To implement the national strategic deployment for specialised programmes cultivating urgently needed high-level talent in critical fields, address the pressing demand for personnel in major scientific and technological breakthrough areas, and foster urgently required talent for developing new productive forces and advancing high-quality development, the Ministry of Education has specially approved the Talent Reserve Programme for doctoral candidates under the team of Academician Xie Heping at Shenzhen University. This initiative innovatively establishes a cross-disciplinary, cross-faculty, and cross-institutional model for cultivating outstanding innovative talents. It is based on direct progression from undergraduate to master's to doctoral studies, integrated master's-to-doctoral programmes, and doctoral admissions via an application-based assessment system. This model facilitates collaborative supervision by dual or multiple mentors. This programme recruits doctoral candidates from both domestic and international applicants, prioritising recruitment and training in key areas of the Xie Heping Academy Member team's pioneering research, disruptive technologies, and multidisciplinary intersections. These include: - Deep Earth, Deep Sea, and Deep Space Energy Resource Development - Carbon Neutrality CCUS - ZC-DCFC/SOEC Electrochemical Energy - Medium-Low Temperature Geothermal Power Generation/Direct Seawater Hydrogen Production - Hydrogen-Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - Intelligent Robotics - Secure and Efficient Large-Scale Energy Storage In accordance with relevant national policy documents and university requirements, the detailed implementation rules for the 2026 doctoral admissions under this programme are hereby announced as follows:

I. Fundamental Principles

(1) Select candidates on merit, ensure quality, and maintain standards rather than compromise.

(2) Foster moderate competition between supervisors and disciplines to stimulate intrinsic motivation for enhancing applicant calibre.

(3) The entire process shall be conducted with transparency, fairness, and impartiality.

II. Admission Methods, Admission Routes and Planned Intake Numbers

The 2026 intake comprises academic doctoral candidates. Details of the programmes, supervising academics, and proposed intake numbers are provided in the table below:

Admission method: Direct entry to doctoral studies, application-based assessment system.

III. Application Requirements

(i) Applicants must satisfy all conditions stipulated in the Shenzhen University Doctoral Programme Admission Regulations for 2026.

(ii) Foreign language proficiency must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Passing the CET-4 or CET-6 examination (scoring 425 points);

2. Achieving a TOEFL score of 75 or above (equivalent to 550 points under the old TOEFL system);

3. IELTS score of 6.0 or above;

4. PETS Level 5 certificate;

5. GRE score of 1200 or above (310 under the new scale);

6. Master's or doctoral degree obtained in an English-speaking country or region;

7. Publication of an English-language academic paper in an international journal as first author (including co-first author) or as second author with the supervisor as first author.

(iii) Applicants applying via the "Application-Examination" system must meet the following criteria:

1. Fulfil requirements under (i) and (ii) of the application criteria.

2. Holders of a master's or doctoral degree, or current master's graduates (who must obtain their master's degree before doctoral enrolment). Those holding master's degrees from overseas universities must obtain certification from the China Education Certification Centre (CECC) and submit the certification report. Applicants currently enrolled overseas who have not yet obtained their master's degree must provide a certificate of enrolment from their institution (stating the expected date of master's degree conferral). If admitted, they must submit their master's degree certificate and the certification report from the China Education Certification Centre within the stipulated timeframe (or first provide an explanatory letter issued by the China Education Certification Centre, with the certification report to be submitted before enrolment). Failure to do so will result in cancellation of admission eligibility.

