Government Work Report 2016 states that in the 13th 5-year Plan period, China will work on projects of building world-class universities and disciplines, showing tertiary education in China will embrace new opportunities. As the “pilot-test field” of Chinese tertiary education reform, SUSTech captures great attention. In the period of NPC & CPPCC sessions, progress made by SUSTech has caught attention from the People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, CCTV and local media in Beijing, Guangdong and Zhejiang. SUSTech President Chen Shiyi, who is also the delegate to NPC, was interviewed by many media reporting on SUSTech development with different key words.

SUSTech President Chen Shiyi interviewed by Xinwen Lianbo of CCTV

Key word 1: First-class university

On March 6, President Chen Shiyi, when interviewed by Xinhua News Agency, said that SUSTech was established in 2011 as the “pilot-test field” of Chinese tertiary education reform. It is the regular full-time public university administered and managed by Guangdong Province. As an innovative university founded in Shenzhen, SUSTech has made many attempts in governance system, enrollment model and discipline setting, etc.

Last year, SUSTech made new attempts to build the well-developed modern university governance system. It clarifies the 3-step strategy of building the high-quality international research-oriented university; speeds up building of first-class disciplines; enhances building of high-quality faculty and discipline platform; and lays foundation for building the world-class university with Chinese characteristics.

Reports of Xinhua News Agency were transferred on many other media. On March 7, Yangcheng Evening News published the report entitled NPC Delegate and SUSTech President Chen Shiyi: Build World-class University and Bring New Opportunities for University Development.

       Xinhua News Agency：http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2016lh/2016-03/06/c_1118246813.htm

       Yangcheng Evening News：http://www.ycwb.com/ePaper/ycwb/html/2016-03/07/content_966577.htm?div=-1

Key word 2: Reform + innovation

The Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen once wondered “Why Chinese universities are not able to cultivate excellent talents?”. His question and the dilemma of Chinese education behind the question have aroused reflections of the Chinese education community and even the Chinese society.

“The core of Qian Xuesen’s question is whether the Chinese tertiary education can cultivate the genuinely innovative talents for the Chinese nation”, said President Chen Shiyi when interviewed by China News Service in Beijing on March 8.

“Reform and development of SUSTech are designed to help fulfill the ambition of China”. Since last year, SUSTech has worked hard on pushing forward 631 enrollment model, improving regulations, establishing rules, and clarifying policies to encourage its professors to start business. At the same time, SUSTech emphasizes on educating students for innovations and entrepreneurship. “In the process of education, failure and success are equally important. It is necessary to give students more experience in gaining success in adverse situation.”

SUSTech will continue to make robust steps in tertiary education reform. China News also published report entitled “NPC Delegate and SUSTech President Chen Shiyi Commented on the Question of Qian Xuesen”. Beijing News published report entitled “SUSTech Is Not the Preparatory School for Students Studying Overseas”. CNR, Shenzhen Economic Daily and Qianjiang Evening News also published reports on current situation and plan of SUSTech reform and development, which are entitled “President Chen Shiyi: Rank SUSTech as First-class University in China within 10 Years.”

China News：http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2016/03-08/7789261.shtml

Beijing News :http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2016-03/15/content_626528.htm?div=-1

CNR：http://news.cnwest.com/content/2015-03/08/content_12226618.htm

Shenzhen Economic Daily :http://szsb.sznews.com/html/2016-03/09/content_3474185.htm

Qianjiang Evening News ：http://news.qjwb.com.cn/qb/2016/0309/189304.shtml

Key word 3: Chinese Stanford

 “If Shenzhen is the Silicon Valley in China, I hope SUSTech can become the Chinese Stanford”, said President Chen Shiyi at the Press Conference held on March 8 about latest progress in SUSTech and its development ideas. Standing in the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship, SUSTech has established a number of forward-looking entrepreneurship mechanisms. Chen Shiyi said, SUSTech regulations specify that professors are allowed to spend 1 day a week on research application beyond the university, encourage professors to start business and promote combination of university, industry and research bodies. SUSTech encourages professors to apply their IPR. If successful, the professors can take as high as 70% of company shares.

According to President Chen Shiyi, “I hope SUSTech professors and students can support development of Shenzhen. Just like Stanford University, it can lead growth of American economy and develop leading technologies, thus generating a Silicon Valley in China and evergreen enterprises such as Yahoo and HP. I hope people show their patience and confidence in SUSTech development. In 10 or 20 years, I believe it will definitely become one of the best universities in the world.”

Nanfang Daily, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, Nanfang Metropolis Daily, Hangzhou Daily and SINA Education published reports entitled “SUSTech Aims to Become Chinese Stanford.”

Key word 4: Talents

SUSTech is in urgent need of world-class talents. Chen Shiyi said greater efforts are needed to attract talents with innovative institution and mechanism. In recent years, SUSTech has contracted 5 academicians. The proportion places SUSTech in the leading position among Chinese universities. In 2015, SUSTech enrolled 937 students and the number will rise slightly this year, reaching 1,000. Besides, the enrollment size in the following years will remain at 1,000 with quality prioritized.

To attract excellent talents in the world, ensure the Chinese students have the environment of studying together with their international counterparts, and change SUSTech into an open international university, SUSTech plans to enroll international students since 2016. This year, it plans to enroll 50 international students and try to enroll 200 in the future.

To realize education equity and improve education quality, “We have established the wonderful scholarship and aid system. The university will find all necessary resources to help impoverished students. It will never have one student quitting because of poverty”. “SUSTech also makes innovations in student cultivation model”. Chen Shiyi said. At present, the university has adopted the “academy system, tutor system and credit system”. The purpose is to ensure the talent cultivation is “personalized, elite-oriented and international”.

About the future development of SUSTech graduates, Chen Shiyi said last year there were 29 SUSTech graduates in the first batch, 23 of who continue their education in overseas countries. To respond to the question about SUSTech becoming a preparatory university for world-famous universities, Chen Shiyi said SUSTech had only 29 graduates last year and the number will rise gradually in the future. It is impossible for all the 1,000 graduates to study overseas. Besides, SUSTech hopes to cultivate more versatile talents for the community.

The People’s Daily, Guangzhou Daily and TENCENT Education also reported on President Chen Shiyi’s comments on SUSTech from the perspectives of equity, quality and talents.