Southern University of Science and Technology

What Southern University of Science and Technology does

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech; 南方科技大学) is a public research university located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China. Founded in 2011 by the Government of Shenzhen and the Ministry of Education as a 'new-type research university,' it offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs across science, engineering, medicine, business, design, and humanities through 10 schools/colleges and 34 departments, including the jointly operated SUSTech-King's College London Medical School. It serves approximately 13,000+ students (including ~5,600 domestic undergraduate, 109 international undergraduate, and the balance in graduate programs across 23 master's and 17 doctoral tracks), delivered by 1,300 faculty of which 55 are Chinese Academy of Sciences/Engineering academicians. SUSTech's research base spans 140 national/provincial/municipal research platforms and 128 joint institutions, including named centers such as the Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Shenzhen International Mathematics Center (Gelfand Institute), Advanced Light Source Science Center, and the Shenzhen Applied Mathematics Center. Distinctive technical outputs include nickel-based ambient-pressure high-temperature superconductors (transition temperatures 63 K, 50 K, 46 K) co-developed with USTC and published in Nature, a water-based rechargeable battery using covalent organic polymers achieving 120,000 cycles co-developed with City University of Hong Kong, the ST4VLA Vision-Language-Action robotics framework co-developed with Shanghai AI Laboratory (lifting Google Robot benchmark from 66.1 to 84.6), and the GrowHR shape-shifting inflatable humanoid robot published in Science Advances in 2026.

The university's business model is that of a state-funded public higher-education institution. Revenue is sourced primarily from government budgetary allocations (Shenzhen municipal funding plus Ministry of Education support tied to Double First-Class status), tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate programs, competitive research grants from national/provincial/municipal science programs, and a growing philanthropic stream including corporate donations (e.g., Binhua Group named award endowment). The institution does not disclose detailed tuition schedules or total operating budget publicly. It ranked 16th among Chinese universities in the Nature Index, holds Double First-Class designation (February 2022) with mathematics on the discipline list, has 3 disciplines (Materials Science, Chemistry, Engineering) in ESI Global Top 1‰, and hosts the UNESCO Higher Education Innovation Centre (ICHEL). International partnerships span 200+ universities across 46 countries, with 70% of undergraduates participating in outbound exchange programs.

Strategically, SUSTech operates 6 direct admissions portals and channels for domestic undergraduates (zs.sustech.edu.cn), graduate applicants (gs.sustech.edu.cn), and international students (global.sustech.edu.cn), with admissions conducted on a merit-based comprehensive evaluation incorporating Gaokao scores. Research outputs flow both through publications in top-tier venues (Nature, Science, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters) and via corporate-sponsored institutes on campus (e.g., the Binhua Group Shenzhen Research Institute, established July 2026). Recent honors include 2025 National Natural Science Awards (2 projects), the 2026 Fourth National Innovation Pioneer Award (2 academicians), the 2024 National Teaching Achievement Award (First Prize), and best-paper / championship wins at EUROCRYPT 2026, ASME 2025, and IEEE RoboSoft 2025, consistent with a research institution executing a rapid capability build within China's higher-education reform agenda.

Name

Southern University of Science and Technology

Legal name

南方科技大学

Website

https://sustech.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) is a public research university in Shenzhen, China, founded in 2011 under the Ministry of Education and Shenzhen government, serving ~13,000 students across 41 undergraduate and 40 graduate programs in science, engineering, and medicine through 1,300 faculty and 140 research platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities (EDAHAAAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Research university programs
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate research training
• International student exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a public university under Shenzhen's administration and the Ministry of Education, SUSTech receives substantial government budgetary allocations for operations, infrastructure, and research. This is the primary revenue stream supporting the institution's activities.
2. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate, graduate, and international student tuition and fees.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from national, provincial, and municipal science and technology programs, as well as industry-sponsored research collaborations and contracts.
4. Donations and Endowments: Philanthropic contributions and endowed funds from alumni, corporations, and foundations, such as the BinHua Group donation for a named award.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern University of Science and Technology is a public research university that provides undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs across science, engineering, medicine, business, humanities, and social sciences. It also conducts foundational and applied research, operates more than 140 research platforms and 128 joint research institutions, and participates in international academic exchange programs with 200+ partner universities across 46 countries and regions.

