From the source
Shanghai AI Laboratory held a three-day orientation week from 23 to 25 October for its 2026 cohort of jointly trained doctoral students, drawing more than a hundred students from top Chinese universities.
- The lab says it has enrolled over a thousand students since starting the joint doctoral training programme in 2022, and that many of them now take leading roles and have produced research breakthroughs it describes as world-influential.
- During the event the lab issued appointment letters to its first group of part-time supervisors, who join university and lab supervisors in supporting students.
- Director and chief scientist Zhou Bowen told the new students that major original work lies in achieving breakthroughs from zero to one, and encouraged them to become AI-native researchers rather than only users of AI.
- The programme's Jiangpu Academy now runs a network combining university academic training, lab research and industry practice, covering research, personal development, careers and wellbeing.
- The week included research debates, a youth roundtable, peer Ask Me Anything sessions, a poster exchange and wellbeing activities.
