Pursuant to the Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education on Issuing the 2026 Graduate Student Enrolment Plan for the High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities (Jiao Min Ting [2025] No. 1), Shenzhen University will recruit doctoral candidates (professional degrees) nationwide under the High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities in 2026. In accordance with the Shenzhen University 2026 Doctoral Programme Admission Prospectus for the High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities, our faculty hereby establishes the following implementation details for the 2026 doctoral admissions under this programme:

I. Fundamental Principles

(1) Select candidates based on merit, ensure quality, and prioritise excellence over quantity.

(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. Programmes, Admission Methods, and Intended Intake

(1) Programme: Civil Engineering and Hydraulic Engineering.

(2) Admitting Supervisors:

1. Deep Rock and Energy Engineering: Xie Heping, Gao Mingzhong, Zhu Jianbo, Long Xiting, Li Cunbao, An Senyou, Zhou Tao, Chen Bin, You Tian, Liao Zhiyi, Li Minghui, Zhang Kai, Zhao Le, Wang Jun, Lu Jun, Hu Jianjun;

2. Digital and Intelligent Geotechnical and Underground Engineering: Chen Xiangsheng, Yin Jianhua, DIAS DANIEL, Bao Xiaohua, Pu Hefu, Wang Shuying, Shi Xiusong, Su Dong, Sun Xiaohui, Lü Haimin, Xu Tao, Jin Yinfu, Fei Jianbo, Yang Jie, Zheng Xiangcou, Chen Wenbo, Fu Yanbin, Liu Kai, Liang Weijian, Zhao Yanru, Hong Chengyu, Dong Zijun, Qiu Tong, Yang Jianjin, Han Kaihang, Liu Yifei, Lin Xingtao, Xia Changqing, Shen Xiang, Shen Jun;

3. Structural Design and Performance Assurance: Ren Weixin, Fu Jiyang, Zhang Lianzhen, Hong Shuxian, Li Lixiao, Hu Biao, Zhou Rui, Huang Xiaoxu;

4. Urban Spatial Information Engineering: Guo Renzhong, Zhang Dejin, Tu Wei, Zhou Baoding, Qin Xiaoqiong, Li Mingxiao;

5. Sustainable Materials Design and Application: Chen Zhongping, LIU QINGXIA, Long Wujian, Cui Hongzhi, Dong Biqin, Zhou Yingwu, Zhu Jihua, Liu Wei, Liu Jun, Zhang Yuanyuan, Wang Yanshuai, Hao Gengren, Zhong Hui, Guan Minsheng, Wang Yaocheng, Zhan Baojian, Pei Chun, Lü Leyang, Fan Shengxin, Zheng Dapeng, Yang Shuqing, Yan Xiantong, Yang Haibin;

6. Intelligent Transport and Low-Altitude Logistics: Zhu Jiasong, Liu Tongxu, Xue Zhaojie, Li Linchao, Luo Qin;

7. Smart Construction and Sustainable Building: Mo Jinhang, Li Jingru, Fan Cheng, Liao Longhui, Ma Cong, Wu Zezhou, Luo Xianghuan, Wu Huanyu, Cao Xiangpeng.

(iii) Admission Method: Application-based assessment system.

(iv) Proposed Intake: The "Graduate Student Recruitment Plan for High-Level Backbone Talents from Ethnic Minorities" (hereinafter referred to as the "Backbone Plan") constitutes a state-directed specialised recruitment initiative. In 2026, our institute plans to admit two doctoral candidates under the Backbone Plan.

III. Eligible Candidates

(1) Ethnic minority candidates whose place of origin is in the provinces or autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Tibet, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang (including the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps), as well as Han candidates who have worked in the aforementioned regions for at least three years and remain employed locally at the time of application.

(2) Ethnic minority candidates originating from Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu and other provinces/municipalities; ethnic minority candidates from ethnic autonomous regions and border counties (cities) in Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hubei, Hunan (including one county and two districts in Zhangjiajie City benefiting from western development policies); and Han candidates who have worked for at least three years in ethnic autonomous regions designated by the State Council within the aforementioned areas and remain employed locally at the time of application.

(3) Teaching and administrative staff undertaking duties in Tibet-specific classes and Xinjiang-specific classes, as well as graduates of the "Non-Tibet Origin Targeted Employment Scheme for Tibet" who have worked in Tibet for five years or more.

IV. Eligibility Confirmation and Application Requirements

(1) Candidates applying for the High-Level Backbone Talent Scheme must submit their application details via the Scheme's eligibility application platform on the China Graduate Admission Information Network (accessible via the homepage of the "China Graduate Admission Information Network" under "Eligibility Application Platform for the High-Level Backbone Talent Scheme for Ethnic Minorities", URL: https://mz.chsi.com.cn/mzjh/stu/). Required materials should be referenced from previous years' notification requirements. Registration is only permitted after online verification and approval by the provincial education administrative department in the candidate's place of origin. Candidates must submit application information within the designated registration period and promptly check review outcomes to supplement materials where necessary.

