The SMART PhD Program is an innovative initiative that seeks to establish a cooperative talent development framework that brings together government, higher education, businesses, and research organizations. It highlights a combination of scientific training and practical industry experience in PhD training. With a focus on “high standards, internationalization, and interdisciplinary innovation,” the program seeks to attract top talent into scientific research, enhance original innovation training, and guide interdisciplinary development to produce well-rounded, high-caliber scientists.
Launched in 2024, the SMART PhD Program has partnered with Tsinghua University and Westlake University to recruit its first cohort of doctoral students. To ensure the program’s high-quality execution, SMART initiated comprehensive advisor training on August 16, 2024. The training featured Professor Wei Wu, former Party Secretary of Tsinghua University’s School of Life Sciences, and Professor Jianwu Zuo, Deputy Dean of Tsinghua University’s Shenzhen International Graduate School. The event, hosted by Dr. Yanzhuang Wang, a senior PI at Shenzhen Bay Laboratory and SMART, was held both in-person and online, with 57 PIs from SMART and SZBL in attendance.
Dr. Wang began by welcoming and thanking Professors Wu and Zuo for leading the training. Professor Wu presented a lecture titled Trends in Graduate Education and Advanced Teaching Techniques: Insights from Tsinghua’s Biology PhD Program. He covered four key areas: the fundamentals of teaching, how to effectively deliver a course, designing a graduate curriculum, and mentoring PhD students. Drawing on his extensive experience and case studies, Professor Wu shared valuable teaching strategies and ideas, offering young PIs practical advice for developing their educational approach.
Following this, Professor Zuo delivered a talk titled Advisor Responsibilities and Case Study Analysis. He provided a detailed explanation of key documents such as the Code of Conduct for Graduate Supervisors (2020) and the Guidelines for Strengthening the Management of Degree and Graduate Education Quality issued by the State Council Academic Degrees Committee and Ministry of Education (2020). Professor Zuo discussed the essential responsibilities of PhD advisors, strategies for building strong advisory relationships, and methods to prevent and resolve advisor-student conflicts. He also analyzed real-life cases and offered solutions, emphasizing that cultivating character and integrity in students is the fundamental duty of any graduate mentor.
The Q&A session that followed was lively and engaging. PIs set to join the SMART PhD Program as advisors found the lectures highly beneficial, gaining insights that will improve their ability to mentor doctoral students effectively. The professors’ shared experiences and guidance were both inspiring and practical.
Recognizing that advisors play a crucial role as the primary architects of graduate education, the SMART PhD Program aims to nurture innovative, high-level talent equipped to make significant contributions to life and medical sciences. This training marks a significant step in strengthening the advisor community. Moving forward, SMART will continue to enhance the quality and expertise of its mentors, fostering an environment that supports cutting-edge research and scientific discovery.
