MakerBot Opens First Asia Pacific Innovation Center at Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Taken from 3DPrint

by Michelle Matisons

Asia Pacific is a region of immense economic growth, and 3D printing is included as a significant technology fueling growth sectors in businesses, industries, and higher education. Recently, MakerBot announced the firstMakerBot Innovation Center in the Asia Pacific region, to be located at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). This Innovation Center will allow the campus to create a collaborative atmosphere teaching 3D printing entrepreneurship and innovation. PolyU is joining a growing number of leading universities across the globe that host MakerBot Innovation Centers to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.

The increasingly popular MakerBot Innovation Centers are designed to help higher education institutions and other organizations to be more productive and competitive through 3D printing technology. They operate as 3D printing hubs with multiple, easily accessible MakerBot printers linked by the MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform, a software platform that allows for multiple users to remotely access and queue their print jobs at the same time.

Professor H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at PolyU, explains the goal behind the establishment of a MakerBot Center:

“By introducing the MakerBot Innovation Center, we strive to integrate digital design and 3D printing in the students curriculum, enriching the students’ learning experiences whilst enhancing their career readiness. The MakerBot Innovation Center allows broader access to 3D printing and inspires creativity, which is well aligned with the university’s mission. Students from different faculties and schools are invited to experience
the 3D printing journey.”

MakerBot’s Innovation Centers offer many benefits, particularly for universities; the centers are a draw for new students and promote collaboration and interdisciplinary projects across departments. They’re also great resources for establishing business opportunities and partnerships with the surrounding community while preparing students for careers in today’s tech-oriented economy.

The Innovation Centers are just one of the many initiatives MakerBot has taken to help fulfill growing needs in both K-12 education and college campuses. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education goals can be met in many respects by incorporating 3D printing technologies into curricula. Whether students are designing and printing complex robotic devices, science projects, jewelry, fashion, and artwork — or using all of these skills to do something on a larger and more imaginative scale — 3D printing encompasses many of today’s educational needs, and MakerBot is an active facilitator of 3D technology in the classroom.

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