All Key Talent Scheme candidates must complete the 2026 Minority High-Level Key Talent Scheme Candidate Registration Form via the scheme's digital management platform. After online approval by the provincial education administrative department of their place of origin, the form must be downloaded and printed. The form must bear the official seal (or electronic seal) of the provincial education administrative department in the candidate's place of origin. Employed candidates must additionally obtain verification and endorsement from their employer. Upon confirmation of eligibility, candidates must post one original copy of the form along with all other application materials to the Doctoral Admissions Office of the School (Address: Room B501, School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Zhi Gong Building, Canghai Campus, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province. Attn: Ms Qiu, Tel: 0755-26918270). Candidates failing to meet the eligibility criteria regarding place of origin or application requirements will not be admitted, and shall bear full responsibility for any consequences arising therefrom.

(II) Application Requirements

1. Applicants must meet the criteria outlined in the Shenzhen University Doctoral Programme Admission Regulations for 2026.

2. Applicants must undertake to secure employment in the designated region (or organisation) upon graduation, as stipulated in the placement agreement.

3. Meet one of the following foreign language proficiency requirements:

(1) Pass CET-4 or CET-6 (scoring 425 points);

(2) Achieve a TOEFL score of 75 or above (equivalent to 550 on the old TOEFL);

(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 (or second author with supervisor as first author).

4. Applicants who did not graduate with a master's degree from an institution ranked within the top 200 globally (requiring inclusion in at least two of the four major rankings: ARWU, QS, THE, USNEWS) 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 awards in municipal (sub-provincial) or national first-tier academic/professional association competitions, top 3 in second-tier awards, or first-tier awards in provincial/ministerial-level or higher scientific research competitions;

(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) or national construction methods (ranking within the top 5 contributors).

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 joint first authorship or multiple corresponding authors, contributions are calculated as 1/N, where N represents the number of joint first authors or multiple corresponding authors).

5. Applicants holding a master's or doctoral degree, or current master's degree candidates (who must obtain their master's degree prior to doctoral enrolment). Holders of master's degree certificates 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 anticipated date of degree conferral). If admitted, they must submit both the master's degree certificate and the authentication report from the China Education Certification Centre within the stipulated timeframe (or alternatively, provide an explanatory letter from the China Education Certification Centre initially, with the authentication report to follow before enrolment). Failure to do so will result in the revocation of admission.

V. Application Process

(I) Personal Application 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 materials via EMS (or SF Express) to the Graduate Office of the School (Address: Room B501, School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Zhi Gong Building, Canghai Campus, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province. Attn: Ms Qiu, Tel: 0755-26918270). Please mark parcels "Doctoral Application Materials". To ensure completeness, unorganised or unbound materials will not be accepted.

(1) Doctoral Degree 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, and sign it personally).

(2) Shenzhen University 2026 Doctoral Programme Application Form (Application-Examination System).

(3) 2026 High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities Candidate Registration Form.

(4) Applicants who are current Master's degree candidates must submit the Shenzhen University 2026 Doctoral Candidate Political Review (Current Conduct) Materials, completed by the Party Committee of their respective faculty (this may be submitted later if required after passing the interview stage).

(5) Copies of degree certificates and academic transcripts (current Master's candidates must provide proof of enrolment from their institution's graduate school or postgraduate administration; Shenzhen University Master's candidates are exempt).

(6) Original master's degree course transcript (bearing the official seal of the postgraduate academic records department).

(7) Master's thesis (current master's candidates may submit an abstract and table of contents).

(8) Two written recommendation letters from individuals holding the title 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).

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

(10) Evidence of foreign language proficiency (CET-4/6 certificates, TOEFL iBT score report, IELTS score report, degree certificate from an English-taught programme, English academic publications, etc.).

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

(12) Medical fitness certificate issued by a Grade A Class III hospital or above.

(13) Photocopies of both sides of the second-generation ID card.

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

Applicants warrant the authenticity and accuracy of the above materials. Those found to have provided false or misleading information shall have their examination and admission eligibility revoked.

3. Electronic Materials: Applicants shall submit electronic versions of all application materials (including a contents list) to Combine into a single PDF file and send to the admissions email address of the institution yafen.qiu@szu.edu.cn. The email subject line and attachment filename must be labelled as "Name + Application for Doctoral Programme in Civil Engineering and Water Resources at Shenzhen University - High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities".

(II) Eligibility Assessment Upon receipt of applicants' materials, the School shall convene a panel of no fewer than three members to assess eligibility against admission criteria. The assessment outcomes shall be submitted to the Postgraduate Admissions Office, which shall conduct random checks. The School shall subsequently publish the results publicly.

