Shantou University


Shantou University, is a university under the provincial Project 211 program in Shantou, Guangdong. It was founded in 1981 with the approval of the State Council.
It is the only public university in China that receives funding from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
It is supported by the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Li Ka Shing Foundation.

History

Shantou University was founded in 1981 and started student enrollment in 1983. It is the only institution of higher education in the Chaoshan area.
STU, a key comprehensive university under the provincial Project 211 program, was founded in 1981 with the approval of the State Council. As the only public university that receives long-term funding from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, it is jointly supported by the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Li Ka Shing Foundation. The Li Ka Shing Foundation has committed and donated a total of HK$5.4 billion to support Shantou University, of which HK$4.2 billion has already been donated as of 2012.
STU is planning to relocate the Medical College into the main campus and to develop a globally advanced curriculum focusing on life science. Since 2001, the University has conducted a profound internationalization-oriented reform, and overseas talents have been recruited to serve as provost, vice president and deans. Through a series of reforms in curriculum design, teaching, resources management and human resources system, it aims to offer a platform for the exploration of higher educational reform in China.
STU is strongly supported by the Central, Provincial, and Municipal authorities. The Current General secretary visited the university in the early 1990s. Former General secretary Jiang Zemin paid two visits to the university and wrote the following inscription as praise and encouragement to the staff and students: "The mission is demanding and the journey ahead is long." Other leaders of the Central Government have also visited the university. Among them are Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party Hu Jintao, Premier Li Peng, NPC, Chairman Qiao Shi, CPPCC Chairman Li Ruihuan, Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Vice Governor of Guangdong Wang Yang.
In 2012, the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Li Ka Shing Foundation signed a tripartite agreement to co-develop STU. The agreement was reached to support STU’s continuing reform efforts geared to an internationally renowned and nationally elite university.

Institution

Organization Structure of Shantou University

'''Current Student Enrollment'''

History

Background of Establishment



With the support and assistance of the Li Ka Shing Foundation and government officials at all levels, STU has achieved rapid development in the past three decades. Relations between the Li Ka Shing Foundation and University Communist party officials have soured over the years with significant conflict occurring in 2018 and 2019. As of 2019 the Li Ka Shing Foundation no longer has an office on campus.
  • On August 26, 1983, the State Council granted permission to establish STU.
  • In 1983, STU began to enroll undergraduate students, and the Ministry of Education approved Shantou Medical Vocational School to be merged into STU and renamed Shantou University Medical College.
  • On January 1, 1984, the STU foundation stone-laying ceremony was held.
  • On June 20, 1986, Deng Xiaoping received Mr. Li Ka-shing in Beijing and suggested that STU should develop along freer lines and gradually attain the status of a national key university.
  • On February 10, 1987, the STU Council was established.
  • On February 8, 1990, the STU inauguration ceremony was held.
  • In 1991, STU was listed among the universities to enroll students with scores above the first-round undergraduate admission cut-off mark.
  • In 1993, STU was authorized to conduct Master’s programs.
  • In 1998, STU was authorized to offer doctoral programs.
  • In 2001, STU started its comprehensive educational reform.
  • In 2001, the “Sunshine Finance” reform was launched.
  • In 2001, the Preclinical Medicine Center for post-doctoral studies was established.
  • In 2002, Pathology and Pathophysiology were approved by the MOE as a National Key Discipline.
  • In 2002, the Credit System Reform and English Enhancement Program were launched.
  • In 2002, the system-based integrated medical curriculum was implemented.
  • In 2006, the EIP-CDIO engineering educational reform was initiated.
  • In 2007, the reform of the faculty’s annual-salary system was conducted.
  • In 2008, STU was approved by the Ministry of Education to admit students who are recommended for master's degree programs without taking the exam.
  • In 2008, the pilot project of residential college system reform was launched, and the full-range undergraduate residential college, Veritas College, was established.
  • In 2009, STU was Designated by the GD Government as a pilot university for transforming into a self-governing institution of higher education.
  • In 2011, STU’s proposed program of transform itself into a self-governing institution of higher education and conducting Medical Educational Reform was designated as the “Guangdong Pilot Project of Comprehensive Educational Reform”.
  • In 2011, Integrative Thinking core curriculum was designed for freshmen enrolled in 2011.
  • In 2012, each undergraduate student was required to take a community service course.
  • In 2012, the Business School’s Business Administration Degree Program was the first in Asia to pass the international accreditation of EPAS – EFMD Programme Accreditation System.
  • In June 2012, the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Li Ka Shing Foundation signed a tripartite agreement to co-develop STU.
  • In 2013, STU was listed by the Ministry of Education of China as a mainland China partner university in “The Faculty and Students Exchange Programme between Universities in Hong Kong and Mainland China”.

