The Lives of Deltas
Transdisciplinary Programme initiative
The Lives of Deltas combines insights from contemporary academia with state-of-the-art technological, urban and artistic research. Together with prominent scientists, scholars and artists, the students taking part in this program, jointly explore and experiment with how human and non-human lives are currently roaming the coastlines and deltas of Maputo, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. This unique collaboration at top universities in four cities around the world, hereby invites students to share their interest in participating in this programme.
The title for this year is The Lives of Deltas: A More-Than-Human-Studies Lab. The theme for 2026 is The Earth is Thinking All Along....
MALCS Exchange Programme
Utrecht University
Utrecht University, established in 1636, is a leading, top-ranked international research institution in the Netherlands with over 39,000 students, focusing on solving complex global challenges through interdisciplinary research and education. It is known for its strong connection to the city of Utrecht, promoting open science, equality, and innovation.
University of Gdańsk
The University of Gdańsk, established in 1970, is a leading Polish public institution, acting as a major, modern, and open educational center in the Pomeranian region. It hosts over 22,000 students, focuses on sustainable development and maritime research, and boasts a massive library alongside modern, high-tech research facilities.
2026
Testimonials
2026 Summer Exchange
Mr. BI Baihan
As a group of HKU students, we joined Utrecht University's "Lives of the Deltas" lab and chose to study Hong Kong's stone-wall banyan trees, examining their remarkable survival strategies within the city's dense urban fabric. Through this ecological lens, we uncovered how these trees negotiate space, light, and soil. Yet for me, rooted in colonial studies, the banyans also silently spoke of historical entanglements with the city's walls. This exchange deepened my environmental sensibilities while enriching my own research path.
2026 Summer Exchange
Mr. CHAN Shun
The combination of experiential learning and more traditional academic work made for a fantastic experience. It was also amazing meeting students from other universities who are engaging with ideas from wholly different contexts and approaches. The conversations we had were definitely a highlight.
2026 Summer Exchange
Ms. KONG Jiahui
This exchange was as rich, liberating, and inspiring as the lingering daylight of the Dutch summer. Through theoretical reflection and artistic practice, I explored the grammar of various mediums to respond to the more-than-human world, continually pushing the boundaries of the self a little further, while staying aware of the limits of my own authenticity. I am sincerely grateful for the complexity and freedom we were gifted during such a brief week, which will burn brightly within us long afterward.
2026 Summer Exchange
Mr. LIN Ziheng
Years later, when I look back on the exchange experience in the Netherlands, I am definitely going to be reminded of the peace and beauty of Utrecht, the bizarre Dutch design of architecture in Rotterdam, the world-famous art paintings in The Hague, and the time we spent exploring the relationship between human and non-human lives on the beach of Zeeland. It is my privilege to go through this unique and precious journey with my classmates and work with experts and scholars from Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and Poland. I am grateful for the opportunity offered by the summer programme that I am able to delve into in the Netherlands, investigating more-than-human studies by both lectures and excursions, which broadens my view and provides another possibility for my future career path.
2026 Summer Exchange
Ms. TANG Zixin
The Global Classroom 2026 was a profound immersion into more-than-human ecologies that deeply reshaped my academic perspective. From tracing liquid landscapes from a philosophical perspective to physically moving with bodies of water in Zeeland, this programme replaced anthropocentric certainty with ecological curiosity, teaching me that to write and live well is to attend to both human and the silent agencies of non-humans.
2026 Summer Exchange
Ms. WANG Xinran
From deep classroom discussions to memorable excursions, every moment of this program was filled with inspiration and discovery. It offered a unique space where academic curiosity meets cultural openness, helping me grow with a much broader perspective. I am incredibly grateful for this unforgettable summer!
2021
Projects