3. Except for applicants holding a master's degree from institutions ranked within the top 200 globally (which must feature in at least two of the four major rankings: ARWU, QS, THE, USNEWS), applicants must possess at least one formally recognised innovative achievement. Such achievements must exhibit independent and complete content and form, and may be demonstrated through diverse formats, excluding degree theses. They primarily include the following:

(1) Formally published high-level academic papers;

(2) Authorised invention patents and software copyright registrations;

(3) Formally published academic monographs;

(4) Top 5 recipients of first prizes or top 3 recipients of second prizes in municipal (sub-provincial) or national-level academic/association competitions, or sole recipients of third prizes; provincial/ministerial-level or higher scientific research awards;

(5) Provincial-level or higher scientific research competition awards;

(6) Think tank research reports receiving positive endorsement from principal municipal (sub-provincial) authorities;

(7) Leading university-level or higher research projects;

(8) Substantive contributions as principal members in formulating industry/provincial/ministerial or national standards, specifications, codes, or guidelines;

(9) Substantive contributions as principal members in developing provincial/ministerial construction methods (ranking within the top 5 contributors for national construction methods).

Applicants must be listed as one of the top two authors or the corresponding author of the innovation output. Where an applicant is ranked second, their postgraduate supervisor must be ranked first. (For academic papers with co-first authors or multiple corresponding authors, the contribution is calculated as 1/N, where N represents the number of co-first authors or multiple corresponding authors.)

4. Applicants must agree to non-directed admission status; once provisionally admitted, this category cannot be altered. Prior to admission, organisational affiliation documents and personnel files must be transferred to the Graduate School Archives Office at Shenzhen University; failure to do so will result in the withholding of the Letter of Admission.

(IV) Applicants pursuing integrated Master's-PhD programmes must satisfy the following conditions:

1. Meet requirements outlined in sections (I) and (II) of the application criteria.

2. Be a second-year full-time Master's student at this institution (enrolled September 2024), with the current Master's discipline being relevant or closely related to the applied programme. The applicant must have successfully completed all first-year courses specified in the Master's programme curriculum with excellent academic standing, demonstrate strong research capabilities and potential for innovative achievements, and have obtained the consent and recommendation of their Master's supervisor.

IV. Selection Process

(I) Individual Applications Candidates must contact their prospective supervisor in advance to submit an application. Admission is contingent upon the supervisor's approval.

1. Online Registration. Eligible applicants must register independently via the China Graduate Admission Information Network (http://yz.chsi.com.cn/bsbm). The online registration deadline is 23:59 on 5 March 2026.

2. Submission of Materials. Applicants must post the following application materials by EMS (or SF Express) to the Special Recruitment Working Group Office (Address: 8th Floor, Huixing Building, Yuehai Campus, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province; Attn: Ms Chen; Tel: 13922808164) by 23:59 on 5 March 2026 (postmark date applies). Materials must be organised in the sequence below, with a table of contents added, bound into a single volume. Tel: 13922808164). Please mark parcels "Application Materials for Doctoral Programme under the Talent Reserve Scheme". To ensure completeness, unorganised or unbound materials will not be accepted.

Electronic Materials: Applicants must merge all electronic application materials (including the contents list) into a single PDF file (Submit to the admissions email address of the college chenbin@szu.edu.cn by 23:59 on 5 March 2026.). The email subject line and attachment filename must be labelled as "Name + 2026 Talent Reserve Programme Doctoral Application".

Unless otherwise specified, applicants for both the integrated Master's-PhD programme and the "Application-Examination" system must submit the following:

(1) Doctoral Candidate Online Application Summary Form (Applicants must register online via the China Graduate Admission Information Network (http://yz.chsi.com.cn/bsbm), print the form, sign it personally, and have their personnel department indicate approval for applying to a designated/non-designated employment programme in the designated signature and seal section. Current students should obtain signatures and seals from their faculty; non-current students from their employing organisation or archive custodian).

(2) For applicants under the "Application-Assessment" system, submit the Doctoral Candidate Application Form. Current students should obtain signatures and seals from their faculty; non-current students from their employing organisation or archive custodian. non-directed employment doctoral programme. Current students should obtain signature and seal from their faculty; non-current students from their employing organisation or archive custodian).

(2) Applicants under the "Application-Assessment" system must submit the Shenzhen University 2026 Doctoral Programme Application Form for the Application-Assessment System. Direct Master's-to-Doctoral applicants must submit the Shenzhen University 2026 Direct Master's-to-Doctoral Programme Application Form.

