What do an aerospace engineer, an architect, a business student, a martial artist, a neuroscientist, a sustainable fashion student, and an industrial designer have in common? They’re teaming up for a student trip to Hong Kong this December.

The seven students from our five member universities will participate in Hong Kong’s annual Business of Design Week, one of Asia’s foremost annual events on design, innovation, and branding. In that time, they will also visit the Hong Kong Research Institute to study advancements in textiles and apparel, will join events in workspaces like Mettā and the Cage, and will participate in the Young Executives Programme, part of the annual Hong Kong Forum. The students will also have the pleasure of attending a gala dinner with Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip, hosted by the Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Business of Design Week will cover various deep-dive design and innovation topics, including a track on cultivating a future mindset with creative leadership, featuring SSES Executive Director Rasmus Rahm and Konstfack Vice-Chancellor Maria Lantz as guest panelists. Vice-Chancellor Lantz, will participate in the Leadership Forum on Design Education at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

SSES Ventures’ Incubation Manager Alberto Corti will also join the expedition, taking the week to strengthen collaboration with accelerators as well as preparing a soft-landing program for Swedish companies in Asia. Rasmus will also drop in on the Young Executive Programme, where he will speak on the global experience of nurturing young entrepreneurs to a crowd of Hong Kong’s brightest future leaders. Look out for a post-trip wrap-up with pics and impressions from the students and their adventures.