“I suggest building Circum-SZTU Science Park,” said Prof. Ruan Shuangchen, president of Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU), at a panel discussion at the annual meeting of Shenzhen’s political advisory body that opened last Thursday. Around 500 elected political advisers brought their proposals for the city’s development at the annual meeting.

The First Session of Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the city’s political advisory body, opens on May 13. [Photo/Shenzhen Special Zone Daily]

In his proposal, Prof. Ruan suggested taking advantage of SZTU in talent training, scientific research and industry-university-research cooperation to build the Circum-SZTU Science Park to aggregate neighboring enterprises and high-tech parks. It is conducive to gathering technologies, talented people and resources. There are many successful cases from home and abroad. Silicon Valley is the US center for innovative technology companies including Apple, Facebook and Google and is the home of many top-notch universities such as Stanford University and UC Berkeley. Local universities contribute the trained technical support staff to the enterprises and train their engineers while companies can provide internships and part-time jobs for teachers and students. Universities of applied sciences in Germany also have a long history of cooperating with local companies. Enterprises take an active part in the management and teaching in universities while the latter can serve as a technological platform for the former. In 2020, Circum-Shanghai University Science Park was unveiled in Shanghai, setting an example of coordinated innovation and joint development between the university and enterprises in China.

Prof. Ruan Shuangchen [Photo/Shenzhen Special Zone Daily]

Talented people, Prof. Ruan Shuangchen believes, hold the key to building Shenzhen into a science and innovation center with global influence. He suggests attracting more talented and skilled people with global vision and advanced technology. Age, educational background and other traditional hiring criteria should not be the barrier for people who are talented in key fields and cutting-edge technology. Moreover, it is inappropriate to “measure by the same yardstick” and standards for talent acquisition should be set scientifically. Differentiated policies and evaluation standards should be formulated for different fields, levels and occupations. He also emphasizes talent training on a local basis. Shenzhen should adopt a global vision, keep a forward-thinking mindset and train talented people that are needed for Shenzhen and the whole Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Higher education in Shenzhen should allow universities and colleges to be oriented towards application, vocational skills or research and train different types of graduates. For SZTU, we are going to train first-class technical professionals with global vision, craftsmanship, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Drafted by Daisy（姚琦）/ International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Revised by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Edited by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office