Best Practice in Gifted Acceleration of the University of Science and Technology of China

Abstract

Despite Considering the need for “Early training of talents, gaining early results” in China’s development, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) creatively established the Special Class for the Gifted Young (SCGY) in March 1978. SCGY enrolls 15 years old or younger students who have extraordinary intelligence and excellent achievements. In order to explore the multi-development mode of gifted education, SCGY was officially upgraded to the School for the Gifted Young (SGY) in 2008. Over the past 43 years, it has always adhered to the educational principles of solid foundation, accurate positioning, accelerated education, and parallel development of skills and morality. Based on the text analysis of the 43-year enrollment and curricula of SGY and trace research on graduates, we found the current characteristics of SGY: the enrollment gives priority to the comprehensive quality, the aim of cultivating talents is developed to cultivate leading talents in various fields, the process of cultivation pays more attention to the multi-direction guidance, and the curriculum mode emphasizes the combination of acceleration and enrichment. As a vivid sample of accelerated cultivation of higher education, SGY has bred a large number of high-level elite talents who made their endeavor to the development of science and technology in China and even the world. It has also provided Chinese experience for the international gifted education.