*4.1. Goal Dimension: Innovation and Excellence as Drivers of Institutional Advancement*

In 2009, Professor Qingshi Zhu embarked on his journey as the inaugural president of SUSTech following an extensive global search. An academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a renowned higher education leader widely known for his reform mindset, President Zhu's vision for this new university was influenced by the famous question posed by Academician Xuesen Qian (1911–2009), a prominent scientist—"Why have Chinese schools rarely produced truly outstanding talents?" The so-called Qian's Question was raised in his meeting with the then Prime Minister Jiabao Wen and has ever since become the classical educational conundrum that has bedeviled Chinese educators. The question raised existing criticism about Chinese universities to a level that led to heated debates nationwide. In response, President Zhu declared that the mission of SUSTech is to answer Qian's Question by developing into one of the best universities in China that fosters real capabilities in students and trains them to be talent needed by the society upon their graduation.

In December 2010, the Ministry of Education approved preparations for the establishment of SUSTech and set a preparation period of three years. In April 2012, after concerted efforts by visionary SUSTech people, higher education leaders, and government leaders, the Ministry of Education approved the official establishment of SUSTech ahead of schedule and entrusted to SUSTech the two-pronged mission of "exploring the establishment of a modern university system" and "developing an education model for the cultivation of innovative talents". In parallel with the formal process of the Ministry of Education, SUSTech undertook action to form a legitimate mission statement for itself by deriving the key messages firstly from a meeting in December 2009 between President Zhu and Mr. Guiren Yuan, the then-minister of the Ministry of Education, and secondly from the national education reform policy, Outline of China's National Plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development (2010–2020) released in July 2010 [35]. In early 2012, the formal description about the University ran as follows:

South University of Science and Technology of China (SUSTC) (In English, the University was named by President Zhu as South University of Science and Technology of China. In 2016, the English name was officially changed to Southern University of Science and Technology in the term of the second president Professor Shiyi Chen.) is a higher education institution built with new thinking and mechanism in the backdrop of Chinese higher education reform and development and by the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government to implement the directives of "The Plan outline of the national

mid-term and long term education reform and development" and "The plan outline of the Pearl River Delta reform and development" (2008–2020).

SUSTC is an experiment in comprehensive reform for Chinese higher education and carries the significant mission to explore for an education model in China that cultivates innovative talent... SUSTC shall borrow from the education models of the world-class universities, innovate the system and mechanism for its operation... with goals and self-positioning to become an international high-level research university, and to become a key base for major scientific and technological research and the cultivation of excellent and innovative talents. (SUSTC, 2012)

Whether it is "truly outstanding talent" in Academician Qian's terms or "real masters", "excellent and innovative talent" in President Zhu's terms, excellence and innovation have become the two key words that direct pathways for the education reform efforts at SUSTech, with the educational goals of raising leading scientists and engineers for the future. To realize this mission, the University decision-makers chose general education, which is intended to be both broad-based and individualized, as an important mechanism for coordinating curriculum, pedagogy, and administration. The characteristic of being broadbased was widely accepted at the time, thanks to China's general education experiments in the former decades. The concept of individualized education arises from the belief that innovative talents should be able to think independently and 'out of the box', a quality not traditionally fostered by the basic education in China, where exams dictate what students learn and why, and students learn by drills and memorization of knowledge.

In response, SUSTech educators needed to address, first, in the education process how to help students find their real interests, increase their motivation to learn, and grow individually; and second, how to support students' individual learning needs. In practice, they have found that the key is to guide students to find their own path based on knowing themselves and discovering their true passion. Personal commitment leads to engaged learning and thus to excellence. By devoting the first year or two of college to general education before deciding on a major, SUSTech students can make a choice rather than relying on a poorly informed decision about a major before entering college. To a certain extent, the experiment at SUSTech embodies the development of individual subjectivity and the cultivation of personhood.

The guiding principles of innovation and excellence permeate not only the pursuit of educational excellence but also the institutional growth of SUSTech. Since its birth, SUSTech has aimed to develop into a world-class university in a remarkably short period of time by breaking free from the constraints of established Chinese universities and by drawing inspiration from the best practices of excellent universities around the world. The opportunity to establish the university from scratch in the reform-minded and prosperous City of Shenzhen proved to be an advantage for SUSTech to create a high-level system that successfully supports its education ideas [36]. When President Zhu finished his term in September 2014, SUSTech had 107 faculty members in place, about 1000 undergraduate students, and 16 undergraduate degree programs.

