On August 29, the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) convened its annual Fall Meeting on Strategic Planning and Development for 2025.

Hong JIANG, University Council Chairperson, Qikun XUE, President of SUSTech, alongside other members of the University’s leadership team, as well as heads and representatives from related departments and colleges, attended the meeting.

Centered around anchoring the goal of building a strong nation through education by 2035 and shaping the 15^th Five-Year Development Plan, the meeting underscored the importance of implementing the University’s “3-3-5” strategy to advance integrated reforms in education, science, technology, and talent development.

In his keynote address, President Qikun XUE reflected on both the domestic and international landscape as well as SUSTech’s fifteen-year development journey, providing a comprehensive analysis and outlook for the University’s future. He noted that 2025 marks several significant milestones, including the 76^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 45^th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. For SUSTech, it also represents a pivotal year in achieving its “first-step” development goals.

President XUE stressed that the forthcoming 15^th Five-Year Plan will be both a key stage in the nation’s modernization drive and a decisive “strategic transition” in the University’s journey. Building on the achievements of the 14^th Five-Year Plan, the next five years will be important for SUSTech’s journey toward becoming a world-class university with global impact.

Reflecting on SUSTech’s progress, he highlighted achievements in areas such as university culture and philosophy, campus development, financial support, faculty growth, talent cultivation, international reputation, and disciplinary development. He emphasized that SUSTech has already established itself as a new type of research university with significant global influence. Looking ahead, it will focus on the 15^th Five-Year Plan and the new round of “Double First-Class” initiatives to build consensus and lay a strong foundation for the next stage of development.

Looking ahead, President XUE stressed that the 15^th Five-Year Plan must be mission-driven, with clear objectives, practical measures, and widespread participation. He outlined key directions for “Double First-Class” development, discipline advancement, talent enrollment and training, faculty development, scientific research and innovation, knowledge transfer, resource support, and governance reform. He reiterated that SUSTech was born out of reform, and only through continued reform and innovation can it become stronger.

Guided by the motto “Virtue, Truth, Advance,” the University will implement its “3-3-5” strategy and strive to achieve breakthroughs in integrated reforms, create a new era for development during the 15^th Five-Year Plan, and contribute to the nation’s modernization.

Subsequent keynote reports by other members of the University’s leadership team and heads of various departments explored various topics such as talent training, scientific research, international strategy, and academic culture.

Vice President and Provost Hongwei FANG presented a report on systematic planning for the 15^th Five-Year Development Plan and advancing talent cultivation. He highlighted the need to integrate scientific theory with engineering practice, deepen industry-education collaboration, advance the SUSTech-STAR Intelligent Education Platform, and explore AI-driven training systems to build new higher education paradigms.

Academician Xueming YANG reviewed SUSTech’s achievements during the 14^th Five-Year Plan, and highlighted challenges that may arise during for the 15^th Five-Year Plan. He called for focusing on major scientific questions and key technologies, advancing the transfer of high-end scientific instruments, and ensuring that the University’s research supports the country’s advancement of education, science, and technology.

Vice President Li JIN spoke on international strategy for the next decade, outlining opportunities and challenges in global engagement. He proposed strengthening governance and cross-departmental collaboration, enhancing localized international education, expanding the “Study in Shenzhen” program, building international research networks, and deepening cooperation with Global South countries.

University Council Vice-Chairperson Ling ZHANG emphasized the importance of strengthening academic culture to support the cultivation of innovative talent. He underscored the significance of building a training model that integrates “value–ability–knowledge,” developing an academic integrity system and learning innovation platform suited to the AI era, and establishing a coordinated, collaborative framework for academic practice.

In group discussions, leaders from the College of Science, College of Engineering, School of Life Sciences, and the School of Medicine shared their perspectives.

The College of Science emphasized leveraging large-scale scientific facilities to tackle cutting-edge challenges and accelerate talent development; the College of Engineering highlighted AI as a rare development opportunity for a young university like SUSTech and proposed concentrating resources to advance AI-driven disciplinary growth; the School of Life Sciences stressed the importance of distinctive development paths, improving its multi-level talent training model, and implementing teaching reforms; and the School of Medicine focused on integrating a medical system with AI, reforming training and evaluation systems, and exploring a distinctive medical ecosystem at the University.

During the discussions, representatives from academic, administrative, and affiliated units engaged in exchanges regarding student training models, how to conduct organized scientific research, how to promote regional industry development, optimizing disciplinary design, and future governance.

In her concluding speech, Chairperson Hong JIANG referenced the importance of this meeting, which was held at the conclusion of the 14^th Five-Year Plan and the commencement of the 15^th Five-Year Plan.  She noted that it not only reviewed SUSTech’s fifteen years of development but also provided a forward-looking exploration of its strategic direction.

She outlined four key priorities for the next stage: staying rooted in China while striving to build a world-class university, strengthening faculty development with a focus on young talent, promoting interdisciplinary integration to enhance knowledge transfer and societal impact, and consolidating party leadership and governance to provide strong organizational support. She also made specific arrangements for the “Double First-Class” initiative and the 15^th Five-Year Plan.

Chairperson JIANG concluded by stressing that SUSTech was founded to break barriers and to serve as a model. With the development blueprint now in place, the University’s future depends on the shared efforts of its members. She expressed hope that everyone would embrace a spirit of dedication, resonate with the time, and together write a new chapter in building a world-class university.