(III) Supervisor Recommendation The School shall forward applicants' materials to their chosen supervisors. Supervisors shall review the materials, provide recommendation statements, and rank applicants applying to them. In this stage, the School respects the supervisor's autonomy in admissions. Supervisors shall generally rank applicants at a ratio no higher than 1:3 for progression to the subsequent stage.

(IV) Discipline Preliminary Review and Determination of Re-examination Candidates The School shall establish an expert panel to meticulously review applicants' materials in accordance with established implementation guidelines. This panel shall conduct preliminary evaluations of applicants' research innovation capabilities and undertake selection. The School shall determine the list of applicants proceeding to the re-examination assessment phase, taking into account the preferences of recruiting supervisors and applying a certain differential re-examination ratio. Applicants without supervisor recommendation shall not proceed to the interview assessment stage. The proposed list of candidates for the interview assessment stage will be published on the School's official website. Those without objection during the publication period may proceed to the interview assessment stage.

(V) Interview Assessment (Comprehensive Interview) The School will organise experts to conduct the interview assessment. Specific details regarding time, location, and assessment format will be notified to candidates in advance and published on the School's website. The specific 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 capacity for scientific innovation, suitability for doctoral training within this primary discipline, and their overall aptitude for analysing, resolving problems, and pursuing innovation. Additionally, the applicant's ideological and political stance, psychological resilience, and moral character will be assessed.

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 marks), professional competence (100 marks), research potential (200 marks), and comprehensive abilities (100 marks). The final score will be calculated by removing the highest and lowest marks and averaging the remaining scores (rounded to two decimal places). The recommending supervisor may provide supplementary information but must withdraw from the discussion when scores are being deliberated.

3. The assessment process shall be conducted in accordance with established protocols and recorded in full. Interviews shall last no less than 20 minutes, with on-site documentation, scores and written evaluations provided.

4. By the end of March 2026 (subject to final implementation date), the School shall submit its proposed admission list to the University, ranked by overall assessment scores from highest to lowest (candidates scoring below 300 points shall not be admitted), and forward relevant materials to the Postgraduate Admissions Office.

VI. Selection and Admission

(1) The "Key Personnel Scheme" adheres to the principles of "targeted recruitment, targeted training, and targeted employment", implementing a system of "voluntary application, unified assessment, and merit-based admission". Candidates from Tibet, Xinjiang, and Tibetan-inhabited prefectures/counties within Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces, as well as from Nujiang in Yunnan, Liangshan in Sichuan, and Linxia in Gansu, shall be given priority admission under equal conditions.

(2) All admitted candidates shall be subject to targeted employment arrangements. They must sign a tripartite (or quadripartite) targeted employment agreement with the admitting institution, the provincial education administrative department of their place of origin, and/or their current employer. Admitted in-service candidates shall not transfer their household registration upon enrolment. Upon graduation, students must fulfil the agreement by returning to the designated region and employer for employment, and shall not breach the contract.

(3) The admission ratio for Han ethnic group in-service candidates shall not exceed 20% in principle.

VII. Other Matters

(1) Matters concerning the duration of studies, tuition fees, academic awards and assistance, and other educational management services during the enrolment period for admitted candidates shall be consistent with those for postgraduate students admitted under other regular admission plans and shall be implemented in accordance with university regulations. The university shall provide unified accommodation for candidates admitted under the High-Level Backbone Talent Programme for Ethnic Minorities. Accommodation resources include both on-campus dormitories and off-campus apartments, which will be allocated centrally based on actual circumstances to ensure new students can move in upon enrolment. Accommodation fees shall be subject to the final approval by the competent authority.

(2) Non-employed candidates shall transfer their personnel files to the university, while employed candidates need not do so. Party and Youth League organisational affiliations must be transferred to the university.

(3) Except for candidates under the Southern Xinjiang Higher Education Institution Teachers Special Scheme, graduates of the Key Personnel Scheme must fulfil their directed employment agreements by returning to designated regions and institutions for a minimum service period of eight years (inclusive). Applicants for the Southern Xinjiang Higher Education Institution Teacher Programme must proactively liaise with both the admitting institution and the designated southern Xinjiang higher education institution to clarify relevant application requirements and employment arrangements. Upon admission and graduation, they shall be assigned to employment at higher education institutions in southern Xinjiang, with a service period of no less than five years (inclusive).

(4) An applicant's ethnicity shall be determined by their identity card. Applicants found to have falsified their ethnic identity during the application process shall have their re-examination/admission eligibility revoked.

(v) Prospective candidates wishing to apply may contact the School in advance. Contact details:

Contact: Ms Qiu

Telephone: 0755-26918270

Address: Room B501, School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Zhi Gong Building, Canghai Campus, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province

Email:yafen.qiu@szu.edu.cn

Contributed by: Qiu Yafen

First Review: Lu Qiuyue

Second Review: Zou Liang

Third Review: Zuo Yingzi