28 Jul 2025
The Design School at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) has recently secured two industry-funded research projects, reinforcing its position as a global leader in urban innovation and sustainability for the future.
With?Hyundai Motor Company?- one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers and a strategic leader in global mobility innovation,?the School embarked?on a pioneering project titled “Evaluating Social Outcomes from Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) in the Context of Urban Sustainability”.
This interdisciplinary research will provide?a comprehensive framework for evaluating the broader social value of DRT systems, with a focus on their potential to promote a more equitable society. The project?convenes a multidisciplinary team of experts –?from?urban planning?and?transport studies?(UPD) to?consumer behavior?(IOM)?to?inform more context-sensitive and user-centric?solutions for the future.
Simultaneously, XJTLU Design School is undertaking another project titled “Smart Inclusive Transitions (SIT) for Equitable Urban Futures” upon signing MOU with UN-Habitat. Teamed up with Seoul National University, the initiative focuses on developing a diagnostic framework for Suwon City, South Korea, to establish inclusive, people-centered smart urban development.
Importantly, the research aims to support the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with UN-Habitat and will contribute to the development of SIT as a practical reference for other cities in the coming years.
“These two projects underscore our commitment to real-world impact through industry collaboration and critical research beyond China,” says Dr Ju Hyun Lee, the Principal Investigator of both projects and an assistant professor from XJTLU’s Department of Urban Planning and Design.
“They also highlight how universities, industries, and international organisations can co-produce knowledge for a more inclusive and sustainable urban future.
“Both initiatives form part of XJTLU?Design School’s?broader strategic efforts to position itself as a hub for international collaboration and socially responsive design research,” she says.
Story and images provided by Dr Juhyun Lee
Edited by Yi Qian
28 Jul 2025