To promote intellectual exchange and inspire creative thinking of students from diverse background, Department of Computer Science, HKBU, Unit of Design, Kyoto University, and Institute of Creative Industries Design, National Cheng Kung University jointly organized the 2017 Joint Workshop on Design for Sustainability (D4S) held on 26 May – 4 June in Tainan, Kyoto and Hong Kong.
Theming “Creative Design for Sharing Economy”, this joint design workshop aims to allow the participants to address sharing economy challenges of the three cities via intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration. The workshop was organized in three parts for the first time, where the first part was held in Tainan from 26 May to 29 May, the second part in Kyoto from 29 May to 1 June, and the third part in Hong Kong from 1 June to 4 June.
Thirty-nine students and faculty members from Kyoto University, National Cheng Kung University, and Hong Kong Baptist University, with diverse backgrounds including computer science, business, history, visual communication design, industry design, information management, communication, education, social informatics, medical management, intercultural studies, etc. form groups to study sharing economy related challenges for the ageing populations in the three cities. The workshops were featured with lectures, fieldwork, interviews, and intensive group discussion sessions for generating innovations based on their first-hand information.
In the Hong Kong Workshop, two speakers were invited. Ms. Lehui Liang, Associate Director of Investment, Social Venture Hong Kong delivered an overview talk on “Sharing economy in social innovation for Hong Kong”; and Ms. Doris Leung, CEO of Diamond Cab talked on “From a Family Car to a Public Taxi” to share her story of establishing a successful social enterprise. For the fieldwork, each group was arranged to visit a social enterprise. Social enterprises involved include Eldage, Woopie Club, HOHOLIFE, OHH Dear Communications and Eldpathy. Intensive discussion and idea exchange were made during the visits.
President Prof. Roland Chin and Vice President (Teaching and Learning) Dr. Albert Chau attended the workshop to interact with all the participants. Prof. Chin also shared with the participants the importance of interdisciplinary education. The Workshop Co-Chairs Prof. Toru Ishida, Dr. Chia Hang Yang and Prof. Jiming Liu found the ideas generated via the workshop creative, as echoed by the Executive Director of Woopie Club and CEO of Eldage who also attended the presentation sessions. Participant SONG Lihong (PhD in Computer Science, Year 1) thought the workshop motivated participants to think out of the box. Lee Cheuk Tung (CS, Year 2) thanked the workshop to offer her a chance to solve problems by taking different perspectives.
Being an excellent platform for exchanging ideas among the teams and facilitators for intercultural and interdisciplinary collaborative problem solving, the workshop was also attributed by the fun and the friendship established among the participants. For more information about the workshop, please visit:
http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/designworkshop/