(3) Current Master's graduates applying via the Application-Assessment System and those applying for the Master's-Doctoral Continuation Programme must submit the Shenzhen University 2026 Doctoral Candidate Political Review (Current Conduct) Materials, completed by the Party Committee of their respective School.

(4) Applicants under the "Application-Examination" system shall submit copies of their academic qualifications or degree certificates (recent master's graduates must provide an original proof of enrolment issued by their home institution's graduate school or postgraduate administration department). Applicants for the integrated master's-to-doctoral programme shall submit a copy of their student ID card (which must include personal details, photograph, and registration status).

(5) Applicants under the "Application-Examination" system must submit original transcripts of their Master's coursework (bearing the official seal of the postgraduate academic records department). Applicants for the integrated Master's-Doctoral programme must submit original transcripts for their first academic year issued by the Graduate School.

(6) Master's thesis (current Master's graduates may provide an abstract and table of contents; applicants for the integrated programme are exempt).

(7) Written recommendation letters from at least two individuals holding the rank of Associate Professor or above (or equivalent professional technical title) within the applicant's field of study. Recommendation letters must use the template provided by our university and bear the official seal of the recommender's department or faculty.

(8) Research proposal for the intended doctoral studies (minimum 3,000 words; see application form).

(9) Evidence of foreign language proficiency (e.g., CET-4/6 certificates, TOEFL iBT score reports, IELTS certificates, degree certificates from fully English-taught programmes, English-language academic publications).

(10) Copies of award certificates, published academic papers, patents, and other original achievements.

(11) Original medical examination report issued by a Grade III Class A hospital or above, confirming health status meets national and Shenzhen University postgraduate admission requirements (examination items must include: internal medicine, surgery, ENT, chest X-ray/radiography, two liver function tests, two kidney function tests, complete blood count).

(12) Photocopies of both sides of the second-generation People's Republic of China Resident Identity Card (lawfully issued and within validity period).

(13) Relevant form templates: https://yz.szu.edu.cn/info/1021/13264.htm.

Applicants shall provide the aforementioned application materials truthfully. Any violations or fraudulent practices during registration or assessment shall be dealt with strictly in accordance with the Measures for Handling Violations in National Education Examinations and relevant regulations. For current students, their educational institution shall be notified, and disciplinary action shall be imposed by the institution in accordance with relevant regulations, up to and including expulsion. For employed candidates, their employing organisation shall be notified, and disciplinary action shall be imposed by the organisation in accordance with Party or administrative regulations, depending on the severity of the circumstances. Applicants shall bear full responsibility for any consequences arising from such actions, including but not limited to ineligibility for admission.

(2) Qualification Review

Upon receipt of applicants' materials, this specialised task force shall organise a panel of no fewer than three members to conduct eligibility assessments against the application criteria. The assessment outcomes shall be submitted to the Postgraduate Admissions Office, which shall conduct random checks on the results before publishing them uniformly for public scrutiny.

(III) Supervisor Recommendation The Talent Reserve Programme Working Group shall submit applicants' materials to their chosen supervisors. Supervisors shall review the materials, provide recommendation opinions, and rank applicants who have applied to supervise them. This stage respects supervisors' autonomy in admissions.

(IV) Expert Preliminary Review and Determination of Re-examination Candidates The Talent Reserve Programme establishes an expert panel to meticulously review applicant materials in accordance with established implementation guidelines. The panel conducts preliminary evaluations of applicants' research innovation capabilities to determine eligibility. The panel, in consultation with the supervising professors' preferences and applying a competitive interview ratio, determines the list of applicants proceeding to the interview assessment stage. Applicants without a supervisor's recommendation will not advance to this stage. The proposed list of applicants for interview assessment is published on the Shenzhen University Postgraduate Admissions website. Those without objections raised during the publication period may proceed to the interview assessment stage.

