PolyU and Harbin Institute of Technology Launch Shenzhen International School of Design and Future Design Joint Research Centre
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) inaugurated the Harbin Institute of Technology–The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen International School of Design (SISD) and launched the Future Design Joint Research Centre (the Centre) on 24 September, marking a new milestone in the two universities’ collaboration in education, research and innovation. The ceremony was held at HIT’s Shenzhen campus and officiated by Academician Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, and Academician Jiecai HAN, President of the Harbin Institute of Technology.
Bringing together PolyU’s internationally recognised expertise in design education and research and HIT’s strengths in engineering and technology, SISD has been established with the approval of the Ministry of Education and aims to cultivate future talent equipped with innovative thinking, technological literacy and a broad cross-disciplinary outlook.
Academician Jin-Guang Teng stated, “This collaboration is built upon the highly compatible educational philosophies and development visions of our two institutions. It embodies our shared mission to serve national development, drive educational innovation and nurture future talent. These two major platforms will not only serve as important vehicles for deepening collaborative innovation and fostering the integration of education, research and industry between our institutions, but also play an exemplary and leading role in strengthening educational and research collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and supporting the development of the Greater Bay Area.”
Academician Jiecai Han said, “The two universities have already built a solid foundation for cooperation in joint educational initiatives, laboratory development and doctoral training. By drawing on their respective strengths, both institutions will work together to advance SISD’s development, promote the integration of engineering excellence and design innovation, and nurture interdisciplinary talent with strong design thinking capabilities, thereby providing new momentum for the University’s progress towards becoming a world-leading university.”
SISD will offer master’s degree programmes covering Design, Intelligent Science and Technology, and Urban and Rural Planning in academic year 2027/28 on the HIT Shenzhen campus. The three-year programmes plan to admit an inaugural intake of 150 full-time master’s students. The programmes are jointly coordinated and taught by teachers from both universities. Students who complete the programme and fulfil the graduation requirements will be awarded a separate degree certificate by each of the two universities.
The newly established Future Design Joint Research Centre was launched the same day. It will focus on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of design, technology and society, with three key research areas: Future Living and Smart Cities; Systems Integration Design; and Culture, Arts and Digital Media Technologies. The Centre will promote pioneering research, knowledge transfer and the translation of research outcomes into real-world impact, injecting further momentum into the Nation’s innovation-driven development and the development of the GBA.
Following the plaque unveiling ceremony, representatives from both universities convened the inaugural meeting of the SISD Joint Management Committee to review key matters including the School’s governance structure, academic committee membership and postgraduate admissions arrangements, laying a solid foundation for its future development.
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