Designers attending the 2017 International Design Summer School pose for a group photo. It was held at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, Jiangsu province from June 26 to July 7. [Photo/jiangnan.edu.cn]

Forty-five creative minds from art academies across Switzerland, India, Canada and China gathered at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, Jiangsu province from June 26 to July 7, brainstorming design ideas related to the world's rising elderly population.

The young creatives were taking part in an international design summer school launched by Jiangnan University and Switzerland's Zurich University of the Arts.

With this year's edition themed "Elder & Younger", the summer school saw designers from various backgrounds trying their best to bridge cultural gaps. They worked together to produce 10 poster and video works about "Walkie Doggie" communities—an innovative way to bring young and elderly people together through their shared enjoyment of taking their dogs for a walk.

Professor Wang Jinyuan, an expert whose studies focus on geriatric sociology, gave the designers a statistical introduction to China's aging society. He briefed them about the challenges and opportunities the aging trend will bring, and also enriched their understanding of Wuxi's population structure and its preferential policies targeting senior citizens.