As the global spotlight of industrial innovation turns to artificial intelligence and immersive learning emerges as a new paradigm for cross-border educational exchanges, the Global Industry Immersion Programme (GIIP 2025) of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) set its research study destination in Hangzhou, China. Twenty students traveled to this digital economy hub, embarking on an AI innovation journey that integrates classroom theories with industrial practices and weaves together cross-cultural exchanges and global business exploration.
Unlike pure classroom teaching, SUSS participants adopted an on-site visit approach to delve into two major sci-tech innovation hubs in Hangzhou—the Future Sci-Tech City and Binjiang Hi-Tech Zone—where they achieved an in-depth integration of theories and practices within the differentiated industrial ecosystems.
In Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City, the team conducted a comprehensive survey of the fruitful achievements of the park in deepening its layout in the artificial intelligence track and driving high-quality development through sci-tech innovation. They visited representative enterprises in fields such as low-altitude economy and brain-inspired intelligence, systematically investigated the technological breakthroughs and industrial application effects of the Future Sci-Tech City in artificial intelligence, 5G communication, VR interaction and other directions, and gained a direct understanding of the practical logic of AI technology moving from the laboratory to industrial scenarios.
In Binjiang Hi-Tech Zone, the team launched their research from the Smart E-Valley · Hangzhou Hi-Tech Zone Exhibition Hall, gaining a full understanding of the regional industrial layout and innovation genes. They observed high-performance quadruped robots and humanoid robot products up close, and experienced the strong technical strength in the field of embodied intelligence firsthand. At Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd., a world-leading provider of smart IoT solutions, the team gained an in-depth understanding of the enterprise's technological innovation, global layout and application achievements of major projects, and appreciated the benchmark strength of a leading enterprise in the smart IoT industry. In addition, the team investigated the innovative application of digital technology in financial scenarios, as well as the development trend of full-process chip testing services and the integrated circuit industry.
During the trip, the team also visited the Alibaba Business School of Hangzhou Normal University, which integrates university academic research with Alibaba's industrial resources, and participated in special learning on cross-border e-commerce. As an important carrier of Hangzhou as a "Digital Trade City", the global cross-border industrial base here relies on AI-empowered full-link tools such as intelligent product selection, AI customer service and digital human live streaming to help Chinese brands go global efficiently. The participants conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as how technology can break cross-border trade barriers, drive the transformation from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing", and explore new paths for the global growth of brands.
The value of this research study journey goes far beyond the exploration of industrial technologies; it lies more in the collision of innovative thinking and the deepening of cross-cultural cognition. Hangzhou's sci-tech innovation ecosystem features both the pioneering courage to innovate and a long-term perspective on sustainable development. The collision between this industrial development logic and Singapore's innovative concepts has enabled students to break free from a single regional perspective and form a more diversified understanding of innovation. Meanwhile, cross-cultural exchanges and interactions have equipped the students with core competencies in cross-cultural collaboration—key abilities to stand out in the rapidly changing global job market.