On April 20, the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) officially unveiled the Zero Carbon Innovation Space for Sustainable Coastal Community at the Shenzhen Workers’ Sanatorium. Designed to explore new models of university-community collaboration, the space aims to innovate in modalities of outreach activities that will educate the public on the need for and the science and technology behind a zero-carbon lifestyle.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Zhenchun LIU, Vice Chairman of the Shenzhen Federation of Trade Unions; Yan ZHENG, Chair Professor of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at SUSTech; Xia ZHAO, General Manager of Shenzhen Workers’ Sanatorium Co., Ltd.; and Haiyan XIA, Secretary-General of the Shenzhen Workers’ Development Foundation. It marks an important step in advancing youth popular science education in zero-carbon initiatives and enhancing talent development through university-community partnerships.

Speaking at the event, Zhenchun LIU emphasized the Shenzhen Federation of Trade Unions’ commitment to integrating resources for zero-carbon science education and talent training. He also noted that the Federation will provide strong policy and platform support for the newly established Innovation Space.

Yan ZHENG outlined the goal and focus of the Innovation Space, highlighting the core mission to develop a coastal and marine environmental protection-themed science and technology curriculum and showcase SUSTech’s latest achievements in zero-carbon technology. The Innovation Space will host summer and winter camps featuring hiking, sailing, and field science expeditions, support initiatives by the Education Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, and provide training and part-time work opportunities for college students.

In 2024, the Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology approved the establishment of the SUSTech Popular Science Education Base. On that basis, establishing the affiliated Innovation Space is a collaborative effort led by the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhiren College, the Education and Training Center, the Center for Higher Education Research, the Sports Center, the School of Design, and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Innovation Space also benefits from the support of a major research grant titled “Eco-Environmental Sciences across the Land Ocean Continuum”, the first such award to SUSTech and Shenzhen by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) led by Professor Yan ZHENG.

With the Innovation Space, SUSTech aims to integrate the unique geological, ecological, and oceanographic features of Dapeng’s coastal and mountainous areas with broader efforts to advance the blue economy. It will further engage local industrial partners in activities such as zero-carbon technology tours, fossil fuel-free aquatic sports, and coastal eco-cultural tourism in support of the development of Shenzhen into a global ocean city.