It has been emphasized that universities will only become world-class when they can train top-class talents. To successfully manage universities in China and build world-class universities, we should focus on the core point of comprehensively raising the personnel training ability. In 2017, SUSTech has achieved impressive results in talent training, and students have been highly rated both in China and overseas.

With Reform and Innovation, Enrollment Work Reaching a New Level

In 2017, SUSTech continued to adopt the comprehensive evaluation admission mode based on college entrance examination. SUSTech has enrolled new students from 22 provinces and autonomous regions. Notably, SUSTech has recruited a total of 1005 first-year science students, where the average college entrance examination results of these new students are among the top 2 percent of their province. Meanwhile, in 2017, SUSTech has admitted 18 international students, 11 more than 2016.

The quality of postgraduates has leaped into the front ranks among higher education institutions in China. SUSTech has jointly trained 465 postgraduates with renowned colleges and universities both at home and abroad, including three international students and 1 Taiwanese student.

On November 23, 2017, SUSTech held the 2017 Excellent Freshman Scholarship Award Ceremony, and 719 students received scholarships, with an award coverage of 71.5%. The total amount of scholarships and average student scholarships have reached higher levels than before.

Being Pragmatic, Training Top-Notch Innovative Talents

SUSTech insists on cultivating innovative talents based on the principle of “allowing students to transfer major for several times, emphasizing ability training and thinking highly of innovative ability cultivation.”

2017 represents the second year that SUSTech has implemented the ” Summer Session.” SUSTech has always been creating opportunities for students to learn, practice, do research and study art as usual. Since mid-July in 2017, many students of SUSTech have taken part in various unique summer programs to broaden their horizons, enrich their experience, increase their knowledge and cultivate independent learning and living skills. SUSTech has also offered some distinctive courses. Some of the courses included topics like how to “discuss” with professors about programming in class; how to “learn” with overseas masters about how to protect the environment; and how to put the theoretical knowledge into practice via “operation” in a professional company.

In July, a total of 309 SUSTech students have attended well-known universities in the United States, Britain, Canada, Poland and other countries. These universities included the University of California Los Angeles, Georgia Institute of Technology, Birmingham University, King’s College London and the University of British Columbia, where students participated in 11 projects of overseas exchanges. In April, academics and departments in SUSTech have organized overseas study tours for students. The Center for Employment Instruction organized 50 undergraduate students for a visit to PwC’ China Centre of Excellence in Qianhai, Shenzhen.

In November, SUSTech established the research and study club, which has acted as a theoretical study-based student club, initiated by party members of students, and has been designed to allow students to organize a wealth of theoretical study and social practice.

In August 2017, the school joined a new list of universities with eligibility for postgraduate candidates exempted from admission exam. As a result, undergraduate education in SUSTech has earned recognition from the Ministry of Education, and also means that SUSTech would begin to send its excellent undergraduate students and share the educational achievements with other first-class universities.

Ambitious Students in SUSTech Performing Well in Numerous Domestic and International Competitions

In November 2017, the team of SUSTech won the gold medal in the 2017 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition where it broke new records in receiving nominations for best project in basic research, the best hardware prize, and the best bio-component award.

SUSTech has made a great effort in promoting reform and cultivating innovative talents. Our students have achieved outstanding performance in a variety of fields. In March, our student club Computer Association has won two Second Class Prizes at the ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge.

In April, SUSTech has sent a total of 36 undergraduates for participation in the 2017 MCM / ICM, and they have won 4 international first prizes, 20 international second prizes and 13 international third prizes. In May, students participated in the National College English contest where, for the first time, they won the grand prize. The Student Association of Party branch in Shanxi 3-North Shelter Forest Program summer social practice team won the recognition of the Central Committee and the National Federation. 2013 undergraduate students Huang Xueqin and Lu Qiangsheng had papers published in August. They were listed as the first author, and their papers were published in the Hans Journal of Nanotechnology and the Physical Review Letters.

In October, our students won 13 awards in the 2017 Chinese Robots and Artificial Intelligence Competition.

When it comes to athletic and cultural pursuits, SUSTech is also successful. In October, our students won 15 awards at the 2017 Guangdong College Students Swimming Championship. In November, our student team won third prize in the Lingnan Culture Symbols Contest for Foreign Students in Guangdong. In December, at the 12th comprehensive Sports Meeting in Shenzhen University City, SUSTech continued to hold a post of team championship with a total score of 132.

Seven projects of the “Maker Workshop” student team of SUSTech were part of the exhibition at the 19th China International Hi-Tech Fair held in November. All seven projects received extensive attention throughout the Fair.

Organizing various and colorful activities, enriching students’ campus life

In 2017, all kinds of school activities have enriching students’ after-school life, making their youth life more beautiful and energetic. There has been a range of activities like the 2017 New Year’s party, a concert of Qiao Yu’s works, the third “College Cup” football game, the third sports meeting of SUSTech, innovation contests, and exchange meetings. These events are just a small selection of activities available to students at SUSTech.

In April, SUSTech held the first Innovation Competition, the “Machinery Manipulator” project and “Sweet Lab 3D Dessert Printing” have been awarded championship of the invention group and creativity group respectively. In May, SUSTech Drama Club performed the final show of drama “Physicist,” attracting an audience of more than 300 people and receiving tremendous reviews. In December, SUSTech held the concert of “Remembering the Original Mission, building Dreams in SUSTech” to commemorate the “December 9th”patriotic student movement. The concert has shown the patriotism and the spirit of times of SUSTech students in a new perspective.

June 30, 2017, saw the SUSTech Graduation and Commencement Ceremony, with over 50% of graduating students continuing to further study at famous universities at home and abroad, such as Cambridge University, Oxford University, the University of Chicago. More than 90% of them have worked in Shenzhen and other areas in Guangdong Province. High-tech enterprises like Huawei, ZTE, Tencent, and DJI have hired more than 40% of the graduating class.

Among them, Bao Shuhan has received the offer of Columbia University, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore and University of Pittsburgh. 11 financial institutions including PWC, Shenzhen CIRC, Bank of China, and Pacific Insurance all wanted Liu Shizhuo to work for them. Student Li Bing has got the offer of Cambridge University, and his roommate Liang Tong, Zhen Zibo and Lei Weihua have received the offer of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Northwestern University and the University of Pittsburgh. Given the success of these students that all lived in the same dormitory, their home at SUSTech could be thought of as an outstanding “Straight A Student Dormitory.” Up to now, SUSTech had cultivated over 500 graduates, remaining outstanding performance in entrance and employment.

SUSTech never stops to cultivate innovative talents for the nation and the world. Students in SUSTech are independent, self-reliant and self-motivated, under the school’s cultivation. Founded in the background of the development of higher education in China, SUSTech shoulders the mission of playing a leading & exemplary role in the higher education reform in China.