On April 13, the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) held its 2025 Open Day, drawing over 10,000 prospective students, parents, and visitors to the campus for a full day of immersive activities. The event was also live-streamed nationwide, attracting widespread attention from audiences across the country.

The Open Day featured nearly eight hours of programming across the main and sub-venues. Highlights included a development report of SUSTech, a forum on cultivating innovative talent, student panels, admissions briefings, academic lectures by leading scholars, exhibitions, laboratory visits, campus tours, and art displays. These events offered a comprehensive introduction to life and learning at the University.

At the main venue, university leaders and renowned academicians gathered at Runyang Stadium to discuss SUSTech’s progress and educational mission with students and parents.

University Council Chairperson Hong JIANG delivered the opening speech, welcoming families and students both on-site and online. She thanked all those who have long supported SUSTech’s development and invited everyone to experience the unique spirit of the University. She highlighted three defining features of SUSTech: an innovation-driven ecosystem, personalized student development, and a global outlook.

She emphasized that SUSTech’s rapid rise is the result of joint efforts by the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province, and the city of Shenzhen. Established as a bold reform initiative, the University was tasked from the beginning with exploring a modern university system with Chinese characteristics and pioneering new models for cultivating talent. In just 12 years, it has grown from a pilot project into a “Double First-Class” institution and a flagship of China’s higher education reform. Today, SUSTech stands out as a new type of research university with strong momentum in talent development, discipline building, scientific research, and platform construction. Chairperson JIANG closed by expressing hope to see many of the students back on campus in September to begin an exciting new chapter.

President Qikun XUE delivered a report on SUSTech’s innovative development. He outlined the University’s mission and progress toward becoming a world-class institution, highlighting its high starting point and ambitious goals. He also emphasized the its distinctive approach to talent development, including its high-level faculty team, elite training model, strong educational outcomes, and modern teaching environment.

Looking ahead, President XUE shared SUSTech’s vision for cultivating top talent. He highlighted its talent development strategies, including the “Three Major Development Strategies” and “Five Major Action Plans” designed to achieve the University’s “three-step” medium- and long-term strategic goals.

He noted the importance of integrating general and specialized education through collaboration between residential colleges and academic departments, fostering student-driven exploration and aligning disciplines with major scientific platforms, deepening university-industry collaboration, and supporting undergraduate research through an academic advancement program. President XUE concluded by expressing SUSTech’s commitment to innovation and reform, aiming to build a world-class research university with global influence.

The forum on cultivating innovative talent featured university leaders and academicians from various disciplines. They discussed SUSTech’s strengths in interdisciplinary training, the residential colleges and their tutor system, and international programs.

As an undergraduate student of Zhicheng College, Enze ZHAO shared his academic and entrepreneurial experiences, offering a firsthand account of life at SUSTech.

Fei WANG, Director of the Office of Admission and Professor of the School of Microelectronics, detailed the 2025 admissions policies, while Hong WANG, Dean of the Graduate School, introduced SUSTech’s integrated undergraduate-to-postgraduate model.

Across campus, students and families explored science and humanities lectures, exhibitions, and student showcases.

Max Q.-H. MENG, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, gave a popular science lecture on robotics, while Yan WU, Professor of the Center for Humanities, presented an open class on the future of Chinese science fiction. The two lectures focused on the innovation and future of artificial intelligence, allowing students to enjoy the most cutting-edge feast of science and humanities.

Academic departments, residential colleges, and student organizations hosted interactive booths, while several SUSTech-incubated startups joined the exhibitions for the first time, highlighting the University’s strong industry connections. Live art performances and open tours of the Yidan and Hanyong Libraries, along with the Cultural Museum Center, added to the experience.

Among the most popular attractions were the guided laboratory tours, which offered visitors firsthand access to SUSTech’s advanced research facilities. Nearly 30 laboratories opened their doors, including the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, the Public Analysis & Testing Center, and the Human Function and Pharmacology Laboratory.

Parents and students expressed strong interest in the University’s dynamic learning environment, faculty strength, and flexible academic pathways. One high school student shared how Max Q.-H. MENG’s robotics lecture had reshaped his understanding of scientific research, while others noted how SUSTech’s academic flexibility with its “1+3” and “2+2” models supports personal exploration and growth.

The occasion showcased SUSTech’s philosophy, progress, and academic achievements, illustrating its enrollment policy, talent cultivation strategies, and high-level faculty, all of which garnered praise from attending students and parents alike.