Design team: Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong (centre), receives donations from sponsors of the Young Design Talent Awards 2006.

The Young Design Talent Awards 2006 have opened for nominations. Eight awardees will be sponsored to undergo overseas study or work attachment with reputable design organisations abroad.

Two of the awards, each with $500,000 sponsorship, are funded by the Government under the DesignSmart Initiative. The other six are offered by industrial and education sponsors with a total sponsorship of $1.3 million.

On behalf of the Government, Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong received donations from the sponsors at a launch ceremony today at the Hong Kong Design Centre.

"I am very happy to see that outside contributions have increased from $750,000 to $1.3 million, and we are now able to offer eight awards instead of five last year."

Nomination details

Nominees must be aged 35 or under and be Hong Kong permanent residents. For practising designers, they should have at least one year full-time work experience in the design profession, be nominated by their employer, a design educational institute, a design or industry association, or a design professional.

For design students, they should be a final-year student in 2005-06 academic year design courses and be nominated by the local educational institute concerned.

Nominees should submit a portfolio of design work and their nominations must reach the DesignSmart Secretariat by August 18. For details click here, call 2737 2462 or email enquiry@designtalent.gov.hk.