    Leadership

  • Honorary Chairman of Shantou University Council: Li Ka-Shing
  • Chairmen of Shantou University Council: Wu Nansheng, Lu Zhonghe, Li Hongzhong, Song Hai, and Chen Yunxian
  • Honorary President: Xu Dixin
  • Presidents: Xu Dixin, Yang Yingqun, Dai Jingchen, Lin Weiming, Zhang Xiangwei, and Xu Xiaohu
  • Party Secretaries: Lin Chuan, Yang Yingqun, Lin Weiming, Huang Zanfa, Xie Liangao, and Song Yaozhen

    Campus

Shantou University is located at the foot of Sangpu Mountain and covers an area of 1.26 km2 with a total floor space of 455,500m2.

New Library

The STU new library, constructed with an investment from the Li Ka Shing Foundation of about 200 million RMB, was inaugurated and put into service in 2009. It is reputed as “the most beautiful university library in Asia”. The new library was designed by Ray Chen. Situated at the core of the library is the Grate Hall of Reading.
With a total area of 21,000 square meters, the library features 1500 seats and 27 seminar rooms, and also has an exhibition room, lecture hall, conference center and Student Lounge. The library is covered with a wireless LAN to facilitate online journals database access. It took the lead in China in applying the UHF RFID technology to its book circulation as well as book sorting and checking. Total collections exceed 1,743,000 volumes or items, and the Chaoshan Literature Collection is listed in the project CADAL-China Academic Digital Associative Library, a national digital library project co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and National Development and Reform Commission.
The statue entitled “Looking up • Looking down”, one of the masterpieces of the British sculptor Zadok Ben-David, is placed near the entrance to the library.

Ju Ming’s Sculpture Series “Living World”

In June 2006, the bronze sculpture series, “Living World” from Ju Ming, a famous Taiwanese sculptor, was positioned besides the picturesque reservoir on STU campus. The lower part of the cylinder-shaped building that holds the sculpture is constructed as a half-open reservoir working room.

The Great Hall

The Great Hall, also known as the auditorium, has a total area of over 5,600m2 and a seating capacity of 1,798. It is equipped with
advanced lighting, audiovisuals, and air conditioning.

Block A

Block A, STU’s new administrative building, was inaugurated by Mr. Li Ka-Shing on June 28, 2012. The building covers a total area of 5,545m2 and has a floor space of 16,319 m2.

Academic Conference Center (ACC)

The academic conference center was designed by William Chang Suk Ping. The ACC has over 50 rooms and conference halls.

STU Sports Park

On June 29, 2012, a special ceremony was held to launch the STU sports arena project at its construction site. The Sports Park is designed to cover an area of 60,868.6m2 and has a total construction area of 52,127.4m2. It includes a 6,000-seat multi-use arena, a natatorium with pool, sport and fitness training facilities, a conference hall, a 200-room hotel and a car park for 200 vehicles. The sports arena is known as“High Park”. Li Ka Shing Foundation will offer full funding for the Construction Project, which is estimated as 350 million RMB. The construction project was scheduled to be completed in 2015. The sports arena will serve as a platform in support of STU’s whole-person education.

Colleges and Schools

Shantou University consists of the following colleges and schools: