Meet China's rising research university - SUSTech

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) is an innovative research university in China which offers boundless opportunities in science, engineering and medicine to its talented faculty and energetic student body. As a young public university in the innovation capital of China, Shenzhen, SUSTech proudly leads the way in reform of higher education in China, working to foster and cultivate future leaders to meet the challenges of the new era.

Since its establishment, SUSTech is striving to become a world-class research university, rooted in China. SUSTech aims to become the epicenter of China’s science and technology academic research, and to cultivate innovative and entrepreneurial minds. The rapid ascent of SUSTech on the world stage has been remarkable.

With its speedy development, SUSTech is gradually becoming a major global player, fostering collaborative endeavors within academia and beyond to address the great challenges of our contemporary world.

SUSTech also aims to support the sustainable development of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province and China more broadly by advancing knowledge and promoting the application of new technologies.

Despite the hustle and bustle of the metropolis that is Shenzhen, the SUSTech campus exudes peace and tranquility. SUSTech sits within rolling green hills, by a river which winds down to Shenzhen Bay and into the sea. With the campus covering an area of nearly 2 million square meters, there is plenty of room for students to cogitate and consider their research, or to relax and enjoy their lives on campus. Situated amongst glorious greenery, students and teachers can enjoy the gorgeous flora and fauna that exists in Guangdong Province and throughout the Greater Bay Area.

SUSTech prides itself on its spiritual pillars of “research, innovation and entrepreneurship.” Research teams across campus are making vital progress for society in scientific and technological disciplines, with numerous interdisciplinary teams working across boundaries to solve today's global challenges.

SUSTech’s global outlook is central to its approach to education and pedagogy. Through active relationships with top universities around the world, SUSTech students, staff and faculty members are able to learn from the best of the best and reach their potential, while bringing lessons back to Shenzhen.

SUSTech has established cooperation with more than 80 international universities across the world, having signed more than 180 agreements. The reputation and influence of SUSTech is getting bigger and bigger. Its model of cooperation is being adopted by other institutions around mainland China and around the world; a blueprint for emerging universities which are seeking to rapidly develop.

As a research university, SUSTech focuses on science, engineering and medicine, with additional concentrations in business and the liberal arts. The innovative genes that are part of the make-up of Shenzhen and SUSTech are seen throughout the campus. The use of a modern governance system pairs perfectly with a comprehensive admissions system, English as the primary instructional language and a curriculum fundamentally rooted in innovation and entrepreneurship.

SUSTech has set up 25 schools and departments that offer 29 undergraduate degree programs and several postgraduate programs. SUSTech prepares its students and scholars to thrive in interdisciplinary disciplines related to new energy, new materials, next-generation information technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, biotechnology and biomedicine.

Unlike most universities in China, SUSTech first adopted the “631 Comprehensive Evaluation Admission Model” for enrollment in 2012, incorporating multiple aspects of every student’s identity and personality. This model has been used by more and more universities in China for their independent enrollment. The undergraduate student to teacher ratio is 10:1.

SUSTech is proud of its 950 high-quality faculty members, of whom 60 percent studied or worked in top 100 universities. Among SUSTech’s faculty members, we have 39 academicians and 34 international fellows.

SUSTech’s approach to undergraduate education also reflects its mission of reform and innovation in China’s higher education system. SUSTech has adopted its own take on international and general education. Students determine their major after at least one year of study, ensuring a highly individualized course of study. English is the primary language of instruction, and all classes featuring English textbooks.

Undergraduate students are given every opportunity to study abroad throughout their four years on campus, and all of these opportunities add up to make SUSTech one of the most global universities in China.

In a world of high-energy developments, SUSTech provides its students with the opportunity to succeed in a wide range of areas. The opportunity for success is available to students, staff and faculty members, and the innovative genes of the young city of Shenzhen permeate throughout SUSTech. As a rising research university, there will be more success to come in the future – but only time will tell in what form it will come.