During the term of President Shiyi Chen (2015–2020), SUSTech advanced upon the foundation laid by President Zhu. By the end of 2020, when President Chen finished his service, SUSTech had about 1000 faculty members, most of whom have extensive international backgrounds (50% tenure-line, close to 50% research track, and about 100 teaching track faculty members); 4374 undergraduate students, 3186 graduate students; 34 undergraduate degree programs that cover sciences, engineering, business, life science, and medicine; 8 master's degree programs; 4 doctoral degree programs; and a revenue about 10 time of the 2014 revenue. The numbers demonstrate the leaping forward progress of the university, and quality is never neglected. All tenure-line faculty members are PhD holders, with more than 90% of them having overseas education and work experience, more than 60% of them from the world's top 100 universities and about 28% hold a foreign passport. English is the instructional language on campus. The faculty body is capable of teaching in English, conducting world-class research aided by international exchanges and collaboration, and is comfortable with student advising.

The success of young SUSTech is attested by rankings. According to the 2021 World University Ranking by Times Higher Education, SUSTech was ranked No. 8 among mainland Chinese universities with the highest publication quality in China and ranked 250–300 worldwide. In the QS 2021 World University Ranking, SUSTech was No. 14 among mainland Chinese universities and No. 1 in the student–faculty ratio. In the Shanghai Ranking 2020 for mainland Chinese universities, SUSTech was No. 8 for high-level academic hires. In *Nature Index 2020*, SUSTech ranked 15th in China, and 61st in the world.

The academic excellence of the faculty body and the elevated institutional reputation through world rankings reinforced the legitimacy of SUSTech's educational innovation in the marketplace. Over the years, SUSTech has attracted students with better academic preparation and greater understanding of what SUSTech offers. By 2020, SUSTech students came from 22 provinces/directly administrated cities all over China. They are selected through a combined score consisting of the National College Entrance Examination score (60% of the total), a SUSTech administrated examination score (25% computer-based, multiple-choice examination and 5% interview), and high school performance record (10%). According to their standardized National College Entrance Examination scores, the students admitted by SUSTech are in the top 10% of high school graduates, and students enrolled from 10 out of the 22 provinces/directly administrated cities are in the top 1%. When they graduate, 1/3 of them go to overseas graduate programs, 1/3 to domestic graduate programs, and 1/3 to work in companies. Since the graduation of the first cohort, the University has adopted the practice of publishing reports or interviews of excellent graduates that review the trajectory of their college years, highlighting the connection of their personal growth and accomplishments with individual exploration enabled by university opportunities and resources. By giving special publicity to these high-achieving students, SUSTech sets examples for the student body to learn from and emulate. The students' stories also attract prospective students who are drawn to the freedom and independence of a SUSTech education, and along with their parents, promote SUSTech's market recognition, which in turn reinforces the innovative education efforts at SUSTech. By the summer of 2020, SUSTech had only six graduating classes. It awaits the test of time to see whether its goal of cultivating innovative talent to become leading scientists and engineers is to be fulfilled.

In retrospect, many factors have contributed to the miraculous success of SUSTech, which include, but are not limited to, the generous financial support from the municipal government, the continuous commitment of university leadership, the national ambition to develop world-class universities, and the overall ethos of the public in favor of aligning Chinese universities with the world's top universities. SUSTech is the first mainland Chinese university in the People's Republic of China to establish a collective Board of Regents for the presidential search, to reverse the brain-drain trend by hiring more than 90% of faculty members from around the world, and to adopt a college admission assessment mechanism that does not rely solely on the National College Entrance Examination. Many factors and institutional mechanisms support SUSTech in successfully implementing the talent cultivation goals articulated by older generations of educators [37]. The opportunity to start a university from scratch with no historical burden enables SUSTech to apply the most up-to-date knowledge about how to build a university for the future. General education functions as a lynch pin in SUSTech's reform system and is linked to a variety of education mechanisms that perhaps develop separately at other institutions. To a certain extent, this study may argue that general education at SUSTech is both significant and tactical, like a stored solution that finds its problem [38].

