Design

Higher Diploma

Design Discipline

Aligned with the Government's policy to promote the development of the cultural and creative industries, our discipline offers high-quality design programmes that nurture the next generation of creative talent and design professionals. Positioned at the intersection of design, technology and innovation, these programmes equip students with the knowledge, practical skills and future-ready capabilities needed to contribute to Hong Kong's evolving creative economy.
Covering architecture, interior and product design, communication design, digital media, and fashion and image design, the curriculum combines theory, practice, industry engagement and emerging technologies to provide students with professional expertise, innovative thinking and a strong foundation for careers in the creative industries.

Programme Information

Key Advantages

Industry-Aligned Curriculum

Our programmes cover a broad spectrum of design disciplines, integrating technology and innovation with a balanced blend of theory and practice. This approach ensures relevance to future industry needs while enhancing students’ skills and competitiveness.

International Academic Collaboration

We have an extensive network of 40+ partner institutions across 20+ countries and regions, providing students with valuable opportunities for international exchange and cross-cultural learning.

Advanced Learning Facilities

Students have access to state-of-the-art teaching facilities, including the 9,000 sq ft HKDI Virtual Production Studio located at Shaw Studios, the V Music Library, and over 1,800 sq m of exhibition space.

Industry-Aligned Curriculum

International Academic Collaboration

We have an extensive network of 40+ partner institutions across 20+ countries and regions, providing students with valuable opportunities for international exchange and cross-cultural learning.

Advanced Learning Facilities

Articulation

Graduates have the opportunity to apply for Degree programmes offered by local and overseas universities for further studies including:

Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi)
The University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Baptist University
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Lingnan University
The Education University of Hong Kong
Nottingham Trent University, UK
University of Lancashire, UK
University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

Career Prospect

Hong Kong, renowned as the Events Capital and a centre for East-meets-West international cultural exchange, brings together artists and cultural institutions from around the globe. This positively impacts Hong Kong's artistic and cultural ecology and facilitates the hosting of flagship events. Consequently, there is a significant demand for various design professionals within the industry, and the outlook is optimistic.

Professional Recognition

Many professional bodies in Hong Kong and overseas acknowledge the quality of our programmes, including:

AHMA Hair Council Limited (AHMA)
Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong Limited (CASH)
Design and Art Direction (D&AD), UK
Graphic Arts Association of Hong Kong (GAAHK)
Hong Kong Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals (AMP4)
Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA)
Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association (HKDEA)
Hong Kong Extended Reality Association (HKXRA)
Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association (HKFDA)
Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA)
Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers (HKIPP)
Hong Kong Institution of Textile and Apparel (HKITA)
Hong Kong Interior Design Association (HKIDA)
Hong Kong Jewellery Designers Association (HKJDA)
Hong Kong Printing and Publishing Media Industry Workers Union (HKPPMIWU)
Hong Kong Publishing Professional Society (HKPPS)
Hong Kong Society of Illustrators (HKSI)
Hong Kong Visual Merchandising Art Association (HKVMAA)
Industrial Designers Society of Hong Kong (IDSHK)
Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC)
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Hong Kong Section (SMPTE-HK)
The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong (HK4As)
The Hong Kong Association of Theatre Technicians & Scenographers (HKATTS)
The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA)
The One Club for Creativity, USA

Internship and Exchange

Students are required to participate in a minimum of 100 hours of a Student Industrial Attachment Programme, combining theoretical professional knowledge and skills with practical training to gain hands-on experience.

Facilities

HKDI Virtual Production Studio

V Music Library

Immersive Experience Studio

Highlights

HKDI alumni Chan Wing Ki clinched the Gold medal in "Visual Merchandising" at WorldSkills Lyon 2024

This outstanding achievement marks a consecutive victory for HKDI graduates from the Higher Diploma in Design for Event, Exhibition and Performance in this category, following the Gold medal at WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition.

HKDI Higher Diploma in Fashion Design student, WONG Hoi Ching, secured the Overall Winner in the 2026 Sustainable Fur Design Competition

By using donated old fur fashion products from manufacturers, this project combines stylish design concepts with innovative tailoring to breathe new life into old fur garments, showcasing the limitless possibilities of fur materials.

HUNG Cho Hei, an alumni of the HKDI Fashion Image Design programme who graduated in 2024, won the Winner Award of the Avant Garde Section at WOW 2025 in Wellington, New Zealand

Under the theme of ' VOID', his collection features designs that blend Eastern philosophy with Western aesthetics., triumphing over 100 professional designers and artists from 17 different countries and cities.

Chung Ka Ching, a student of Higher Diploma in Fashion Design, triumphed in the Redress Design Award

‘The Wanderer’ collection, inspired by the outfits and lifestyle of homeless wanderers. Made from various discarded materials, this collection reflects the disparities in fashion and sustainability linked to our purchasing decisions.

Tiger Chung, a student of Higher Diploma in Fashion Design, claimed the Overall Champion at the Hong Kong Fashion Designers’ Contest 2025

Her work ‘ BIOR’, which blends the classic tailoring of high fashion with the rough details of grassroots life, challenging the boundaries of traditional fashion.

KWONG Kai Nam, a student from Higher Diploma in Interior Design, won the Gold Award & Judge's Choice Award at the 33rd Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards 2025

His work MUDDY STREAM, aims to address mental health issues in Hong Kong through a water-themed mental health center offering immersive sensory experiences where visitors explore various forms of water to shed negative emotions and alleviate stress.

ZHU Junbin, a student of the Higher Diploma in Product Design, won the Champion at the 24th Hong Kong Eyewear Design Competition

His piece ECHOL LIGHT, designed for people who are blind or visually impaired, uses ultrasonic echolocation to detect obstacles in the user's path and relays the information through bone conduction headphones.

Justin Lee won the first runner-up in the "See the World in Hong Kong Photo Contest"

Justin Lee, an alumnus of Higher Diploma in Film, Television and Photography, was first runner-up in the "See the World in Hong Kong Photo Contest" hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Hong Kong and the VTC. He also received the Gold Award at the Prix De La Photographie Paris 2022, Honourable Mentions at the New York Photography Awards 2022, the Tokyo International Foto Awards 2022 as well as the winner of HKDI Young Design Talent Award at the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award 2023.

NG Lok Ching, a student from the Higher Diploma in Visual Communication, won the Gold Award in Environmental Creative Products : Packaging (Schools) at the 36th Hong Kong Print Award

Her work ' Whispers of the Wooden Spirits' is inspired by Zhongshan Sanxiang's century-old puppetry and the beauty of Lingnan architecture, blending intangible cultural heritage into strategic gameplay.