Architecture students at the Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University showcase their designs on campus in Suzhou in November. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"The program helped answer some questions that I had about the relevance of what I knew and what I wanted to do with my life."

The pilot program itself is under the university's proposed education model, Syntegrative Education. The term "syntegrative" combines the words "synergy" and "integration".

The new model is designed to integrate different types of education - including its general, professional, industry, entrepreneurship and management aspects - to train talent for the future.

Artificial intelligence and robots are already expected to disrupt and replace many traditional industries in the coming decade, according to the university's executive president, Xi Youmin. That means society will not only need specialists such as researchers in particular fields to discover new knowledge, but also leaders from industry and other areas who can steer the emerging technology to respond to changing needs.

"The main purpose is to meet future development trends and demands," he says of the new education model.

Founded in 2006, the university in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, is a joint venture between China's Xi'an Jiaotong University and the UK's University of Liverpool.

In the past decade, the university has successfully combined the flexibility of US higher education, the British quality control system and the emphasis on fundamental studies in Chinese education to train internationalized professional talent through its student-centered and research-led education.

Chen Bing, associate professor of urban planning and design at the university, says: "Syntegrative education is part of the new model of the future.

"It means all the things you learned from university can be put into practice."

The university's Syntegrative Education is built on its current professional talent training approach, with three main programs: Industry and Enterprise Tailored Education, Entrepreneur College, and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Community.

Partnering with big companies such as JC Group and Probro Logistics, the tailored education programs allow students to learn and access internship opportunities in sectors including finance, film and television, urbanization, enterprise development and logistics.