#### *4.2. Implementation Dimesion: A Continual Exploration and Adaptation*

SUSTech, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) university, is viewed as a pioneer in cultivating future leading scientists and engineers and a testbed for higher education reform in China. General education plays a vital role in SUSTech's reform efforts, and defining its scope and content has been a critical issue from the beginning. SUSTech's curriculum designers studied the experience of general education in American and European universities, as well as the nature of STEM learning, to inform their decisions.

In developing the curriculum, SUSTech combined the traditions of liberal education in Europe with the models of general education in the United States. This entailed an amalgamation of classical literature, philosophical discourse, historical knowledge, language proficiency, skill cultivation, and interdisciplinary cognition. As a result, a set of attributes that SUSTech aspires to cultivate within its undergraduates crystallized: extensive knowledge about science and the world, an in-depth understanding of humanity, society, and history, and an ethical consciousness coupled with a sense of social responsibility.

The inceptive STEM-centric phase: The first phase of general education curriculum development at SUSTech involved a proactive five-year period of exploration in which the university embraced its identity as a preeminent STEM institution, inspired in part by the California Institute of Technology model. General education during this phase prioritized a comprehensive understanding of the scientific domain embodied in courses in calculus, linear algebra, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science.

While STEM knowledge was emphasized, SUSTech also aimed to foster students' overall development by expanding their knowledge of the world and enhancing their intrapersonal intelligence. Because SUSTech initially had a limited number of faculty members in the humanities and social sciences, the university had to explore innovative approaches to teaching general education. This involved carefully selecting MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and offering interdisciplinary courses delivered by guest faculty, which formed the core of the humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) curriculum during this period.

The evolutionary elaboration phase: The subsequent phase of general education development at SUSTech was marked by the blossoming of HASS offerings, the introduction of English medium instruction, level-appropriate STEM courses, and the integration of co-curricular education at the residential colleges for whole-person development. With an enlarged cadre of faculty, expanded course offerings, and increasing interdisciplinarity, the contours of general education were rapidly expanding. At this stage, SUSTech's aspirations resonated with the Stanford University model. Formative milestones encompassed the establishment of pivotal centers, including the Center for the Humanities, the Center for Social Sciences, the Center for Higher Education Research, the Center for Language Education, and the Arts Center, which eventually merged to form the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. These centers were instrumental in adding depth, diversity, and structural coherence to SUSTech's general education landscape. In addition, tiered STEM courses were introduced to accommodate the varying entry levels of students and the requirements of different degree programs. An example of this is the division of the course of Calculus into Mathematical Analysis, Calculus A, and Calculus B, to accommodate different academic backgrounds. Offering bilingual and English-medium classes encouraged individual academic challenges and strengthened students' future competitiveness. This phase also witnessed innovation in the prescribed political and moral education modules, culminating in the merging of co-curricular undertakings within SUSTech's residential colleges and the participation of esteemed scholars on the theme of "China and Modern Science and Technology". General education in this phase emphasized a comprehensive and individualized STEM foundation, interdisciplinary HASS engagement, innovative pedagogical approaches, and integrated ethical education, promoting students' autonomy in pacing their learning journey and fostering interdisciplinary intersections.

## *4.3. Structural Dimension: A Whole-Institution Approach*

SUSTech takes an innovative and systematic approach to undergraduate education by carefully integrating general education courses with subject-specific content from different academic departments. This harmonious integration not only provides students with a range of intellectually stimulating learning experiences, but also creates a deep sense of coherence throughout their academic journey. Characterized by a comprehensive, institution-wide structure, SUSTech's approach to undergraduate education underscores its commitment to nurturing well-rounded and capable graduates. This institutional philosophy manifests itself in the design of a four-year general education framework with special emphasis on the pivotal first year of study and the incorporation of residential college structures that prove to be powerful catalysts for students' holistic development. In addition, SUSTech employs a mixed-class course system that caters to both domestic and international students, which is a marked departure from the prevalent separate international college model adopted by other prominent Chinese universities.

