HKUST Sustainable Innovators Program 2026
Supported by:
Shape the Future. Design for Sustainability.
This is your opportunity to meet like-minded peers, master the design thinking process, create tangible solutions for the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges, and have fun!
Expected Course Outcomes
Enhance your CV!
- Acquisition of Job-Ready Skills: Students will be equipped with practical skills and competencies directly applicable to roles in sustainability innovation and management.
- Development of a Professional Portfolio: Participants will create tangible outputs that serve as a robust portfolio, enhancing their future job-seeking prospects.
- Creation of High-Quality Deliverables: Students will develop well-articulated concept posters/videos, functional prototypes, and compelling pitches for their proposed sustainability solutions.
- Enhanced Cross-Cultural and Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Students will gain valuable experience in effective teamwork, collaborating with peers from diverse nationalities and academic backgrounds.
- Opportunity to Compete and Present Ideas: Students can get first-hand experience in pitching their solutions to a distinguished panel of university faculty and industry leaders, while competing for a cash prize of HKD10,000.
Eligibility
All UG and PG students from HKUST (both Clear Water Bay and Guangzhou campuses) are welcome to join.
Interested students can sign up online. Up to 40 students will be selected to participate in the program.
Application deadline: 12 Apr, 2026 (Applicants will be informed by 1 May, 2026)
Note: Successful applicants will need to pay a HKD$1000 refundable deposit. Students who withdraw last minute, absent from the full program, or have poor conduct during the programme will have their deposit forfeited.
"What Sustainable Design Thinking has brought to me, besides the learning in the course itself, is that I have also met a lot of excellent and interesting classmates. The collision of different backgrounds and experiences brought a lot of new sparks.”
-Byorn, MPhil student, HKUST (CWB)
Event Timeline
-GZ students travel to HK (inclusive)
-Team building activities including self-introduction and Amazing Race ice-breaker games on HK campus
-Program briefing and introduction to campus sustainability efforts, and problem statements
-Hands-on workshop training: Session 1 - Introduction to design thinking, emphathy / stakeholder mapping, interview session
-Topic selection and team formation
-Hands-on workshop training: Session 2 - Brainstorm and select ideas
-Lunch in campus restaurants (31 May & 1 Jun) (inclusive)
-Dinner in outside campus restaurant (1 Jun) and enjoy HK night view around Victoria Harbour (inclusive)
@HKUST campus, HK (Accommodation at Conference Lodge Hotel with shared twin room)
-Campus tour - recycling facilities, canteen food waste sorting, reusable lunchbox lending system, sustainable landscaping practices, waste collection process
-Interviews with campus operators, landscaping and cleaning contractors
-Industry talks / mentoring from sustainability practitioners on AI / sustainability / biodiversity application
-Hands-on workshop training: Session 3 - Prototype development
-Group work
-Lunch on-campus (2 Jun) (inclusive)
@HKUST campus, HK (Accommodation at Conference Lodge Hotel with shared twin room)
-Final presentation
-Award ceremony with judges from corporate, academic and operation staff
-Farewell tea buffet & networking (inclusive)
Eco-Tour
-Celebration and social activity - Ecological-themed tour
-GZ students travel back to GZ (inclusive)
@HKUST campus, HK (Accomodation at Conference Lodge Hotel with shared twin room)
Prizes & Awards
Cash Awards:
1st place $10,000
2nd place $6,000
3rd place $3,000
Best Engagement Award:
$500 x 2 (HK & GZ)
Best Influencer Award:
$500
Best Photography Award:
$500
Best Video Award:
$500
Best Prototype Award:
$2000
Winning teams will be eligible to continue work on the projects and may have access to a budget for implementation.
*All participants will also receive a certificate for completion of program.
“So grateful for the experience!! I made friends who mean so much to me through this camp. It really showed me how important it is for us to connect across campuses. Seriously hope we get to do more events like this in the future!”
-Olivia, Student, HKUST (GZ)
Click on the last 3 years' event highlight video and final presentation / award video to get a sneak preview!
Check out some highlights from past events!
2025可持续发展设计思维证书课程收官！HKUST×HKUST(GZ)
“The program was intense and fruitful. Students teamed up with peers from diverse background and used design thinking to come up with interesting solutions to solve real-world sustainability problems on campus. I am so proud of them."
– Dr. Zhang Rong, Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas, Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies