INTRODUCTION

In recent years, with the growing surge in the demand for digitalization across various industries. Emerging next-generation communication technologies such as 5G combined with cloud networking, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are swiftly advancing as core sectors within the digital economy, aiming to meet the evolving societal needs of the contemporary landscape. Against this backdrop, the integration between the communication field and industry has become notably tighter, posing fresh challenges for talent development and curriculum enhancement in communication engineering programs at higher education institutions.^[1]

Nowadays, high-level research-oriented universities have become the main force leading technological innovation. However, how to leverage scientific research advantages and promote undergraduate teaching reform and development is a significant challenge. From an educational perspective, undergraduate engineering education focuses on enhancing students' ability to solve complex engineering problems.^[2] However, for a long time, undergraduate teaching in communication engineering has been predominantly theoretical, lacking corresponding experimental/practical courses. Moreover, the teaching content has often failed to keep pace with industry trends, while the communication industry requires talents with innovative practical abilities, leading to the so-called "industry-education gap". To address this issue, some universities have adopted software simulation, such as MATLAB/Simulink or LabVIEW, in their experimental teaching programs to enhance students' experimental abilities.^[3] Other approaches integrate hardware experimental platforms such as Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) and Realtek Software Defined Radio (RTL-SDR) into experimental teaching.^[4,5] However, these approaches either lack hardware experimental verification or lack cutting-edge teaching case designs, making it difficult for students to improve their experimental abilities. On the other hand, in extracurricular practical activities, traditional internship programs are almost outdated and have remained unchanged for many years, lacking innovative and autonomous practical projects to enhance students' innovative practical abilities.

In order to leverage scientific research advantages, promote undergraduate teaching reform, and finally achieve integration of science and education, in the past two years, we have implemented the new talent cultivation model characterized by equal emphasis on theory and experimentation, integration of software and hardware teaching, research-driven teaching, software-hardware design, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven instruction. Since the implementation of this program, significant outcomes have been achieved. In undergraduate competitions such as the University Electronic Design Competition, undergraduate students have won over 30 awards. Moreover, undergraduate students have participated in publishing over 15 papers in renowned journals or conferences, including Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Wireless Communications and IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference.^[6–9] Over 60% of students have been able to achieve competition awards or paper publications. In terms of curriculum development, teachers are actively encouraged to design research projects into teaching cases, with over 8 winning cases in university experimental case design competitions. In the cultivation of students' software-hardware design abilities, over 90 students annually participate in Advanced Electronic Science Experiment II/III, joining over 40 faculty research groups to enhance their software-hardware design capabilities. In AI-driven teaching, through the establishment of the Ministry of Education's collaborative education project with industry, advanced communication system experiments based on MATLAB's deep learning toolbox have been introduced to enhance the curriculum's innovation in the context of the new engineering disciplines. Therefore, our talent cultivation model has won the second prize of Guangdong Province Education and Teaching Achievement Award and the second prize of Southern University of Science and Technology Teaching Achievement Award. In the following sections, we will introduce the significant improvements of the talent cultivation model.

1. Gong K. Sustainable development and digitization: A further discussion on the dual transformation of engineering education. Engin Edu Rev. 2024;2(1):1-6.    DOI: 10.54844/eer.2023.0490

2. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. ABET. Accessed April 3, 2024. https://www.abet.org/accreditation/accreditation-criteria/criteria-for-accrediting-engineering-programs-2023-2024/

3. Xing X, Zhao H. [Design of Experimental Platform for Wireless Communication Based on LabVIEW and USRP]. Exp Technol Manag. 2016;33(5):160-164.    DOI: 10.16791/j.cnki.sjg.2016.05.041

4. Heath RW. Digital Communications: Physical Layer Exploration Lab Using the NI USRP Platform. National Technology and Science Press; 2012.

5. Stewart RW, Barlee KW, Atkinson DSW, Crockett LH. Software Defined Radio using MATLAB & Simulink and the RTL-SDR. Strathclyde Acad Media; 2015.

6. Zhang Q, Ma D, Tang X. 1-D Frequency-Diverse Single-Shot Guided-Wave Imaging Using Surface-Wave Goubau Line. IEEE Trans Anntenas Propag. 2020;68(4):3194-3206.    DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2019.2952456

7. Lan Q, Lv B, Wang R. Adaptive Video Streaming for Massive MIMO Networks Via Approximate MDP and Reinforcement Learning. IEEE Trans Wirel Commun. 2020;19(9):5716-5731.    DOI: 10.1109/TWC.2020.2995944

8. Ruan Z, Zhang Q. Design of Millimeter-Wave MIMO Endfire Antenna Array for 5G Communication. 2021 Cross Strait Radio Science and Wireless Technology Conference (CSRSWTC). IEEE; 2021: 140-142.

9. Li J, Yu C, Luo Y. Passive Motion Detection via mmWave Communication System. 2022 IEEE 95th Vehicular Technology Conference: (VTC2022-Spring). IEEE; 2022: 1-6.