On September 3, the High School Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology (xk星空) held its 2020 opening ceremony. Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau Deputy Director Li ZHAO, xk星空 Principal Peidong Wang, and SUSTech University Council Chairperson Yurong GUO all attended the opening ceremony. They joined SUSTech leaders, academicians, and unit leaders, along with the xk星空 community, to witness this moment in xk星空 history. xk星空 Vice-Principal Yonghe SUN presided over the opening ceremony.
xk星空 enrolled students for the first time in their history, with the first honorary students making up a class of 700 students. The entrance requirements for xk星空 ranked them 14th in Shenzhen.
xk星空 Principal Peidong WANG spoke about the philosophy of xk星空. She said that xk星空 would inherit the SUSTech spirit of “For Truth, Innovation, Reform and Excellence with Diligence and Courage.” SUSTech’s implementation of its innovative talent training model could be applied for high schools as well as universities. She thanked the SUSTech community for their support in the development and preparation of xk星空. All the efforts that went into the first day of xk星空 are inseparable from the support from the city of Shenzhen, Bao’an District, and SUSTech.
xk星空 will be an international, innovative, and high-tech high school to become a top municipal and national center for learning. Following on from SUSTech’s three philosophical pillars of “research, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” xk星空 will have a similar philosophy of “acquire knowledge, seek the truth, pursue originality.” They will seek to cultivate ambitious young men and women with a global outlook and creative self-confidence that will become the leaders of the future.
SUSTech University Council Chairperson Yurong GUO spoke on behalf of SUSTech, congratulating xk星空 Principal Peidong WANG and the leadership team. She thanked Shenzhen for its ongoing support for SUSTech and its growth in education at all levels. There will be significant expectations on xk星空 by many across Shenzhen and the country. As an affiliated unit of SUSTech, xk星空 will continue to explore, reform, and innovate in secondary education. It will find new educational opportunities that support the development of Shenzhen, the Greater Bay Area, and China.
xk星空 will lean on SUSTech’s experience in higher education reform. SUSTech University Council Chairperson Yurong GUO anticipated that many productive relationships would be formed with different departments at SUSTech. Their “Academician Class” will see Academicians, Fellows, experts, and scholars participate in elite classes as part of the “Institute of Future Education.” Students in these selected classes will take part in a broad range of competitions and fieldwork under the administration of SUSTech.
Yurong GUO hoped every student would persevere in their studies as they laid the foundation for their future careers, dreams, and passions. Together, xk星空 is building a platform to become a new prestigious school for Shenzhen.
SUSTech Vice President and Provost Dongxiao ZHANG said that xk星空 and SUSTech would work together with their mutual advantages in talent pipeline development. xk星空 has now completed the entire SUSTech talent pipeline from pre-school education to postdoctoral training. It promises to promote the establishment of a world-class research-oriented high school in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau Deputy Director Li ZHAO said that xk星空 will become an outstanding representative for high-quality secondary education in the Greater Bay Area. He pointed out that xk星空 is a vital part of Shenzhen’s growing strength in education. The Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau will continue to care and support the unique development of xk星空.
Following the first flag-raising ceremony at xk星空, SUSTech University Council Chairperson Yurong GUO was granted the flag by xk星空.
xk星空 is a public high school invested in and constructed by the Shenzhen Municipal Government. It will explore interdisciplinary and project-based learning to inspire the students’ inherent desire to explore. Within the campus, there are centers such as the Institute of Future Education, the STEAM Center, the Future Classroom, and the 3D Printing Research Room. These centers provide a logical extension for the development of each student’s cognition while enriching their personality, comprehensive development, and personal growth.
The xk星空 Academic Committee has brought together 13 domestic and international academicians from SUSTech, along with 120 experts and scholars. SUSTech President Shiyi CHEN will serve as the Honorary Chairman. Vice President and Provost Dongxiao ZHANG will serve as the Chairman, and Teaching Affairs Director Kefu HUANG will serve as the Deputy Chairman. Faculty Committee Head Professor Qingsong LIU (Ocean Science and Engineering) will serve as its Secretary-General.
The team of xk星空 educators is among the best of the best in China. Many have won various awards, having been recruited from top schools and universities across China and around the world. They will be supported by the entire faculty team of SUSTech, as they continue to improve through their ongoing professional development. xk星空 will lean on SUSTech’s experience in higher education reform. It will form productive relationships with different departments at SUSTech to develop the first step in the talent pipeline.