(V) Re-examination Assessment (Comprehensive Interview) This talent reserve programme will organise experts to conduct re-examination assessments. Specific dates, venues, and assessment methods will be notified to candidates in advance and published on the Shenzhen University Postgraduate Admissions website. The assessment requirements are as follows:

1. The assessment comprises four components totalling 500 marks: foreign language proficiency (100 marks), professional competence (100 marks), research potential (200 marks), and comprehensive abilities (100 marks). Emphasis will be placed on evaluating the applicant's scientific innovation capabilities, suitability for doctoral training within the primary discipline, and their overall capacity for analytical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. Additionally, the applicant's ideological and political stance, psychological resilience, and moral character will be assessed. A total score below 300 points will result in non-admission.

2. During the assessment, each applicant must present their personal profile, academic transcripts, research projects, scholarly achievements, and proposed research plan for the doctoral programme. Assessment panel members will score applicants across four dimensions: foreign language proficiency (100 points), professional competence (100 points), research potential (200 points), and comprehensive abilities (100 points).

3. The assessment process is standardised, fully recorded via video, and accompanied by on-site documentation, including scores and written evaluations.

4. By the end of March 2026 (subject to final scheduling), the working group will submit a proposed admission list to the university, ranked by total assessment scores from highest to lowest (candidates scoring below 300 points will not be admitted), and forward relevant materials to the Postgraduate Admissions Office.

V. Oversight Mechanism

(1) Information Disclosure. This Talent Reserve Programme Working Group shall publicly disclose, as required, the following: admissions policies, admissions regulations, admissions quotas, list of programmes offered, applicant eligibility criteria, application procedures, admission outcomes, consultation and appeal channels, as well as major disciplinary incidents and their resolutions. Concurrently, relevant implementation details, along with the number of admissions and information concerning all applicants participating in assessments, shall be promptly published on the institution's website. Should any changes occur to the proposed admission list during its public display period, the Talent Reserve Special Task Force shall provide a specific explanation for the altered sections and separately display the amended content for a further 10 working days. Applicants not included in the publicly displayed list shall not be admitted.

(2) Applicants must provide truthful application materials. Should any applicant be found to have submitted false materials, engaged in cheating, or committed other disciplinary violations, they shall be subject to serious disciplinary action in accordance with relevant national laws, regulations, and Ministry of Education provisions, depending on the severity of the offence. Any consequences arising therefrom, including non-admission, shall be borne solely by the applicant.

(3) Experts conducting the re-examination for this Talent Reserve Programme must adhere to academic and professional ethical standards.

VI. Other Notes

(1) All doctoral candidates jointly recruited through this special programme in collaboration with Academician Xie Heping's team shall undergo joint training under the principle of "one candidate, one research direction, one agreement". This entails one doctoral candidate corresponding to one interdisciplinary research direction, with a specific joint training agreement to be signed. The doctoral candidate's research direction must be closely aligned with Academician Xie Heping's team's primary frontier explorations, key research areas, and interdisciplinary cross-boundary directions. The entire doctoral recruitment and training process (including topic selection, mid-term assessment, and graduation defence) shall be organised and fully overseen by Academician Xie Heping's team. This programme adopts a cross-disciplinary, cross-faculty, cross-university model for cultivating outstanding innovative talent, featuring collaborative supervision by dual or multiple supervisors.

(2) The ratio of admissions via the application-based assessment system and the integrated master's-to-doctoral programme shall be determined holistically based on disciplinary realities and applicant circumstances. A second round of admissions will commence in due course following the formal allocation of the 2026 doctoral enrolment quota by the Ministry of Education.

(3) The Xie Heping Academy Member Team reserves the final right of interpretation regarding this specialised recruitment initiative.

Contributed by: Chen Bin

First Reviewed by: Lu Qiuyue

Second Reviewed by: Zou Liang

Third Reviewed by: Zuo Yingzi