WHEN Zhu Qingshi took his job as the founding president of SUSTC in 2009, he was described as high-spirited, vigorous, and full of ambition and passions with brimming confidence and pride. Now, he looks emaciated and pale with declining health five months before his retirement — a small folding bed with a big oxygen pump is in his school office.

    He made a succinct conclusion for the progress SUSTC has made in reform, but shunned some touchy issues.

    Two big challenges he has been facing ever since the very inception of SUSTC is building a world-class research-oriented university in Shenzhen and piloting higher educational reform by shaking off all sorts of restraints.

    He may have failed to bring the two sides together with equal development because of a lack of experience or energy, but most teachers and students think the school is now running on track.

    A common view is that the reform with SUSTC has failed because it derailed its ultimate goal of “independently recruiting students and conferring degrees” and “de-bureaucratization,” which are central to the reform.

    It seems that Zhu’s reluctance to speak on many reform-related issues speaks volume of his frustration. But won’t the biggest regret be if SUSTC loses impetus to lead China’s higher educational reform altogether?

    (Anna Zhao)