Central to SUSTech's general education scheme is the pivotal first year, during which students begin their academic journey by enrolling in general education courses. This foundational phase not only stimulates intellectual curiosity, but also gives students the privilege of choosing a major at the end of their first year. A cornerstone of the general education curriculum is the STEM module, which takes on special importance during this initial stage of study. This module consists of a constellation of courses that include calculus, linear algebra, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science—each of which is carefully tailored to meet the requirements of the various majors and serves as a foundation from which students can explore their academic interests and identify possible directions to help them make informed decisions about which major to pursue. The curriculum also includes a selection of general education courses offered by each degree program. These courses have been intentionally designed to extend beyond the boundaries of the chosen major and serve as a solid foundation for future interdisciplinary exploration, strengthening students' capacity for interdisciplinary innovation. After deciding on a major, students have the option of taking the science elective at their own pace.

In consonance with SUSTech's holistic vision, students must complete credit hours in the humanities module, the social sciences module, and the music and arts module. The humanities courses promote an understanding of a variety of classical Chinese and Western literary works and encourage students to critically interpret and analyze elements such as genres, thematic nuances, and historical contexts. By situating the humanities disciplines in their historical and cultural contexts, students are able to use this knowledge for creative thinking and effective problem solving. Courses in the Social Sciences module aim to provide an understanding of social and cultural diversity, social science theories, research methods, and the art of social research. This curriculum fosters critical thinking skills by training students to observe and analyze social phenomena with a discerning eye. The music and arts module emphasizes an appreciation of artistic expression and provides students with opportunities to interpret both traditional and contemporary artistic expressions. The module not only teaches interpretive skills, but also encourages student engagement with art forms such as music, drama, dance, and fine arts. Through this multi-faceted curricular approach, SUSTech students receive a comprehensive education that combines STEM fundamentals, language skills, humanistic insights, social science perspectives, and a cultivated appreciation for the arts. These interdisciplinary encounters foster the development of creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills and prepare students for the diverse challenges of their future careers.

The essence of SUSTech education lies in the seamless interplay of general education and discipline-specific learning, resulting in a comprehensive and cohesive learning experience. This harmonization enables students to apply their acquired knowledge and skills both within and outside their chosen disciplines and to develop solutions to real-world problems in a variety of contexts. This integration, in turn, leads to holistic personal, professional, ethical, and intellectual development. The institutionalized system of general education supports students' development in their chosen fields of study and beyond by providing them with required and elective courses that promote the acquisition of comprehensive knowledge and skills, advance the development of a growth-oriented mindset, and facilitate holistic personal maturation.

Complementing this educational paradigm are the residential colleges that serve as focal points for students' holistic development. These residence colleges go beyond mere housing and become the core of students' personal and communal development. In this supportive environment, students participate in interactive, extracurricular learning activities and mature cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Each SUSTech student is assigned to a residential college and is matched with a faculty advisor through a mutual selection process. These college life advisors, who are distinguished faculty members themselves, provide advice drawn from their academic backgrounds and life experiences, and often serve as exemplary role models for their advisees. To facilitate this interactive type of college education, SUSTech maintains a favorable faculty–student ratio of 1 to 10 to ensure that each student receives the attention and support they need.

The mission of SUSTech's residential colleges extends beyond the functions of housing and personal counseling to educating students to become proactive agents who can contribute positively to society. The colleges are crucibles that foster students' social development by having all students participate in various social practice projects. These initiatives are an integral part of the moral education module within the general education curriculum and are worth five credits. In collaboration with academic units, the residential colleges design and implement hands-on learning experiences that provide students with a conducive environment to explore their interests, enhance their self-awareness, promote social responsibility, and provide them with lifelong learning skills through collaborative learning, extracurricular engagement, special interest groups, and joint endeavors. The residential colleges are also crucibles for esthetic education, which manifests itself in the various student clubs and societies in the areas of chorus, theater, dance, folk music, symphony, and fine arts. Each residential college maintains its own constellation of clubs and encourages students to cultivate their sense of beauty in various artistic dimensions.

