MIT Hong Kong Summer Academy

4001-699-686

MIT Workshop

Organized by MIT, an immersive experience in MIT game design culture

MIT Instructors

Led by MIT instructors, ensuring an authentic MIT learning experience

Tangible Advantages

Pitch your game to MIT standards and develop a competitive portfolio piece

Official Certificate

Earn a certificate of completion from MIT

MIT HKCampus

Delivered entirely at the MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node

—  Introduction  —

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the world's premier research universities, renowned for its excellence in Engineering, Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Innovation. Ranked #2 in the 2026 Best National Universities Rankings, MIT has long been a global leader in driving technological and industrial advancement, with profound impact across fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace, and bioengineering, having cultivated generations of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who continue to transform the world. MIT's motto is grounded in Mens et Manus (Latin for "mind and hand"), which reflects the educational ideals of MIT’s founders who were promoting, above all, education for practical application, emphasizing the integration of theory with real-world problem-solving and empowering students to innovate and break new ground through hands-on practice.

Workshop Location: MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node：
The MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node is MIT's official innovation hub in Hong Kong. As a key center for MIT’s teaching and research activities in Asia, it advances MIT’s global mission in education, research, and innovation collaboration. Leveraging MIT’s academic resources and pedagogical approach, the Node collaborates with MIT labs and research groups (e.g., MIT Game Lab) to deliver courses and projects, bringing MIT’s motto “Mens et Manus” (Mind and Hand) to life in Hong Kong. Through interdisciplinary hands-on projects and innovation initiatives, the MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node fosters an immersive environment for learning and creative exploration for students from around the world.
MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node Website: https://hkinnovationnode.mit.edu/


MIT Game Lab

This workshop is delivered by the MIT Game Lab: MIT Game Lab, part of MIT Comparative Media Studies, was founded in 2007. It brings together scholars, creators, and technologists to teach, conduct research, and pursue innovative game design. Within MIT's undergraduate and graduate education framework, the lab offers courses in game design and research, providing students with a learning pathway from concept ideation and prototyping to testing and iteration through project-based learning and hands-on lab practice. Students also have the opportunity to engage in real research and development through the Lab’s projects, completing creative and research work within an interdisciplinary environment.


As MIT's premier "Power Players," rather than simply reproducing the current state of gaming, the MIT Game Lab uses novel methods and deep quantitative research to explore the potential of play to understand the world. Gaming is not only a site of leisure but a medium where domains such as civics, education, and work utilize. Through interactive and immersive experiences, the MIT Game Lab opens new dimensions for people to see the world. At the same time, rooted in game design and research, the lab supports creative projects from initial concept through to the realization of playable, feasible, and engaging games, expanding the boundaries of what games can be.


—  Games Design & Development Cases  —

01

Cellverse, a VR biology game co-developed by MIT Game Lab, allows teams of students to “shrink down” into a cell, where they can encounter mitochondria, ribosomes, and other microscopic structures in a tangible way, thereby enabling them to learn biology immersively.

02

OpenRelativity is an open-source toolkit developed by the MIT Game Lab to simulate the effects of special relativity by varying the speed of light. It was created alongside the game A Slower Speed of Light, transforming abstract physical phenomena (e.g., reduced light speed, Lorentz transformations, time dilation, and the Doppler effect) into interactive, experiential visualizations.

—  Teaching Faculty  —

* The final instructor list is subject to official arrangements.

—  Workshop Details  —

Why Learn Game Design and Creation from MIT?

What You’ll Learn

Design theory, critique, and the ethics of play
Paper prototyping and iterative playtesting
Core game design: mechanics, narrative, and player experience
How play shapes culture - and how culture shapes play
Pitching your game to a live audience

What You’ll Build

A fully playable game - designed, tested, and refined by you
A tangible portfolio piece showcasing your creative process

Optional Tools

(Use as needed)

Laser-cut game boards and custom tokens & 3D-printed game pieces and structural components
AI-generated artwork and storytelling assets

—  Workshop Procedure  —

Pitch your own game from sketch to vertical slice

Step 1

Introduction to Game Design
Understand how games are designed and played

Step 2

Rapid Prototyping
Build a paper prototype to visualize your game idea

Step 3

Game Mechanics
Define rules, systems, and player experience

Step 4

Testing & Iteration
Refine your design through play-testing

What You’ll Get

Portfolio Piece
A complete, presentable game design portfolio

Step 6

Presentation & Communication
Present and publicly showcase your project

Step 5

Production & Polish
Use professional tools (AI, laser cutting, 3D printing) to finalize your game

—  Sample Schedule  —

* The workshop content is subject to the arrangement of MIT Game Lab.

 
Date Morning Afternoon Evening
Day 1 Arrival and Hotel Check-in.
Day 2 Intro to game design & play culture MIT Course 2: Prototyping tools & makerspace orientation Review & Coursework
Day 3 MIT Course 3: Game mechanics & systems thinking MIT Course 4: Laser cutter & 3D printing
Day 4 MIT Course 5: Communities, ethics & narrative design MIT Course 6: Project time -build & iterate
Day 5 MIT Course 7: Playtesting & iteration MIT Course 8: Final assembly -polish & test
Day 6 MIT Course 9: Presentation prep & final refinements Presentation & closing ceremony
Day 7 Return

—  Registration Details —

■ Date:

Jul.19 - Jul.25, 2026 (7 Days)

■ Subject:

Game Design and Creation
* Laptop with charger, adaptor, and internet access (bring daily); mouse with scroll wheel for 3D design

■ Location:

Hong Kong, China

■ Eligibility:

Students aged 15-18

■ Quota:

40 seats

■ Requirements:

  • English language level equivalent to IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80 (exams taken prior to January 2026) / TOEFL 4.5 (exams taken January 2026 or later)
  • A phone or online interview in English with an ASEEDER teacher if the above requirements are not met.

■ Fee:

  • Includes: Tuition, Lunches provided during the course (July 20–24), ASEEDER group leader support service, insurance, study materials
  • Excludes:
    1. Hong Kong endorsement fee
    2. Round-trip travel cost to and from Hong Kong, China
    3. Daily Commuting during the program
    4. Personal accommodation and meals

    * The organizer will provide logistical support, including the scheduled pick-up service from the Shenzhen port of entry to the hotel in Hong Kong, accommodation in Hong Kong, and coordinated transportation during the program. Participants are free to choose based on their needs.

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