Joint Research Centre

Mission and Aims

Yunnan University - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Design and Social Development Centre consists of four departments / schools from both universities – the Department of Public Management and School of Art and Design of Yunnan University; and the Department of Applied Social Sciences and School of Design of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The joint centre was inaugurated on 5 May 2010 and it is the first and only joint centre that researches on design and social development and is devoted to foster the development of rural social work research in the world.

The mission of the centre is to provide an international, cross discipline and cross cultural platform for design, social work, social policy and other social sciences disciplines to integrate research, education and practical experiences in promoting cultural diversity and sustainable social development in local communities. Besides, the centre also explores and develop new frameworks for fostering social advancement of ethnic minorities. The centre devotes its attention to preserving natural and cultural heritage and protecting the interests of minority ethnic groups.

Research Projects

• Cultural Inclusion in Migrant Community: Community and Collective Action in Urban Villages of Kunming, Yunnan, China
• Pathways to Social Development and Rural Social Work: Rural-Urban Alliance and Poverty Reduction in Yunnan Province
• Production of Public Good and Recasting Rural and Ethnic Community: Case Studies of Collective Action in Villages of Yunnan Province, PRC
• Support for Ethnic Minority Quasi Social Work Development
• Co-knowledge Production with Front-line Practitioners to Develop Developmental Social Work Theory and Practices
• Collaboration with Yunnan All-women’s Federation to Develop Women Empowerment Projects
• Collaboration with Yunnan Youth League to Develop Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Intervention
• Collaboration with Yunnan Workers’ Union to Develop Informal Labor Workers’ Union
• Community Care for Migrant and Left-behind Rural Children
• Services to Migrant Population

Contact Us

Hong Kong

Dr Ku Hok Bun
Department of Applied Social Sciences
The Hong Kong Polytechinc University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 27664553
Email: [email protected]

Yunnan

Dr Xiang Rong
Social Work Research Institute
School of Ethnology and Sociology
Yunnan University, No 2 CuiHu Beilu, Kunming, Yunnan, PRC
Tel: +86 871 5031325
Fax: +86 871 5031325
Email: [email protected]
Mr Yang Yubin
Yunnan University – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Design and Social Development Centre
9th Floor, Wenyuan Building, Yunnan University
No 2 CuiHi Beilu, Kunming, Yunnan, PRC
Tel: +86 871 5031325
Fax: +86 871 65031325
Email: [email protected]