PolyU Summer Institute 2026

Overview 

The PolyU Summer Institute is a short, immersive summer programme designed for senior secondary students to experience university life first‑hand at PolyU. Through the Residential Camp and Academic Subjects, students live on campus, join activities led by PolyU student leaders, explore different academic disciplines through faculty‑organised sessions, and engage with PolyU’s interactive teaching and learning environment. The programme brings together students from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and overseas in a vibrant, diverse learning setting.

(Please refer to the Home | PolyU Summer Institute for the most updated information.)

Residential Camp (27–31 July 2026 · 5 Days, 4 Nights)

Why Join the Residential Camp?

The Residential Camp offers students an authentic taste of PolyU campus life. Staying in the Student Halls of Residence, students take part in orientation activities, signature lectures, industry visits, community‑building sessions, and — most importantly — the day‑long Faculty & School Attachments, the key highlight of the camp.

Accommodation & Meals

• Hung Hom Student Halls of Residence
• Shared rooms with same‑gender participants
• All meals included from Day 1 check‑in to Day 5 check‑out
• Special dietary needs accommodation
  
  

Academic Subjects (3–7 August 2026 · 5 Days)
Design Subject Offering

During the Academic Subjects period, the School of Design offers a specialised non‑credit‑bearing subject that gives students focused exposure to university‑level creative learning. The subject strengthens core abilities such as observation, empathy‑based research, design thinking, and simple prototyping — an ideal introduction for students considering design pathways.

SI0801 “i‑Empathy: Exploring User Perspectives”

Dates: 3–7 August 2026
Credit: Non‑credit‑bearing
Medium: English

Subject Overview
i‑Empathy introduces students to empathy as a fundamental approach in the design process. Through guided observation tasks, case studies, discussions and hands‑on prototyping, students explore how understanding users’ emotions, needs and everyday contexts can lead to more human‑centred and meaningful design solutions.
Students will:

Practise empathy‑based observation and listening
Identify user needs and translate them into design opportunities
Use “How Might We” framing to define problem directions
Develop and test low‑fidelity prototypes
Reflect on inclusive and responsible design practices

Led By

Mr Man To Yiu — Associate Professor of Practice, Senior Teaching Fellow, Foundation Year Leader
Dr Paul Lo — Teaching Fellow

Both instructors bring extensive experience in empathy‑driven design education and guiding young designers through research‑led, human‑centred creative processes.