Tianjin, China – October 02, 2026 -- Tianjin University's "Shengong-Shengao" system has become China's first approved brain-computer interface (BCI) medical device for diagnosing cognitive impairment, cutting diagnosis time for conditions like hydrocephalus from days to just 30 minutes. The milestone marks a commercial breakthrough as TJU, China's first modern university, marks its 131st anniversary on October 2, 2026.
Shengong device line moves from lab to clinical wards nationwide
Developed by a team led by Professor Liu Xiuyun, the Shengong-Shengao system received regulatory approval and has already been joined by more than 20 additional devices in the Shengong series now deployed in clinical settings. The university states the devices have delivered measurable benefits to thousands of patients, signaling rapid translation of university research into deployable medical hardware.
University restructures engineering curriculum around 11 frontier technology fields
As lead institution of China's National Working Group on Emerging Engineering Education, TJU has rolled out "TJU Plan 3.0," a framework targeting 11 frontier fields including artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence. The university has also introduced China's first undergraduate majors in brain-computer science and technology, and in biomanufacturing, aligning academic programs directly with the technologies now reaching commercialization.
"U35 Plan" fast-tracks researchers under 35 to full professorships
To accelerate talent pipelines feeding its research output, TJU launched the U35 Plan, granting full professorships to exceptional researchers under age 35. The initiative is designed to shorten the typical academic promotion track and keep younger scientists leading active research programs rather than waiting through conventional tenure timelines.
Researchers led five national science awards in 2025
TJU researchers served as lead contributors to five National Science and Technology Awards in 2025, drawing on infrastructure that includes the National Facility for Earthquake Engineering Simulation and work in high-precision measurement and energy storage. Three TJU disciplines -- Chemistry, Engineering, and Materials Science -- rank in the global top 1‱ according to the Essential Science Indicators.