Previous Year

Things are rapidly moving forward. Eventually, the day when Artificial Intelligence (AI) can finally think and work on its own, completely replacing human workforce. All of these affect one another. What will be the consequence of this phenomenon? CU2016 is presenting the key factors of the change in both social and economic context under the topic of “EXIT”. Participants will understand the starting point, the current happening while visualizing the new exit and future possible opportunities.

Focusing on this phenomenon that takes the world by storm and continues to lead us towards new lifestyles and future, the annual symposium, CU 2015, presents the concepts and works of visionary, thinker and designers who are behind current social and economic changes under the theme “CU 2015 SHIFT decode:design:disrupt”. The symposium will shed light on the beginning in the past, to envision possibilities and opportunities in the present, so that we can prepare and adjust for things to come in the near future.

CU 2014 “IF… Defining the Future” brings together the future analysts who play leading roles in the world of changes. And the change is happening so fast, in so many facets: from the way nature is evolving from human impact on our planet, to the relation between people, technology and space, or how insights can be gained from consumer behaviour to find out the underlying needs. Nine pioneering thinkers will share what is happening now and what are the possibilities, probabilities and potential of tomorrow. Their visions will provoke you to raise questions, analyse information and be prepared to build a better life, as well as open your perspective to future business opportunities.

In the fast–pacing, information-flowing and oh-so-many gadgets world of the 21st century, consumer needs are increasingly high and complex. High quality, distinctive products and services are no longer sufficient; consumers want something that better facilitates their daily life.

When adding value to products and services is not a one–size–fits–all solution, how do creative designers and entrepreneurs push themselves to be distinctive and able to respond to consumers’ complex needs at the same time? They might need to truly understand consumer problems and needs. Simply designing new products based on consumers’ responses is not good enough. An in–depth analysis into each layer of the varying needs in consumer daily life is essential to creating products and services that facilitate consumers in every context.

CU 2012 focuses on the concept “Design is Opportunities: Innovation, Strategy and Business” presented by experienced personnel and experts in combining sciences to devise novel solutions: from an effective strategy for improving an organization in crisis, a successful business model amidst aggressive competition, to a sustainable product that endures over time.

CU 2011 is themed “Designing Impact: Building sustainable creative business”. It will explain new phenomena on the planet that call for multidisciplinary approach to achieving an assembly of knowledge that will drive for continued consumption. It will explore sustainability of modern products, which usually involve more complicated and extended process of creation, from research of the target group’s environment and behavior to product strategy, production planning, and design that addresses not only functionality but also emotional and sensual appeals, as well as pricing, sales promotion, and transportation. All of these works play their part in the level of impact eventually made to the consumers in their decision making and behavioral change.

Passion is a common trait shared among successful creative entrepreneurs. Through turning affection to passion, the drive for starting a business is born. It should be of no surprise to find that passion lies at the core of most successful businesses. These creative entrepreneurs do not see their job as a duty but see it as playing based on their creativity and imagination.

As a country rich in cultural legacies and multi-talented human resources, Thailand needs to integrate these resources together and transform them from cultural properties into economic value and sustainable development.

CU 2008 aims to stimulate creative competence of Thai thinkers, entrepreneurs, marketers, and designers, and provides an understanding and useful insights on how to connect our business, people and culture. In today’s economy, these three key elements need to be creatively integrated in order for us to develop a competitive edge and survive.

In CU 2007, the idea of value creation will be furthered explored by moving the debate from the ‘what is’ of value creation to the ‘how’ of value creation. The theme for the event is “Genius of the Place – in search of excellence from within” which hopes to link issues such as the essence of local culture and meaning of a place.

Culture is dynamic and forever evolving over time, which in turn influences the inhabitants of that region. Every place nurtures its people and teaches them how to live, to interact among themselves and with things around them via the physical appearance, social dialogue, its history and each individual as a person. It is these elements that form the Genius Loci, the Genius of the place.

Realizing that price and technical skills alone were insufficient to compete in the creative economy, the objective of CU 2007 – Perspectives on Value Creation is to provide economists, entrepreneurs, marketing professionals and designers an insight into the innovative blend of ‘capital’ and ‘creativity’ together with ‘cultural assets’ and ‘unique skills’ – which could be transformed into a distinctive attribute of a product (or service) that would be difficult to imitate.