Design Trust Graphic Archive Research Fellowship (2nd term)

in partnership with Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI)

Design Trust Graphic Archive Research Fellowship examines the origins, emergence, and development of the graphic design profession in Hong Kong and the region between 1945 and 1985. Design Trust proudly partners with HKDI to support this fellowship which will culminate in an exhibition planned for 2027. 

From 2024 to 2026, three fellowships will be awarded consecutively to conduct a portion of the research project under an overarching theme, focusing on the different aspects of or sub-themes of graphic design. Attached to HKDI’s Graphic Archive for six months, each Fellow will work independently on their assigned sub-theme, but also with HKDI staff and students, with opportunities to be mentored by a panel of world-renowned experts on the subject.

Eligibility 

Applicants are required to have attained the following qualifications:

• a degree qualification in communication design, graphic design, visual communication, design history, design culture and theory, art history, curatorial practices or a related discipline, preferably with a post-graduate qualification;
• at least three years of working experience in a related area including a combination of design practice, teaching, research, and/or exhibitions;
• excellent research and writing skills;
• demonstrated experience in at least one of these areas: (1) graphic design (2) exhibition design (3) curatorial work (4) teaching; and,
• legal status (citizenship or visa) to base in Hong Kong for the whole fellowship period.

 Stipend

The project budget for each Fellow is a total of HKD400,000 including stipend for the six-month fellowship period and a production fee for a publication, a small-scale display, and the production of a teaching and learning package.

Fellowship period

May 2025–October 2025

Deliverables

At the end of the Fellowship period, each Fellow is required to deliver:

• A text of minimum 5,000 words for exhibition purposes. (format: a coherent juxtaposition of images and text presented in book format)
• A small-scale display of artefacts juxtaposed coherently with didactic texts, in collaboration with Design Trust’s public programmes.
• A collection of artefacts catalogued. (format: a digital database with scanned images, metadata and textual descriptions shared on a cloud service)
• A teaching and learning package at higher diploma level (format: at QF level 4; open; as printed worksheets/kit, webpages, videos, slide decks, as the fellow sees fit)
• A public presentation and talk

Review process

The fellowship will be awarded on a competitive basis by a selection panel chaired by Hong Kong Design Institute comprising representatives from Design Trust, Hong Kong Design Institute as well as invited experts. After the initial screening process, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview.

How to apply

Interested applicants please submit the following items via email to Ms Kiki Yau at  [via CTgoodjobs Apply Now]  with the email subject “Application for Research Fellow” by 15 April 2025 [deadline extended!]:

1. A one-page letter of intent 
2. A full curriculum vitae showing education background, employment history, publications and exhibition record
3. Two academic references from previous teachers or employers
4. A portfolio of previous research, writing, graphic design, or curatorial work
5. A 1,000-word research outline on your proposed research topic that falls within the overarching research theme (i.e. packaging, advertising or publishing)

Please prepare the above documents in English. Use of Traditional Chinese for supplementary purposes is welcomed.  

----------------

Submit as five separate PDF documents named in this format:

Surname_GivenName_1_letter

Surname_GivenName_2_cv

Surname_GivenName_3_references

Surname_GivenName_4_portfolio

Surname_GivenName_5_outline

Notification

Interviews will be held during April 2025. Results will be announced by May 2025. Applicants not notified within four weeks from the application deadline may consider their application unsuccessful. Design Trust and Hong Kong Design Institute reserve the right not to fill the post. 

*Please note that the appointed Fellow will not be considered a full-time employee of Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) nor the Vocational Training Council (VTC).

Contact

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Ms Kiki Yau at  [via CTgoodjobs Apply Now]  

About Design Trust

Design Trust  was established as a grant-funding and community platform in 2014 by Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design, a registered charity in Hong Kong since 2007. Design Trust supports creative projects that develop expertise and build research initiatives and content related to Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Working across a multiplicity of design disciplines, from graphics, media, and architecture to the built environment, Design Trust aims to actively accelerate creative research, design, and the development of meaningful projects that advocate for the positive role of design.

About Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI)

Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), as one of the member institutions under the VTC Group, is one of the most influential design institutions in Hong Kong. It provides high-quality education to cultivate knowledge and professionalism, nurturing design talents to support Hong Kong’s creative industry development.

With years of experience in design education, HKDI brings together the strengths of its design departments – Architecture, Interior and Product Design, Communication Design, Digital Media and Fashion and Image Design – to provide over 20 full-time design programmes, preparing students for work-readiness with socially conscious solutions to meet the demand of the 21st century workplace.

HKDI strives to provide flexible and diversified pathways from Higher Diploma to one-year Bachelor degrees conferred by reputable universities in the UK, or degree programmes offered by local universities, as well as continuing education programmes leading to postgraduate qualifications. Through an established network with over 40 overseas design institutions, HKDI students are connected to the world through international exchange and project collaboration.

About Graphic Archive

The Graphic Archive at the Hong Kong Design Institute is a reference library that preserves, records, and makes available graphic design artefacts of historical significance for teaching and research purposes. Through learning and teaching activities, research studies and exhibitions, the Graphic Archive aims to interrogate artefacts, identify practices, investigate contexts, generate insights that would enable us to innovate for the future. With contributions from designers and collectors, the Archive’s collections trace the evolution of Hong Kong’s graphic design profession from the 1930s to the present day.

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