Shenzhen University (SZU) officially inaugurated its School of Artificial Intelligence on April 21, 2025, marking a strategic leap in China's AI education landscape. Backed by tech giants like Tencent and Huawei, the college debuts with an 80-member faculty team including 3 academicians and launches its first undergraduate AI programs. Discover how this Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area initiative blends cutting-edge research with industry needs through innovative "X+AI" interdisciplinary models.
Academic Powerhouse: Faculty & Infrastructure
Star-Studded Academic Lineup
The college assembles an elite team of 2 Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians, 1 Japanese Engineering Academy fellow, and 5 national-level talents specializing in core AI domains like embodied intelligence and algorithm optimization. Supported by SZU's existing National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data System Computing Technology, the faculty will lead research in:
AI-powered medical diagnostics
Autonomous robotics systems
Cryptography and data security
President Mao Junfa emphasized during the inauguration: "This isn't just another AI department – we're building a full-cycle innovation ecosystem from fundamental research to industrial applications."
Cutting-Edge Facilities
The Yuehai Campus in Nanshan District houses three flagship platforms:
?? Tencent Cloud AI Lab
Provides students access to 10,000+ GPU clusters for machine learning projects
?? Embodied Intelligence Center
Partners with UBTECH to develop humanoid robotics with natural gait patterns
Innovative Academic Structure
Undergraduate Programs
Launching in September 2025 with 110-130 seats, the IEEE Honors Track offers three streams:
?? Core AI Disciplines
Algorithm Engineering
Machine Learning Systems
Cryptographic Science
?? Industry Partnerships
Tencent: Cloud computing certifications
Huawei: Chip design workshops
Postgraduate Innovation
The college pioneers a "1+2+N" mentorship model:
1 academic supervisor
2 industry advisors
N cross-disciplinary collaborators
As Chen Ning, CEO of Intellifusion Technologies, noted: "SZU's AI+X approach bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world implementation – exactly what China's tech sector needs."
Global Collaborations & Industry Impact
?? International Alliances
Joint PhD programs with HKUST
Student exchange with Tsukuba University
?? Tech Partnerships
Tencent: AI model optimization
SenseTime: Computer vision R&D
Research Commercialization
The Luohu District Innovation Hub will accelerate tech transfer through:
Priority IP licensing for startups
Shared cloud computing resources
AI entrepreneurship incubators
As reported by Shenzhen Daily: "This could reduce AI product development cycles from 18 months to 6 months for local SMEs."
Key Takeaways
?? SZU's AI College launches with 80+ top-tier faculty including 3 academicians
?? Focus areas: Embodied intelligence, AI-driven healthcare, and secure computing
?? First 110-130 undergrads to enroll September 2025
?? Strategic partnerships with Tencent, Huawei, and SenseTime
?? $23M initial funding for cross-disciplinary research projects
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