Shanghai Jiao Tong University opens future tech school

Shanghai Jiao Tong University opened its future technology school to pursue breakthroughs in future energy and health technologies on Aug 19.

The dean of the new school is Ni Jun, a world-renowned professor of smart manufacturing and a recipient of the 2013 China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.

The future technology school will focus on frontier sciences and offer two majors - sustainable energy and health science and technology – that address challenges such as environmental pollution, climate change and energy shortages.

The university said it will leverage its advantages in science, engineering and medicine disciplines to develop the school through interdisciplinary and international cooperation.

This May, China's education authorities unveiled a list of 12 top universities, including SJTU, that will set up future technology schools to cultivate leading talent in cutting-edge technologies.

According to SJTU, its future technology school will promote experiential engineering education which features more scientific research practice and extracurricular activities to cultivate students' ability to apply their knowledge, solve problems, innovate, design, cooperate, lead as well as think critically.

It will allow students to select interdisciplinary courses based on their interests. Undergraduates will be able to choose their interest areas in the second year of study and take part in research programs. Outstanding students will be eligible for master's or MD-PhD programs.

The new school will expand cooperation with international partners to set up joint research centers and collaborate on research and education. It will also send its students to top overseas labs for cooperation in scientific research.

The future technology school will also cooperate with enterprises to develop courses, match students with academic and industrial tutors, and offer practice opportunities at enterprises.