INNOVARES: Creative and Human Tech 2026 – Spring

Where brilliance takes flight

INNOVARES: Creative and Human Tech 2026 – Spring

HomeHKU ProgrammeINNOVARES: Creative and Human Tech 2026 – Spring

INNOVARES: Creative and Human Tech 2026 - Spring

Apply Now!

Programme Code: ACT260210
Academic Criteria:
– Level of Study: S.3-6/ Grade 9-12/ Year 10-13 students
– Curious about technology, data, storytelling and creative innovation
– English Requirement: Applicants are expected to meet the English language proficiency requirement, with an IELTS score of 6.5 or an equivalent qualification.

Programme Dates: (Online via Zoom) April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and June 6, 2026 (Saturday)
Programme Dates: (Face-to-Face) 1 day job shadowing in Shanghai (Date: TBC)
Programme Time: 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm (HKT)
Non-refundable Application Fee: HKD 100
Programme Fee: HKD 40,000
– Existing INNOVARES students (Fall & Winter) will receive an exclusive scholarship of HKD 15,000, which will be automatically deducted from the Programme Fee upon application.
Application Deadline: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Delivery Mode: Hybrid

Programme Overview:
This program is an intensive pre-college experience where students transform real-world data into immersive and interactive stories inside extended reality (XR) environments. Through a combination of online weekend sessions and a 10-day studio-style camp, participants explore how data science, narrative design, and immersive technology intersect in the worlds of science, media, and design.

During the spring online phase, students meet on Saturdays to alternate between data science and XR topics: discovering meaningful patterns in datasets, learning how to tell compelling stories with numbers, and experimenting with immersive tools and spatial storytelling. In the summer camp, full days are structured around morning and afternoon lectures/labs that alternate between XR and data science, with a dedicated workshop every day where teams build their XR data projects step by step.

By the end of the program, students will have designed and built a functional XR prototype that communicates a data-driven story to a non-technical audience, developed a digital portfolio capturing their creative and technical process, and gained insight into emerging careers in XR, data visualization, and creative technology.

Learning Outcomes:

By successfully completing Immersive Futures Lab, students will be able to:

  • Investigate Datasets to Uncover Stories: Clean, organize, and visualize real-world data to identify patterns, trends, and questions that matter to audiences.
  • Design Immersive, Data-informed Narratives: Use storyboarding, scripting, and spatial design to plan XR experiences that communicate specific messages to target audiences.
  • Prototype Basic XR Experiences: Use beginner-friendly XR tools to build interactive scenes merging data visuals with 3D environments.
  • Communicate Clearly with Non-Technical Audiences: Translate complex data findings into accessible stories using visual, verbal, and interactive techniques.
  • Collaborate Effectively in Interdisciplinary Teams: Plan and execute a creative technical project by sharing responsibilities, giving and receiving feedback, and solving problems together.
  • Iterate Through Feedback and Testing: Conduct simple user tests, gather feedback, and refine prototypes to improve clarity, usability, and narrative impact.
  • Build Personal IP Literacy and Assets: Identify yourself clearly as the creator of your immersive data project by documenting data sources, credits, and licenses, and package your work into a reusable digital portfolio that grows your personal intellectual property.

Programme Rundown:

Programme Instructors 

  1. Prof. Raja Sooriamurthi
    Raja is an award-winning Teaching Professor with the Information Systems Program at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. He is also the inaugural Program Director of the Decision Analytics and Systems (DAS) minor. Trained as a computer scientist with research in AI and Machine Learning, he has a varied academic background, having been a faculty member in computer science, business, and information systems departments. In addition to his work in AI/ML, he has explored a novel approach to teaching creative problem-solving termed puzzlebased learning, and has coauthored the text “Guide to Teaching Puzzle-based Learning”. Over the years, his various educational efforts have been recognized with several awards for teaching excellence and pedagogical innovation. In his spare time, he enjoys recreational running and has completed two full marathons
  2. Prof. Stephan Caspar
    Stephan is an Associate Teaching Professor of Media Creation and Multicultural Studies in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics at Carnegie Mellon University. He has a background in creative media and design, training as a filmmaker before moving into education. He worked in film production and TV broadcasting, including at the BBC as a Content Producer, before becoming Head of Creative Arts at Fareham College in Hampshire, UK. In 2018, He joined CMU and became the Director of the Askwith Kenner Global Languages & Cultures Room. He specialized in VR creation, immersive design, and 360 documentary.

Submit Application: https://actstudentapp.hku.hk/student/login
*If you have any questions regarding the application process, please refer to the Application Guide / ⽹上申请系统 – 申请指南 or email us at talented@hku.hk

*Programme Attendance Policies:
Students are highly encouraged to attend ALL classes on time for the duration of the Programme. Please note that according to the University’s attendance and absenteeism policy, at least 80% of the lectures and required classes for each curriculum must be attended.

*Disclaimer:
– Programme fees and application fees are non-refundable.
– Programme contents and formats are subject to change. The programme is subject to cancellation if there are insufficient applications.