Doors open earlier for academic talent

When Shi Liangsheng became a professor and doctoral supervisor of hydraulics at Wuhan University in 2012, he was only 30 years old - younger than many doctoral students.

"I had never dreamed of achieving such a high academic degree when I was a child, not to mention becoming a professor and offering guidance to PhD students while in my 30s," said Shi.

He is not alone. At Wuhan University, a group of professors and doctoral supervisors who were born after 1980 are becoming the backbone of the university's teaching and research team, with the youngest being only 29.