Product overview

Southern University of Science and Technology (南方科技大学) is a public research university in Shenzhen, China. As a new-type research university, it offers undergraduate and graduate education across multiple disciplines including science, engineering, medicine, business, and humanities. The university operates various academic departments, research institutes, and public service platforms including a Cryo-EM Center, HPC Center, and shared research facilities. The institution provides educational programs through its 10 schools/colleges spanning 34 departments, with 41 undergraduate majors, 23 master's programs, and 17 doctoral programs. Research activities are supported through specialized institutes including the Shenzhen Applied Mathematics Center, Grubbs Institute, Quantum Science Center, and Robot Research Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 深港微电子学院 (Sino-Hung Microelectronics College): Joint microelectronics institute between Shenzhen and Hong Kong
• 联合国教科文组织高等教育创新中心 (UNESCO HEIs Innovation Center)

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs 41 undergraduate programs across science, engineering, economics, management, and medicine disciplines, serving approximately 5,600 domestic and 109 international undergraduate students through a comprehensive evaluation admission system alongside Gaokao scores, with 70% participating in outbound exchange programs.
• Master's Degree Programs 23 master's programs across science, engineering, and related disciplines, providing advanced research training, academic mentorship, research collaboration, and publication opportunities to graduate students.
• Doctoral Degree Programs 17 doctoral programs across science, engineering, and related fields, providing the highest level of research training, faculty mentorship, and dissertation research at the university.
• International Exchange Programs International student exchange, English-taught programs, joint degree programs, and international student recruitment services for foreign students seeking degree programs or exchange opportunities at SUSTech.
• Joint Medical School (SUSTech-King's College London Medical School) Joint medical school with King's College London offering international-standard medical education programs, combining SUSTech and UK medical training curricula.
• Sponsored Research Collaboration Services Industry-sponsored research, joint laboratories, technology transfer and commercialization, and continuing education services delivered through 140 research platforms and 128 joint research institutions to enterprises and government agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 16th among domestic universities in Nature Index
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Binhua GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2026Binhua Group and SUSTech co-established the Binhua Group Shenzhen Research Institute, with a ceremony held at the university. The partnership includes the establishment of a named award fund by Binhua Group. University President and CAS Academician Xue Qikun attended the ceremony.
• HKSH Medical GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025HKSH Medical Group and SUSTech signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on medical and medical physics education and research. The partnership focuses on technological development and healthcare in China, aiming to foster medical talent, enhance healthcare services, and support advanced research in medical physics.
• City University of Hong KongmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientists from City University of Hong Kong and SUSTech jointly developed a breakthrough water-based battery technology using synthesized covalent organic polymers as an anode, achieving 120,000 charging cycles.
• University of Science and Technology of ChinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on nickel-based high-temperature superconductor research, achieving transition temperatures of 63 K, 50 K, and 46 K under ambient pressure. Published in Nature.
• Shanghai AI LaboratorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUSTech and Shanghai AI Laboratory jointly developed the ST4VLA Vision-Language-Action framework for robotics, achieving state-of-the-art performance on multiple benchmarks.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUSTech and King's College London jointly established the SUSTech-King's College London Medical School, a joint medical education institution offering international-standard medical programs.
• UNESCO ICHEI (UNESCO-Higher Education Innovation Center)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUSTech hosts the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (ICHEL) in Shenzhen, contributing to global higher education development and South-South cooperation.
• Hanhai Yuncheng FundminorOthersHanhai Yuncheng Fund founder Liu Guanhua attended the Binhua Group Shenzhen Research Institute inauguration, indicating ongoing donor involvement in university events.
• 200+ Global Partner UniversitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUSTech maintains partnerships with over 200 universities and research institutions worldwide, enabling student exchanges, joint research, and academic collaborations across 46 countries and regions.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• City University of Hong Kong: A Hong Kong public research university with strong STEM and engineering programs. SUSTech and CityU HK have co-developed breakthrough water-based battery technology and share Shenzhen-Greater Bay Area research collaboration.
• Shenzhen University: The original public research university in Shenzhen and SUSTech's direct local competitor. Both institutions draw on Shenzhen's tech ecosystem for students, faculty, and industry partnerships.

Direct peers

• University of Science and Technology of China (USTC): USTC is a public research university with a strong STEM focus and close CAS affiliation, mirroring SUSTech's research-intensive profile. The two institutions have already co-authored breakthrough research on nickel-based superconductors, indicating direct scientific overlap.
• Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT): A leading STEM-focused public research university with strengths in robotics, materials science, and aerospace. SUSTech's robotics and engineering research programs directly overlap with HIT's core disciplines.
• Zhejiang University: A comprehensive public research university with leading engineering, computer science, and materials programs. Directly comparable to SUSTech in research output, scale, and applicant selectivity.
• Huazhong University of Science and Technology: A major public research university with strong engineering and biomedical programs, similar in scale and disciplinary mix to SUSTech. Both compete for national research funding in STEM fields.
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University: A top-tier public research university with strong engineering and science programs, comparable in scale and research focus to SUSTech. Both institutions compete for Double First-Class funding and elite STEM applicants.

Emerging players

• Westlake University: A newer private research university in Hangzhou with a Western-style research focus and STEM emphasis. As a newer-model Chinese research university with industry backing, it parallels SUSTech's positioning and ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• Tsinghua University: China's premier public research university, with deep STEM, business, and humanities programs. Competes with SUSTech for top STEM faculty and graduate students, and is the benchmark for Chinese public research university prestige.
• Peking University: China's most prestigious comprehensive public university, offering STEM alongside leading humanities, social sciences, and medicine. Competes directly with SUSTech for elite undergraduate applicants and national research grants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sustechsz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-usniversity-of-science-and-technology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern University of Science and Technology