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SUSTech-King's School of Medicine opens

Writer: Han Ximin  |  Editor: Zhang Zeling  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2024-09-06

The inaugural welcome ceremony of  SUSTech-King's College London School of Medicine was held at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) earlier this week, marking a new phase of international collaboration between SUSTech and King's College London (King’s) in the field of biomedical higher education.

A group photo on the freshmen welcome ceremony of SUSTech-King's School of Medicine. File photo

Xue Qikun, SUSTech’s president, welcomed the 2024 class and emphasized that with the enrolling its first class in 2024 to the joint school, the students should fully leverage the rich resources and platforms provided by both universities and seize the opportunities for their academic studies. 

President Xue Qikun

Shitij Kapur, president of King’s, was delighted to welcome the first group of students to enrol at the Joint Medical School and praised the longstanding efforts of both institutions in joint education.

He said the programs in Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering combine King’s research and teaching excellence with SUSTech’s cutting-edge facilities to educate the next generation of health care professionals.  

President Shitij Kapur

Wang Songling, dean of the School of Medicine at SUSTech, and dean of the Joint Medical School, described the Joint Medical School as a Sino-foreign cooperative institution formed through the strong partnership between the two universities.

According to the plan, the Joint Medical School offers two programs, including biomedical science and biomedical engineering, aiming to cultivate future leaders with an international perspective, innovative thinking, and solid professional skills.

Wang said the biomedical industry is developing at an unprecedented pace, critically influencing the nation's technological strength and international competitiveness. With breakthroughs in multi-omics, precision medicine, gene editing, and other frontier technologies, the biomedical industry is entering a golden age full of limitless possibilities.

He emphasized that the Joint Medical School is not just an educational platform but a vibrant and innovative academic community. The Joint Medical School integrates top academic, research, and social practice resources, providing opportunities and space for faculty and students from diverse backgrounds to grow and advance together.

Academician Wang Songling

SUSTech, established in Shenzhen under the context of China's higher education reform and development, is a new public research university with high standards and positioning. The university has built an academic system focusing on science, engineering, and medicine, with complementary strengths in business, humanities and social sciences. In February 2022, it was selected as one of the “Double First-Class” universities in China. 

The Joint Medical School, leveraging SUSTech’s innovative educational features and King’s international educational resources, offers students a unique learning platform.

Students will be enrolled at both universities, enjoying access to both institutions' academic and alumni resources, and will receive degrees from both universities. This not only reflects educational diversity but also ensures the internationalization of academic standards.

The Biomedical Sciences program integrates King’s strengths in genetics and pharmacology, offers clinical observation programs, and emphasizes practical skills development. Biomedical Engineering, a flagship program of King’s, focuses on the frontiers of medical engineering, emphasizing the practical application of interdisciplinary knowledge and technology to solve biomedical problems.

More than one-third of the courses at the Joint Medical School are sourced from King’s. The highly international faculty, professional management team, rich research and clinical practice opportunities, and customized English instruction will support students’ career development and enhance their international competitiveness. Additionally, students ranked in the top 20% of their program will have direct admission to postgraduate programs at King’s.

The inaugural welcome ceremony of SUSTech-King's College London School of Medicine was held at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) earlier this week, marking a new phase of international collaboration between SUSTech and King's College London (King’s) in the field of biomedical higher education.