine international art education experience.