Dr Sylvia Xihui Liu

Dr. Sylvia Xihui Liu currently serves as Assistant Dean (Academic Programmes) and Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design, where she brings a unique blend of academic expertise and industry experience. Her professional journey began in 2000 in the design industry, where she founded and managed a leading design consultancy in China, working with prestigious clients like Siemens, General Motor, Yamaha, and Electrolux. Her work earned recognition through major international design awards including IDEA, iF, and Reddot. In 2007, she transitioned to academia, completing her PhD at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2010, followed by progressive roles from Research Assistant Professor to her current position as Associate Professor. Her research significantly influenced China's national innovation policies, particularly the "Innovation Design" section of Made in China 2025 and the 2016 Action Plan for Digital Creative Industries. Dr. Liu has made substantial contributions to academic literature with 17 peer-reviewed journal papers, 11 conference papers, 3 books, and 15 book chapters. Her most notable research achievement is the Design Management Capability Framework, which has had considerable impact on policy-making. She currently leads the Master of Design programs in International Design and Business Management and Innovative Business Design, while focusing her research on design management capability, innovation ecosystems, and design-driven entrepreneurship.