The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has, in its recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), called on the country to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology and steer the development of new quality productive forces. One of the key requirements is that China should pursue the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talents.

The CPC Central Committee has highlighted the foundational role and strategic importance of these three elements in the nation's modernization, and is making long-term, large-scale and accurate plans to promote their coordination, demonstrating great vision and patience.

Guided by this strategy, universities in China are comprehensively advancing the innovation of their talent cultivation system, and speeding up efforts to translate their advantages in talents and education into new quality productive forces.

Take the Harbin Institute of Technology for example. The university sets up a series of progressively challenging innovation practice projects for its students starting from their freshman year and throughout their academic journey. The university was among the first in China to establish a national innovation and entrepreneurship college, which was turned into an open and shared innovation space to support students in carrying out research to test theories and gain true knowledge.

The university's "lilac student nanosatellite team" is a typical outcome of this innovative pattern. Over 200 students joined the team, which brings together undergraduate, master's and doctoral students from nine disciplines, including aerospace, mechanics and computer science. Team members, who engage in interdisciplinary innovation practices in the university's innovation workshops, developed and launched nanosatellites "Lilac-Sat-1" and "LilacSat-2", and participated in the development of other satellites such as "Longjiang-2".

Among them, "LilacSat-2" was the country's first nanosatellite designed, developed, and controlled by university students, and "Longjiang-2" was the world's first microsatellite to complete lunar transfer, orbit insertion and lunar orbiting independently. A miniature camera designed by the team and on board "Longjiang-2" captured an image of the far side of the moon and Earth, which was published in the Science journal and received widespread international acclaim.

To enable such outstanding students to excel more quickly, the university reformed its dissertation and capstone project defense system, and allows qualified undergraduates to apply for a defense as early as in their sophomore year. This initiative allows students to start graduate-level studies as soon as possible or spend more time preparing for more challenging scientific and technological competitions.

In recent years, alumni of the university have founded several robotics companies, which have either been listed or are working toward their initial public offerings. Several commercial aerospace companies founded by its alumni or having chief designers who are alumni have been breaking new ground.

Many of the founders of these companies were born in the 1990s. They majored in different disciplines, each with their own strengths, and formed teams during their time at university to undertake various innovation challenges. This phenomenon is an embodiment of the university's vigorous efforts, in recent years, to promote a talent cultivation system which highlights coordinated development of science, education and industries.

Such a phenomenon also stems from the deep-rooted tradition of the university, which remains committed to the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talents.

Since its establishment more than a century ago, Harbin Institute of Technology has closely aligned its growth with the needs of the country and the times.

It has carried out self-reform, accumulating valuable experience for advancing the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talents. The university has also developed a culture which encourages innovation, and fostered capabilities to take unconventional measures to facilitate innovation.

All these have laid a solid foundation for the university to fulfill its aim of making new and greater contributions to the country's endeavor to turn itself into a strong nation in education, science and technology, and talents.

The author is a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, president of the Harbin Institute of Technology and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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