PolyU and Tsinghua University are responding to the growing focus on STEAM education, which addresses the demands of an innovation-driven world and prepares future generations to excel as trailblazers in the 21st century. By integrating art and design into the traditional STEM framework, STEAM underscores the importance of creativity in problem-solving. The recent announcement of a Joint Lab for STEAM marks their inaugural collaboration and proactively addresses the emerging trend of blending disciplines to tackle complex challenges.

This Joint Lab for STEAM will harness the expertise and accomplishments of both universities in multidisciplinary research, with a focus on fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and technological excellence. It will prioritise knowledge transfer in art and design to generate meaningful social impact. Key research areas will include artificial intelligence and design, intelligent interactive systems, sustainable design and technology, innovative educational methods, data-driven design, and human-machine symbiotic design.

Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, led a delegation to Tsinghua University for the signing ceremony, marking a significant milestone in their collaboration.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Professor Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Professor Ma Sai, Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design and Director of the Art and Science Research Center at Tsinghua University. President Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, led a delegation to Tsinghua University to attend the signing ceremony, marking this significant milestone in the collaboration between the two universities.

Leading this initiative are Professor Stephen Wang Jia, Professor at the School of Design and Director of the Research Centre for Future (Caring) Mobility (RcFCM) at PolyU, and Professor Ma Sai, Director of the Art and Science Research Center at Tsinghua University. Their leadership will guide seminars and promotional activities designed to highlight the effectiveness of combining arts and design with STEM to enhance innovation, as well as economic and social well-being.

The initiative has also garnered support from Professor Kun-Pyo Lee, Dean of PolyU’s School of Design, and Professor Winco Yung, Senior Consultant at PolyU’s Centre for Advances in Reliability and Safety. This backing demonstrates strong cross-disciplinary efforts while reinforcing inter-university cooperation and improving the overall academic standing of both institutions.