A new institution for higher learning, the Great Bay University, a key initiative under the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, will soon open its doors for undergraduate enrollment.

This follows an announcement by the Ministry of Education of a list of 10 newly approved universities, including GBU, on its website on Wednesday.

Located in Dongguan, Guangdong province, GBU is the only institution in the area included in the ministry's announcement. While the exact enrollment timeline has yet to be released, the university's website highlights its focus on science and engineering disciplines. GBU aspires to become a globally competitive research-focused university.

As a publicly funded university, GBU will initially offer five undergraduate programs: mathematics and applied mathematics, physics, computer science and technology, materials science and engineering, and industrial engineering.

The university has two campuses in Dongguan: the 17-hectare Songshan Lake campus, adjacent to major scientific facilities like the China Spallation Neutron Source and the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, which was completed in late 2024; while the 140-hectare Binhaiwan Bay campus is expected to have its first phase completed by 2026, eventually accommodating nearly 10,000 students. This larger campus will focus on undergraduate and graduate education, industry-academia collaboration, international cooperation and entrepreneurship incubation.

GBU aims to cultivate high-level talent across six key areas: materials science, advanced engineering, life sciences, information science and technology, natural sciences and financial management. With comprehensive programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, the university strives to drive future technological development, industrial upgrading and social progress.