Innovation Wing provides equipment, workspace, guidance for hands-on projects

The University of Hong Kong’s Innovation Wing in Hong Kong gives students equipment, workspace and academic guidance to turn classroom learning into hands-on projects. Students develop prototypes, including a robot for insulation work on electrical infrastructure and an AI guide for museum visitors. Projects can continue across semesters, with new students taking over when earlier participants leave. The facility also provides access to AI models through university-supported services.

Kevin Tien-Hsuan Wu, a lecturer at HKU’s Innovation Academy, guided reporters around the facility on Sept. 2.

Students can use 3D printers to produce parts and prototypes, and staff help them operate equipment.

A chatbot project lets social work students practice counseling in simulated situations.

The university reviews project progress regularly, and projects may continue beyond one semester.

The Innovation Wing provides access to AI models through university-supported services so students do not have to pay for subscriptions to participate.

Published Oct 29, 2026 7:00 am KST

Kevin Tien-Hsuan Wu, a lecturer at the University of Hong Kong’s Innovation Academy, explains student projects at the Innovation Wing in the university’s Hui Oi Chow Science Building in Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Sept. 2. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

HONG KONG — Students were busy working on their projects when The Korea Times visited the Innovation Wing under the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in early September. The space was filled with 3D printers, equipment and displays of projects developed by students.

“This place is for experiential learning activities,” said Kevin Tien-Hsuan Wu, a lecturer at HKU’s Innovation Academy, who guided reporters around the facility on Sept. 2.

“Students come here not just to do their homework, but to turn their ideas into prototypes.”

The Innovation Wing gives students a place to put what they learn in class into practice. They can develop their own ideas or form groups with others who share their interests, with the university providing equipment, workspace and academic advice.

“We encourage students to do hands-on work here,” Wu said. “They learn the knowledge in the classroom, and they actually build things here.”

Students can use 3D printers to produce parts and prototypes and small jobs are supported as part of the service. Staff are on hand to help operate equipment, while faculty members from different departments can advise students on their projects.

A student carries a project prototype through the Innovation Wing at the University of Hong Kong in Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Sept. 2. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Some projects begin with problems brought to the university by companies or public institutions. Wu pointed to a robot being developed to carry out insulation work on electrical infrastructure, as well as an interactive artificial intelligence (AI) guide designed to answer museum visitors’ questions.

Another project involves a chatbot that allows social work students to practice counseling in simulated situations.

The aim is not necessarily to produce an immediate commercial product. Students are encouraged to try different approaches, including on problems for which industry partners have yet to find a clear solution.

Projects can continue beyond a single semester. The university reviews their progress regularly, and new students may take over when earlier participants graduate or leave for exchange programs.

Wu said the facility is also introducing more AI-related activities and providing access to AI models through university-supported services, so that students do not have to pay for subscriptions themselves to participate.

Rather than serving primarily as a startup incubator, the Innovation Wing offers students somewhere to test ideas before deciding whether to pursue them further.

“Before the startup, students can come here and try their ideas,” Wu said.

香港大学创新中心为学生提供设备、工作空间和学术指导，帮助他们将课堂学习转化为实践项目。学生们开发原型，例如用于电力基础设施绝缘工作的机器人和博物馆参观者的AI导览系统。项目可以跨学期进行，之前的参与者离开后，新的学生可以接手。该中心还通过大学支持的服务提供人工智能模型的使用权限。

9月2日，香港大学创新学院讲师吴天轩带领记者参观了该学院。

学生可以使用 3D 打印机制作零件和原型，工作人员会帮助他们操作设备。

一个聊天机器人项目让社会工作专业的学生在模拟情境中练习咨询技巧。

大学会定期审查项目进展情况，项目可能会持续超过一个学期。

创新中心通过大学支持的服务提供人工智能模型，因此学生无需支付订阅费即可参与。

发布于2026年10月29日韩国时间上午7:00

9月2日，香港大学创新学院讲师吴天轩在香港薄扶林惠爱洲科学楼创新翼讲解学生项目。韩国时报崔元硕摄

香港——《韩国时报》记者9月初探访香港大学工程学院创新中心时，学生们正忙着进行各自的项目。中心内摆满了3D打印机、各种设备以及学生们开发的项目展示。

“这里是进行体验式学习活动的场所，”香港大学创新学院讲师吴天轩（Kevin Tien-Hsuan Wu）在9月2日带领记者参观该设施时说道。

“学生们来这里不仅仅是为了完成作业，更是为了将他们的想法变成原型。”

创新中心为学生提供了一个将课堂所学付诸实践的场所。他们可以在这里发展自己的想法，也可以与志同道合的人组成团队，学校则会提供设备、工作空间和学术指导。

吴老师说：“我们鼓励学生在这里进行实践操作。他们在课堂上学习知识，然后在这里实际动手制作东西。”

学生可以使用3D打印机制作零件和原型，该服务也支持小型项目。工作人员随时提供设备操作方面的帮助，不同院系的教师也可以为学生的项目提供指导。

9月2日，一名学生在香港薄扶林香港大学创新中心内，携带项目原型进行展示。韩国时报崔元硕摄。

有些项目源于企业或公共机构向大学提出的问题。吴教授举例说，他们正在开发一种用于电力基础设施绝缘作业的机器人，以及一种旨在回答博物馆参观者问题的交互式人工智能（AI）导览系统。

另一个项目是开发一个聊天机器人，让社会工作专业的学生可以在模拟情境中练习咨询技巧。

目标并非一定要立即生产出商业产品。我们鼓励学生尝试不同的方法，包括那些行业合作伙伴尚未找到明确解决方案的问题。

项目可以持续多个学期。大学会定期评估项目进展，当之前的参与者毕业或参加交换项目时，新的学生可以接手。

吴表示，该设施还将引入更多与人工智能相关的活动，并通过大学支持的服务提供人工智能模型，这样学生就不必自己支付订阅费即可参与。

创新中心与其说是一个创业孵化器，不如说是一个让学生在决定是否进一步发展之前测试想法的场所。

吴说：“在创业之前，学生们可以来这里尝试他们的想法。”