PolyU’s School of Design, widely recognised as one of the top design schools globally, has made significant contributions to design education and innovation over the past 60 years. Recently, the School received different accolades from the Nation, including support from the China National Arts Fund and an award from the Ministry of Education, highlighting the School’s strength in nurturing professionals adept in both cultural heritage and innovation.

First local tertiary institution supported by China National Arts Fund

The School received support from the China National Arts Fund 2025 under the art talents training category to nurture digital art curation talents, marking a milestone for the University to become the first tertiary institution in Hong Kong to receive this prestigious funding.

With the support of the fund, the Digital Art Curation Talents Training Programme will be launched by the PolyU Research Centre for Cultural and Art Technology (CAT) under the School, with support from the PolyU-NVIDIA Joint Research Centre. Set to launch in summer 2025, the programme targets experienced curators, art management professionals and researchers from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, covering topics such as generative artificial intelligence and digital transformation in the cultural industry.

The leader of the programme is Professor Henry Been-Lirn Duh, Associate Dean (Global and Industry Engagement) of the PolyU School of Design, Director of CAT and Director of the PolyU-NVIDIA Joint Research Centre. He said, “This Programme will empower the next generation of innovative curators who will inherit and innovate Chinese culture, and integrate creativity and technology to promote cultural exchange between East and West.”

Neon signs culture research receives a MoE award

In another achievement, Professor Brian Kwok Sze-hang, Associate Professor of the School of Design, received an award from the Ministry of Education (MoE) for his project on Hong Kong’s neon signs culture. His work, “Fading Neon Lights: An Archive of Hong Kong’s Visual Culture”, was recognised with a prize in the popular science publication category of the 9th Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Humanities and Social Sciences) by MoE, the most prestigious award in the fields of philosophy and social sciences in China.

Prof. Kwok’s team has preserved the visual aesthetics and craftsmanship of neon signs through photographic documentation, interviews with veteran neon masters and visits to neon light manufactories.

Professor Kwok’s team has made remarkable contributions to the study of urban visual culture by photo-documenting neon signs across Hong Kong. The resulting archive, spanning over 60 years of history, showcases the originality, scale and completeness of this unique art form, providing a valuable reference for the history of Hong Kong’s design and arts, as well as its social, economic and cultural development.

A hub for design innovation

PolyU’s School of Design has gained international acclaim with its interdisciplinary education, robust research platforms, and extensive global partnerships. The School equips students to tackle complex, technology-integrated design challenges while staying at the forefront of innovation in Asia and beyond.