The particular structural dimension of SUSTech's general education focuses on an all-encompassing institution-wide framework. This structural innovation underpins a commitment to comprehensive student development that is supported by the residential college paradigm that promotes holistic student development. SUSTech's overarching ethos is complemented by a course system that accommodates both domestic and international students. SUSTech's general education model is characterized by its flexibility, offering students the freedom to choose courses and classes taught in both bilingual and English formats. In a departure from the traditional approach, SUSTech does not mandate the completion of the entire general education package within the first year. Instead, students are free to take the general education courses in any semester, with the exception of the GE science module, English and Chinese writing courses, and courses required by the Ministry of Education. This academic flexibility is underpinned by the principle that "all courses are open to all students in all programs". This approach gives students the opportunity to design their own knowledge framework and shape their learning path according to their individual needs.

#### *4.4. Pedagogical Dimension: A Student-Centered Approach*

In discussions of general education, less attention is paid to the pedagogical aspect compared to curriculum design. However, pedagogy plays a critical role in establishing an emotional and intellectual connection between students and their educational experiences. At SUSTech, general education is underpinned by a student-centered pedagogical approach in which various components harmonize to create an integrated learning environment.

At the core of SUSTech's educational framework are carefully structured courses within the science module. These courses are strategically designed to provide step-by-step challenges that are aligned with the mathematical prerequisites of the various majors. This curriculum serves a dual purpose: it encourages students to explore their potential and prepares them for specialized courses of study. Courses in physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science are carefully tailored to different levels of complexity and address the specific pedagogical goals and content intricacies of each area. Advanced courses are

closely aligned with their respective disciplines, while subjects less related to upcoming academic paths are designed to foster a broader understanding and engagement with scientific and technological fields.

In the humanities, social sciences, arts, and foreign languages, SUSTech employs innovative and student-centered teaching methods. These approaches foster versatile problem-solving skills, effective communication, and the transfer of knowledge to new contexts. Small class sizes are maintained in language courses to meet individual learning needs and promote meaningful interactions with instructors and fellow students. Interdisciplinary general education courses such as "Language and Science", "Interdisciplinary Solutions to Engineering and Social Problems", "Art Design from Theory to Practice", "Science in Science Fiction", and "Innovative Space Design" are designed to challenge students' understanding of real-world challenges, foster hidden talents and interests, increase self-confidence, and stimulate introspective thinking.

These pedagogical strategies transform the various components of general education at SUSTech into a coherent body of knowledge that promotes advanced cognitive skills. Students' academic journeys are linked to critical issues that are supported by wise advising and careful mentoring. Academic planning, career development, course selection, choice of a major, research initiatives, social practices, internships, and senior theses are enclosed in a framework of thoughtful advising. The declaration of a major takes on special significance, allowing students to refine their choices and solidify aspirations. Comprehensive support mechanisms facilitate exploration during the freshman year, with STEM courses and introductory offerings providing the foundation for an informed choice. SUSTech's overarching philosophy accommodates missteps and redirections, with courses for graduation and major declaration spanning both semesters, providing flexibility for up to six years to graduate.

At the heart of SUSTech's general education structure is the dual-advisor system, which provides personalized and comprehensive support. Each student is served by two advisors: a college advisor during general education and an academic advisor when deciding on a major. Residential college advisors guide students towards discerning decisions during major declaration. College advisors assist with course selection prior to deciding on a major and continue to provide academic advising after a student has decided on a major. Faculty mentoring in the residential colleges may take a variety of forms, but it is accompanied by a minimum advising load of 50 h per year and a clearly defined advising protocol. Each of SUSTech's six residential colleges consists of faculty members from different departments and organizes a range of activities to facilitate the transition of new advisors into their roles and to foster communities of practice to promote effective student advising. A "College Advisor of the Year" Award is presented each year to recognize outstanding advising performance.

At SUSTech, there is an additional layer of mentoring provided by academic advisors who offer guidance and supervision specifically related to degree programs. In some cases, college advisors also serve as academic advisors for students in their respective departments. Hence, the term "dual" applies to both students and advisors: students have dual advisors, while faculty members undertake the dual responsibility of general college life advising and discipline-specific academic advising. Both college advisors and academic advisors act as mentors with a comprehensive understanding of student development. They work closely with residential colleges, academic departments, and administrative offices to provide students with individualized and effective advising.
