CAA Prof. James Hope Named CDN Educator of the Year

Often referred to as the "Oscars" of the transportation design industry, the Car Design News (CDN) People Awards celebrate the distinguished individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes of the design world. Held annually in London, this gala brings together global industry leaders to celebrate winners selected through a rigorous process by their peers and top experts.

This year's ceremony took place at the historic Old Billingsgate on the Thames, adjacent to London Bridge. During the grand event, Prof. James Hope, Dean of the Transportation Design Institute (TDI) at the China Academy of Art, was honored with the prestigious "Design Educator of the Year" award.

Car Design News (CDN) Official Website

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Prof. James is an internationally renowned automotive designer and educator. Following a distinguished career spanning over three decades at global automotive giants such as Ford, General Motors, and Chery, he dedicated himself to education with great passion. In December 2022, he joined the China Academy of Art as the Dean of TDI, responsible for teaching senior undergraduate and graduate courses.

His arrival marked a profound revolution in the transportation design education system. By establishing an internationalized teaching framework, Prof. James cultivates globally competitive Chinese design talent, effectively building a bridge for students between academic exploration and professional success.

Key Projects Led

Ford GT90 Concept

5th Generation Ford Mustang

Chery FV2030 Concept

Since joining the China Academy of Art full-time, Prof. James has focused on introducing high-level international industry standards into the classroom. He advocates a "practice-oriented" pedagogy centered on project-based learning to promote a seamless connection between the classroom and corporate R&D scenarios.

By spearheading joint R&D courses with renowned companies such as Xiaomi EV, Zeekr (Europe), Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo, he ensures that students not only gain creative inspiration but also acquire professional competence in technical implementation and strategic thinking. Under his meticulous guidance, students have made their mark on the international stage, winning top honors including the CDN Future Star Award, the DIA Design Intelligence Award, and Gold Awards at major UK international art and design competitions. Notably, many outstanding students have achieved high-quality employment thanks to their solid professional capabilities.

To further broaden global design perspectives, Prof. James initiated the "Genius Gear" academic lecture series. By inviting global industry leaders such as Benoit Jacob, Juan Pablo Bernal, and Richard Chung for in-depth dialogues, he continues to inject international vitality into Chinese design education.

Key Milestones & Collaborations

July 2022，F(xiàn)ormula Zero — CAA Project

April 2023，ZEEKR (EU) × CAA | Interior Design Collaboration Project

June 2023，EVolution CAA Project

December 2023，smart × CAA | Strategic Partnership Signing Ceremony & Design Competition Awards

March 2024，Stellantis Alfa Romeo × CAA | Collaboration Project

April 2024，ZEEKR (EU) × CAA | Exterior Design Collaboration Project

May 2024，CAA × General Motors | Shaping Future Mobility with Gen Z

June 2024，CAA × Mercedes-Benz | Automotive Design Collaboration

June 2024，CAA Transportation Design

Talent Open Day

April 2025，CAA × Xiaomi EV | Collaboration Project

A Distinguished Career

andNational Recognition

James Hope（Canada）

Prof. James Hope is a veteran automotive design expert and educator. As a deeply involved participant and witness to China’s Reform and Opening Up, he has made outstanding contributions to the development of China’s automotive industry and education.

His contributions have been recognized with China’s highest national honors, including being named one of the "Most Influential Foreign Experts of the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up" and receiving the "Chinese Government Friendship Award." He was also selected as a "National Expert" under the national talent program. In 2015, he was invited to attend the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the grand military parade—a high recognition not only of his personal achievements but also of his role as a bridge for Sino-foreign exchange.

Prof. James is a graduate of the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in the USA and possesses over 30 years of global automotive design experience. His career footprint spans Europe, America, and Asia, with tenures at international giants including Ford, Daimler-Chrysler, and GM. He formerly served as the Global Executive Design Director for Chery Automobile and the Lead Designer for the Ford Mustang.

He led the design of numerous milestone production and concept vehicles. Representative works include: Ford GT90，5th Generation Ford Mustang，F(xiàn)iat Trepiuno (Fiat 500 Concept)，Opel Zafira，Chery Arrizo Series, Tiggo Series, and Exeed TX

His work perfectly fuses international vision with local innovation, winning multiple international awards, such as the double First Prize at the 1991 Michelin Design Competition, the 2012 Car Design News "Best Concept Car Award" (Chery TX), and the 2016 CARSTYLING "Best Chinese Production Car Design Award."

