Windy Shao

windysjf@hotmail.com

THE Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), a recently established institution, is forging a distinctive path as a new type of research-oriented university. During its inaugural ceremony Sept. 29, Fan Jianping, the founding president of SUAT, stressed that the term “new” not only signifies its inception but also its innovative development model.

Since preparations for SUAT’s opening began in 2018, the university has been dedicated to exploring fresh educational paths that integrate the education chain, innovation chain, talent chain, and industry chain, drawing inspiration from the operational models employed by globally renowned science and engineering universities.

SUAT places particular emphasis on areas such as “new engineering” and “new medical science” that align closely with national strategic industries and Shenzhen’s “20+8” industrial clusters.

Seven interdisciplinary faculties have been established for the fields of Life and Health Sciences, Synthetic Biology, Computer Science and Control Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science and Energy Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Computility Microelectronics.

In collaboration with national innovation centers and leading enterprises, SUAT has fostered a high-caliber, international, and diverse faculty team. Their innovative educational approach, which is tailored to individual aptitudes and integrates teaching, research, and quality education, aims to nurture future scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Global talent strategy

“The greatness of a university lies in its masters,” Fan said. To that end, the university has implemented a global talent strategy and established an international faculty management system to recruit world-class professors. Through those efforts, SUAT has assembled a top-tier faculty team with over 70% of faculty members having studied abroad.

Among the faculty are 14 academicians and 88 national-level talent. Approximately 91% of SUAT’s tenured faculty held permanent faculty positions overseas previously. Notably, three foreign experts have received the Chinese Government Friendship Award, while eight overseas innovation teams have been systematically introduced.

To foster collaboration with leading global universities, SUAT has initiated multiple overseas exchanges this year by organizing seven global talent meet-ups in Singapore, Australia, the U.K., Switzerland, and China’s Hong Kong.

Research institutes

In its quest to become a distinct type of research university, SUAT adheres to a philosophy of strategic development that prioritizes focused disciplines and industry engagement.

To date, the university has established the Institute of Cell and Gene Technology and the Institute of Future Agriculture. Plans are already underway to establish an Institute of Technology Strategy Development, an Institute of Artificial Intelligence, and an Institute of Robotics.

The Institute of Cell and Gene Technology, led by Kang Le, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and recognized expert in ecological genomics, will focus on developing biotechnologies centered on cell and gene technologies, thereby creating a technology-driven ecosystem for the cell and gene industry.

Similarly, the Institute of Future Agriculture, headed by foreign academician Yang Zhenbiao from the European Molecular Biology Organization, aims to develop innovative, next-generation agricultural biotechnologies and production models.