In a well-lit laboratory at Hainan University (HNU), Liu Tian, a Class of 2027 undergraduate in the Excellence Program in Macromolecular Materials and Engineering at Chengfeng College, is adjusting the speed of a magnetic stirrer in his white lab coat. Under the microscope, as the liquid gently swirls, wrinkled polymer microspheres—measuring only 3 to 5 micrometers in diameter—are gradually taking shape.
“This one-step and one-pot synthesis increases the surface area of the folded polymer microspheres, providing more active sites and significantly improving electrode performance. The method is also simple and efficient,” said Liu Tian.
To empower undergraduates with stronger research capabilities and foster self-directed learning, HNU has introduced a package of reforms—a comprehensive credit system, a residential college system and the establishment of collaborative innovation centers—that work in synergy to drive student innovation.
According to Wang Zhigang, Director of the Academic Affairs Office, the comprehensive credit system removes disciplinary barriers, allowing students to explore research interests under the guidance of academic mentors. The residential college system promotes interdisciplinary exchange and sparks intellectual synergy among students. Meanwhile, the collaborative innovation centers pool cross-disciplinary resources, transforming research from individual efforts into team-based collaboration. These centers attract top-performing students at all levels into interdisciplinary research teams, substantially enhancing their capacity for innovation.
These reform measures have enabled many outstanding undergraduates to independently approach faculty mentors and join collaborative research teams tailored to their interests.
Liu Tian is just one of many students at HNU who are actively involved in research during their undergraduate studies. Zhou Yuxia, a Class of 2026 undergraduate majoring in Seed Science and Engineering (Biological Breeding) at Yazhou College, joined the Tropical Soybean Molecular Breeding and Germplasm Innovation Team led by Professor Li Haiyan from the Nanfan School. Together with her team, she identified several candidate genes for salt tolerance and was the first to uncover the key role of related gene signaling complexes in regulating this trait.
Similarly, Su Linke, a Class of 2026 Biological Breeding major at Yazhou College, joined Professor Wang Huafeng’s research group at the School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry. Focusing on the observed trend that plant diversity in urban residential areas surpasses that of rural regions, Su applied a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) to validate this trend and highlighted the significant influence of socioeconomic development in shaping urban biodiversity.
Today, all 45,000 students at HNU are incorporated into the residential college system. Through 20 key innovation and entrepreneurship teams, 44 maker spaces, 181 specialized courses, and more than 100 practical innovation activities, 77% of undergraduates have participated in various innovation and entrepreneurship programs. In parallel, HNU’s six experimental teaching centers have secured 100 national-level, 95 provincial-level, and over 180 university-level research projects, drawing more than 3,000 undergraduates into laboratory-based research. These efforts have significantly improved students’ scientific research, innovation, and practical skills, steadily enhancing the quality of talent cultivation and leading to success across multiple fronts. In 2024, HNU undergraduates won 235 awards in academic competitions at the national level or above—a 67% year-on-year increase. Among them, 38 first prizes were awarded at the national level, representing a 90% year-on-year growth.
Translated by Li Xiang
Proofread by Xie Gengquan
