On December 18, the first standing committee meeting of the 2^nd Southern University of Science and Technology Council (SUSTech University Council) meeting convened at the Wuzhou Guest House. Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui chaired the meeting in his capacity as the SUSTech Board of Trustees Chairman.

The SUSTech Council meeting approved SUSTech’s development programs for the pioneering demonstration zone of Shenzhen, the SUSTech-Kings College London (KCL) Joint School of Medicine, the establishment of the School of Creative Design, and other matters. The new vice presidents were approved and communicated to the SUSTech Board of Trustees.

SUSTech University Council Chairperson Guo Yurong announced changes to the makeup of the Council. Shenzhen Municipal Government Secretary-General Zeng Pai became the SUSTech University Council Secretary-General, and Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau Director Chen Qiuming was elected to the position of SUSTech University Council Deputy Secretary-General.

SUSTech President Chen Shiyi nominated Professor Zhang Dongxiao, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, to the position of Vice President. Professor Zhang Dongxiao introduced himself and answered many questions from the Council, who voted to appoint him as a Vice President of SUSTech. The Council asked that they would be consulted on all the remaining stages of the appointment procedures.

President Chen Shiyi reported on the development of SUSTech in 2019. He also provided specific news about the projects for implementing the policy for building Shenzhen as a pioneering demonstration zone, the SUSTech-KCL Joint School of Medicine, the establishment of the School of Creative Design, and other matters.

He went on to discuss the implementation of SUSTech’s goal of becoming a world-class research university, rooted in China. The SUSTech philosophy of “research, innovation, and entrepreneurship” integrates well with the historic and unprecedented opportunities from the industrial transformation of the Greater Bay Area and the pioneering demonstration zone of Shenzhen.

President Chen Shiyi highlighted the development of SUSTech in a variety of aspects. The development of the SUSTech-KCL Joint School of Medicine, the School of Creative Design, and other projects were also discussed. He said that the high-quality development of SUSTech would not have been possible without the support and leadership of the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government. SUSTech would continue to follow the guidance from the SUSTech University Council while supporting regional & national development.

The SUSTech University Council supported the findings in the report by President Chen Shiyi. All the committee members provided their own suggestions for the development of different schools across campus.

Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui closed the meeting, confirming the progress of SUSTech in recent years. He pointed out that SUSTech’s development is inspirational and reflects positively on Shenzhen as a whole. SUSTech has been making breakthroughs in areas such as discipline development, talent pipelines, and scientific research achievements.

The Shenzhen Municipal Government and Party Committee are committed to the development of higher education in the city. They will continue to support the promotion of SUSTech within the broad umbrella of the industrial transformation of the Greater Bay Area and the pioneering demonstration zone of Shenzhen. The Shenzhen Municipal Government and Party Committee expect that SUSTech will develop into a world-class research university, rooted in China, that supports a modern and innovative Shenzhen.

Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui added that SUSTech will continue to reform and innovate higher education in China in a wide range of areas. SUSTech would optimize the development of science and technology in Shenzhen while supporting the construction of the Comprehensive National Science Center. SUSTech should also take advantage of its human resources in the form of its faculty to make more contributions to its own development and the development of the region. SUSTech’s mission of reform and innovation of higher education in China will support stronger disciplines and more research platforms that can generate original research.

2020 will be vital for the development of SUSTech, who will take this as an opportunity to implement the resolutions of the Board of Directors and further improve its development plans. Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui said that SUSTech should work to develop into a world-class research university, rooted in China, that will result in the provision of a talent pipeline for the industrial transformation of the Greater Bay Area.