HONG KONG · 2025 International Forum on Design Service & Social Innovation

About the Forum

Design service and social innovation are not new topics, yet they continually evolve with fresh perspectives and expectations. Society has come to recognize the growing influence of cultural values and social dynamics on design challenges—issues that often cannot be resolved through the analysis of surface-level factors alone. Existing design knowledge and experience reveal clear limitations. We attempt to invite outstanding scholars and innovative practitioners to gather in Hong Kong through international forums, share experiences and best practices, and jointly explore how design services can solve complex and challenging problems, promoting sustainable development of society and multiculturalism.

One of the challenges we face is that the application of new technologies is changing the old model of design services, and technological tools are attempting to analyze humanistic and emotional needs through quantitative means. Designers are in a passive position to upgrade their service quality. Design services are not just about designing new products or service models, but more importantly, how to use innovative means to solve many complex problems arising from social development and achieve the long-term goal of sustainable human progress. Design services and social innovation are not about redistributing social resources and benefits or simply focusing on improving the quality of life for the public. The endless catering of design activities to consumption and the pursuit of quality of life has led to a narrow understanding of service and innovation as a means of subservient assistance to business. The social innovation we advocate aims to explore practical, sustainable development methods and energy consumption models that can maintain social fairness and justice. Prejudice, misunderstanding, and discrimination are significant factors that contribute to the isolation between diverse cultures, and they are also the primary root cause of design problems not being properly addressed. It is gratifying that the reflection and discussion on design research and social responsibility are increasingly receiving attention from colleagues in the academic community.

The forum adheres to the purpose of non-profit academic activities, implements rigorous academic admission and evaluation standards, and adopts an academic route that integrates theoretical research and design practice. The forum consists of three parts: the keynote speech of the main-forum, the oral report of the sub-forum, and the poster display. A "Design Night" exchange session will be arranged for participants to actively promote the new integration of academic research, industrial development, and social practice knowledge. The forum mainly focuses on design science, design criticism, social ethics of design, Artificial Intelligence and Design, vulnerable groups, and Sustainable Design. Our fundamental goal is to harness the transformative power of design research and service innovation, and towards a world of sustained prosperity and greater inclusivity.

Main topics

 Scope of submission

• New paradigm：Rethinking the Nature of Innovation

• Cultural Identity and Design Criticism

• Social Ethics in Design

• Artificial Intelligence and Design

• Sustainable Design and Environmental Justice

Due to the time constraints of the forum, the final number of accepted papers will not exceed 20. All accepted papers will be published free of charge in the Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation(JDSSI) and Journal of Architecture and Urban Design (JAUD).

Experts

 Forum chairman: Pending

 Confirmed experts：

Ezio Manzini, Professor, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan (online)

Fangwu Tung, Ph.D., Professor, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu

Shashank Mehta, Principal Faculty, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad 

Matthew Robb, Ph.D., Assistant professor, Parsons School of Design, New York

Lawrence Marcelle, Ph.D., Part-time Assistant professor, Parsons School of Design, New York

Henry Duh, Ph.D., Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Mitamura Ariyoshi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kyoto University of the Arts, Kyoto

Juan Salamanca Garcia, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (online)

Fanke Peng, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of South Australia, Adelaide

Dominika Sobolewska, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Wroclaw Academy of Art & Design, Wroclaw

Jingru Pan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing

Benny Leong, Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Xiaoxiao Wang, Ph.D., Professor, City University of Macau

 * Continuously Update (Arrange according to the order of invitations)

Important Dates

Registration deadline: August first, 2025.

Submission email: mspl-editor@michelangelo-scholar.com; m.scholar2023@gmail.com

Date and Location

Date: August 6-8，2025

 Location: Hilton Garden Inn Mong Kok, Hong Kong (Hybrid Conference)

Date: August 6-8, 2025

Hotel phone number: +852-22013618; +852-52366964

Organizer: MICHELANGELO SCHOLAR PUBLISHING LIMITED (MSPL)

 Registration Fee

[Standard ticket]: 550 USD 

Note: Authors who have passed the review and paid the registration fee, if they participate in the annual international design forum of MSPL again in the future, only need to apply to obtain participation qualification (free of registration fee).