On July 13, the 5^th Shokz Global Excellence and Innovative Talent Summer School officially came to a close at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), with a ceremony held at the University’s Convention Center.

The event marked the culmination of an intense academic journey, where eight student teams—made up of domestic and international undergraduates across 16 disciplines—presented their final projects and engaged in in-depth discussions.

Yiming RONG, Visiting Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering at SUSTech and Honorary Professor at The University of Hong Kong, delivered remarks at the ceremony. He praised the summer school’s “hybrid team” model, which brings together students from different academic backgrounds, universities, and corporate projects—an approach he described as a key innovation in SUSTech’s educational strategy. He also acknowledged the five-year partnership with Shokz, crediting the collaboration for continuously driving the program’s momentum through practical insights and innovation.

Mingwei CHEN, Dean of the College of Engineering at SUSTech, noted that by moving beyond the limitations of textbook-based learning, the summer school enables students to fully experience the value of teamwork. In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), he added, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration are more vital than ever.

Lingjun WANG, Director of the Office of Student Affairs and Secretary of the Youth League Committee, praised the program’s innovative model—blending online and offline learning, linking domestic and global participants, and building partnerships between academia and industry. He also highlighted the outstanding achievements of past participants in national competitions and expressed his hope that more platforms like this will help students transform what they have learned into real-world solutions.

Offering an industry perspective, Hao CHEN, CEO of Shenzhen-based Shokz, stressed the urgency of education reform in the AI era. He pointed out that traditional classroom instruction is losing its dominance, while project-based and experiential learning are essential for developing next-generation innovators.

As a representative of the “third wave” of high-tech innovation companies, Shokz has evolved from a headphone maker into a leader in wearable devices, healthcare, and AI hardware, and now seeks talent with original thinking and strong research and development capabilities. The summer school, he added, serves as an important bridge between academic learning and industry needs.

Throughout the program, student teams worked under the guidance of leading industry experts and scholars, delving into cutting-edge fields such as smart home systems, health and wellness technology, unmanned systems, and AI-based inspection. Over three weeks, they engaged in intensive brainstorming, design discussions, experimental validation, and solution optimization. Their efforts culminated in a final project showcase, where each team presented high-quality reports and innovative outcomes.

Chenglong FU, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, described the summer school as a bold experiment in integrating industry and education. Over the past five years, it has steadily grown in scale and impact, with past participants advancing to top doctoral programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Cambridge, and earning recognition as SUSTech’s Top Ten Undergraduates. He encouraged students to continue pursuing excellence with intelligence and courage, and to make their mark on the global stage.

Following the closing ceremony, a meeting brought together enterprise representatives and members of the summer school’s organizing committee to exchange ideas on educational innovation and new models of university-industry collaboration.