Hosted by the Duke Kunshan University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative (InE), Innovation Week 2026 brought together more than 1,000 students, faculty members, and external partners for a week of exploration, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
Across 17 events, participants engaged in workshops, forums, project showcases, and entrepreneurial activities organized through DKU’s three innovation platforms—Co-Innovate, InLab, and Dii. Together, these programs highlighted the many ways innovation can connect knowledge, creativity, and real-world impact.
Innovation Rooted in Community
Through Co-Innovate, students explored how academic learning can address social and community needs. A visit to SixArts Museum offered opportunities to engage with cultural heritage and traditional craftsmanship, while student teams at the Co-Innovate Project Showcase presented projects that transformed classroom learning into practical solutions for contemporary challenges.
Forums on public welfare and social innovation examined pathways from sustainability goals to meaningful action, encouraging participants to think critically about their role in creating positive social change. Interactive workshops, including LEGO® Serious Play® and Silent Dance, further demonstrated how creativity, communication, and empathy can inspire new approaches to problem-solving.
From Ideas to Prototypes
At InLab, innovation took shape through hands-on experimentation and making.
Visitors to the Mini Maker Faire explored AI-powered applications, interactive installations, and student-built projects, while the Vibe Pop-up Party Night combined live coding and generative art to create an immersive experience at the intersection of technology and creativity.
Workshops on laser cutting, 3D scanning and printing, and emerging AR/VR technologies provided participants with opportunities to develop technical skills and transform ideas into tangible outcomes. Together, these activities reflected InLab’s commitment to learning through exploration, design, and experimentation.
Building the Next Generation of Ventures
Dii Innovation Incubator focused on entrepreneurship as a vehicle for innovation and impact.
The 48-hour Youth Mental Health Hackathon challenged interdisciplinary teams to develop technology-enabled solutions for mental health issues, while events such as the screening of Crafted Legacy and the Green Mission Board Game Workshop encouraged participants to consider how innovation can support cultural preservation and sustainable development.
The week culminated in the Startup Market, where student entrepreneurs showcased prototypes and emerging ventures, tested ideas with users, and shared their work with the broader campus community.
Looking Ahead
Throughout the week, Innovation Week showcased the diversity of innovation at DKU—from social impact and cultural engagement to technological creativity and entrepreneurship.
More importantly, it reinforced a shared belief that innovation is not a single event, but an ongoing process of inquiry, experimentation, and collaboration. While Innovation Week 2026 has concluded, the ideas and connections it sparked will continue to shape the DKU community long after the week itself has ended.