Students from the BGI Genomics Innovation Class at Northwest University pose for a group photo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

In the graduation season of 2022, the BGI Genomics Innovation Class at Northwest University (NWU) – located in the city of Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province – achieved enviable results.

BGI Genomics – a company based in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province – is one of the world's leading scientific and technological service providers and precision medical service operators.

Among the 29 students in the class, 20 got postgraduate recommendations, four passed the postgraduate entrance examination, four decided to study abroad, and one found employment.

Back on Jan 10 in 2018, the university and BGI Genomics signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The two sides have since carried out strategic cooperation in the areas of training, scientific research and the joint construction of a medical school.

"The cooperation between Northwest University and BGI Genomics is a form of complementary advantage, and implementing the integration of production, learning and research is an inevitable choice for cultivating scientific research application talent," said Fu Aigen, head teacher of the class.

NWU students visit the China National Gene Bank of BGI Genomics in Shenzhen. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The class has a four-year educational system. After completing three years of undergraduate education, the students went on to BGI Genomics for a one-year internship.

Students who are interns at BGI Genomics have access to more advanced experimental equipment and can conduct more cutting-edge scientific research.

"For students who are interested in genomics and bioinformatics, it is a good learning opportunity to come to BGI Genomics for an internship," said a student in the innovation class.

BGI Genomics also opened free online courses for students to study independently and invited some field experts and well-known university professors to hold academic conferences, providing students with opportunities to enhance their horizons and in-depth studies of subject knowledge.