Upholding Sir Ken Robinson's philosophy that "education can fundamentally change lives," Prof. James rooted himself in China Academy of Art in 2022, completing the transformation from a top-tier designer to an educational navigator. He is committed to building an international design education system that fills the void between technical R&D and market application.

Upon joining CAA full-time in December 2022, he established the TDI. He established the core philosophy of "Design-Driven Innovation" and set up a Carbon Neutrality Lab, introducing top global resources to solve critical and complex challenges in the industry.

He spearheaded the "EVolution" course series and frontier topics like "Future Luxury Interior Experience." Utilizing VR technology to break traditional teaching boundaries, he transforms national carbon neutrality strategies into perceptible, immersive design solutions.

Under his leadership, TDI has established deep cooperation with brands like Zeekr, smart, and Mercedes-Benz, providing transformation pathways for traditional car companies and injecting design empowerment into the new energy industry. His teaching system has yielded significant results, with graduates highly sought after by the industry, achieving a 100% employment rate, truly solving the problem of "disconnection between industry and academia."

CDN People Awards

The Car Design News (CDN) People Awards is the only authoritative global award specifically honoring the individuals and teams behind the scenes of the automotive design world. Winners are selected through a rigorous, fair, and impartial process by a distinguished panel of global top-tier design experts and senior industry leaders.

The "Design Educator of the Year" category is designed to honor outstanding mentors dedicated to nurturing the next generation of design talent. This award specifically recognizes educators who not only ignite innovative thinking in students but also demonstrate exceptional ability in bridging the gap between academia and the automotive industry, effectively helping students transition smoothly from campus to the professional realm.

Matthias Hossann – Design Director, Peugeot

Tisha Johnson – Head of Design, Slate

Chris Benjamin – Chief Design Officer, Scout Motors

Nicola Danks – Colour and Materials Design Director, Lucid Motors

Jo Stenuit – Design Director, Mazda Europe

Stephanie Waser – Head of CMF Design, NIO & firefly

Jürgen Uedelhoven – CEO, UE Studios

Pratap Bose – Chief Design & Creative Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra

Rob Dolton – Head of Design, Afry

Simon Loasby – Head of Hyundai Design Center, Hyundai Motor Group

Alina Renoux – Colour & Materials Director, Ford Motor Company

Aurelien Doisy – Head of Design Europe, Tata Motors

Carl Gotham – Advanced Design Director, SAIC Design Advanced London

Liz Wetzel – Former Automotive Design Director and Educator

Carolin Nuyten – Senior Design Manager / Head of CMF Design Europe, Chery Europe GmbH

David Marek – Executive Creative Director, Honda

Jean-Arthur Madelaine – Head of Design, Xiaomi EV Europe

Jeongbin Moon – Head of Kia Next Design Group, Kia

Joaquin Garcia – Head of Design, Italdesign

JuanMa Lopez – VP of Design, XPENG Motors

Klaus Zyciora – Vice President, General Manager of Changan Global Design Center, Changan Automobile

Marc Brumpton – Studio Director, Contechs

Mark Adams – Vice President Design, Opel/Vauxhall

Martin Uhlarik – Vice-President and Head of Global Design, Tata Motors

Thomas Prevost – Design Executive in Residence & Associate Professor of Practice, Lawrence Technological University

David Lyon – Associate Director, Automotive UX/UI US, Harman Automotive

Nicholas David – Vice President, Global Design, Karma

Massimo Frascella – Chief Creative Officer, AUDI AG

Alexis Martot – Chief Designer Exterieur, Renault

Micheal Castiglione – Director, Exterior Design, Rivian

Mitja Borkert – Design Director, Lamborghini

Pontus Fontaeus – Executive Design Director GAC Advanced Design Los Angeles & Technical Director, GAC R&D Center China

Rekha Meena – Interim Head of Colour Material & Finish Design, Volvo Cars

Stefan Lamm – Director of Advanced Design Germany, Mercedes-Benz

Earl Lucas – Chief Designer, Ford Motor Company

T. Jon Mayer – Head of UX Design & Design Operations, Bentley Motors

Ben Payne – Vice President of Design Group, Lotus

Raphael Zammit – Chair, MFA Transportation Design, College for Creative Studies

Car Design News (CDN) People Awards Expert Judges

來(lái) 源｜Car Design News(CDN)官網(wǎng) 工業(yè)設(shè)計(jì)學(xué)院

編 輯｜王文燦 趙一澤 劉百洋 趙芷穎

責(zé) 編｜童戈辛

審 核｜方 舟 王 昀 James Hope

中國(guó)美術(shù)學(xué)院官方微信號(hào)

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