On 19 April, Thomas Kvan, Dean of the School of Design at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), took part in the online conference of the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) Innovation and Impact Summit to discuss universities and their relationship with their surrounding communities.

The theme, “Cultivating resilience and changing the world,” bought together leaders from higher education, industry, and governance. Professor Thomas Kvan participated in a panel discussion entitled “Innovation vs impact: The changing role of universities in communities.”

Professor Kvan provided context on the historical development of SUSTech and the challenges inherent in Shenzhen’s process of transformation from a manufacturing hub into an innovation-led technology center. He said that a key role of the University is to help the city solve real societal problems on the one hand, and on the other hand to utilize its design capacity and imagination to create new possibilities for the future.

SUSTech will host the sixth THE Innovation and Impact Summit in April 2023. As an international forum for the exchange of ideas between global leaders in higher education, the THE Innovation and Impact Summit focuses on university influence and facilitating cross-industry cooperation. It discusses higher education’s response to global issues, participation in the construction of innovation ecosystems, and promoting human development, particularly related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. During each summit, the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are revealed.