The World Industrial Design Association (WIDA) was officially established on April 18, with its headquarters in Shanghai. The association aims to advance global industrial design research, foster deeper integration of academia and industry, and elevate the overall development of industrial design worldwide. 

WIDA was jointly initiated by leading organizations, universities, enterprises and design institutions, including the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), the China Industrial Design Association, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Germany's HMi Agency. WIDA's secretariat is based at the USST, with the China Association for Science and Technology serving as its supervising body.

The association's founding members include 168 organizations and individuals from 23 countries and regions, with outreach to over 60 nations. Its scope covers a wide range of disciplines and industries, including design thinking, design science, AI, robotics, aerospace, automotive, advanced manufacturing, new materials, smart design, information interaction, and ecological and low-carbon design.

WIDA held its first general assembly and inaugural council meeting on April 17 at USST, where the first council and leadership were elected. Zhu Xinyuan, president of USST, was appointed as the association's inaugural chairman. "Our vision is to use industrial design as a bridge to promote shared and inclusive global industrial civilization," Zhu said in his opening remarks.

The establishment of WIDA represents a commitment to open dialogue, collaborative innovation, and shared achievements within the global design community. It aims to serve as a bridge across regions, disciplines, industries and cultures, enabling industrial design to share opportunities, confront challenges collectively, build consensus and achieve mutual benefits worldwide.