Great News: Shenzhen University's Sports Feature Video "Down-to-Earth, Leaping into the Future" and Sports Case Study "Innovation and Practice in Swimming Sports-Education Integration" Selected as National Outstanding Works and Exemplary Cases in Chinese Higher Education

On September 10, 2025, the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Education announced the "List of Selected Works for the Centralized Exhibition of the Collection and Showcase Activity on University Sports Feature Videos and Exemplary Cases." Shenzhen University's submission—the sports feature video "Down-to-Earth, Leaping into the Future" and the exemplary case "Innovation and Practice in Swimming Sports-Education Integration at Shenzhen University"—were successfully selected as national outstanding works and exemplary cases in university sports. They are being prominently featured on the "People's Daily +" client and the "People's Daily" Junior client.

In April 2025, the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Education launched a campaign to collect and showcase university sports feature videos and exemplary cases. This initiative aimed to thoroughly implement the spirit of the National Education Congress and the relevant provisions of the Outline of the Plan for Building a Leading Country in Education. Upon notification, Shenzhen University actively responded by launching promotional efforts. The School of Physical Education meticulously organized the video production and prepared the submission materials, systematically compiling and submitting the university's typical experiences and innovative measures in sports education. The video multifacetedly showcases the achievements of Shenzhen University's sports education and the spirited, striving demeanor of its faculty and students.

In June, following provincial-level selection requirements, two of our university's submissions were recommended by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education to the Ministry's Center—the video entry was recommended within the top 10% quota (based on the number of provincial universities), and the case study within the top 5% quota. In September, after expert review, the Ministry of Education selected 100 video works and 50 exemplary cases nationwide for a centralized showcase. Both of Shenzhen University's submitted entries—one video and one case study—were successfully selected.

This achievement is not only a high recognition of our university's sports education efforts but also a vivid demonstration of our motto "Self-reliance, Self-discipline, and Self-strengthening" in practice. Seizing this opportunity, the university will continue to deepen the integration of sports with cultural education, promote the spirit of perseverance in sports, and enhance the educational function of "fostering virtue through sports and advancing education via physical literacy." This aims to inspire both faculty and students to strengthen their willpower and develop well-rounded characters through physical exercise.

Introduction to the Selected Video:

Shenzhen University's University Sports Feature Video: "Dedication in Action, Energy for the Future"

In response to the national campaign launched by the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Education to collect university sports feature videos, Shenzhen University actively participated to encourage students to spend less time online, step out of their dormitories, engage in physical activities on the sports field, enhance their fitness, develop well-rounded characters, and strengthen their willpower. Guided by the philosophy of "Integrating Sports with Education, Led by Professional Excellence," the video highlights the university's achievements by focusing on its 37 elite sports teams and their honors won in domestic and international competitions, showcasing professional prowess. It also illustrates an educational system centered around 32 public sports clubs, which effectively links curricular and extracurricular activities while combining regular training with competitions. The presentation adopts a "data visualization + scenario-based storytelling" approach to demonstrate the outcomes of this model.

Furthermore, the video captures the vibrant campus sports culture through its daily, weekly, and monthly event schedules, and interprets the educational impact of "practicing self-reliance and self-determination through sports" by analyzing student fitness data from the past five years.

The sports feature video is available for viewing on the "People's Daily +" app:

https://app.people.cn/collectsys/collegiateSports/detail?id=708

Introduction to the Selected Exemplary Case:

Exemplary Case Study: "Innovations in Practice: Integrating Swimminginto Education at Shenzhen University"

The School of Physical Education at Shenzhen University is the only professional college in Shenzhen specializing in sports disciplines. Aligning with national strategies and societal needs, it has utilized swimming as a pilot program. After nearly a decade of exploration, the university has developed the "Shenzhen University Model" for cultivating professional swimming talent, characterized by "One Core, Two Wings, Three-Dimensional Drive, and Multi-dimensional Integration." This model optimizes the top-level design of talent cultivation by introducing institutional innovations such as categorized and tiered training, collaborative multi-stakeholder education, and integrated continuous development. It focuses on addressing the fundamental questions of "for whom to cultivate talent" and "how to cultivate them," ultimately achieving the goal of holistic education involving all staff, throughout the entire process, and across all dimensions. Since its implementation, the "Shenzhen University Model" has produced outstanding athletes, including Olympic and world champions such as Tang Muhan, Yang Junxuan, Cheng Yujie, and Wu Qingfeng. Four students were selected for the Chinese national swimming team at the Tokyo Olympics, and eleven students were selected for the team at the Paris Olympics. These achievements have been featured and reported by authoritative media outlets like Xinhua News Agency, generating widespread social impact.

The detailed case study is available for viewing on the "People's Daily +" app:

https://app.people.cn/collectsys/collegiateSports/detail?id=771