Field Visit to China Unicom (Shanghai)

To facilitate students' integration of theoretical knowledge with industry cutting-edge practices, the School of Internet of Things recently organized a field trip to China Unicom (Shanghai). This event not only led students to explore communication facilities at the company's operational frontline but also provided an in-depth exchange session on 5G IoT technology and personal career development.

At the beginning of the visit, under the guidance of Shanghai  Unicom's specialist, faculty and students toured Shanghai Unicom Anting Data Center. Facing rows of high-speed operating servers and complex network architectures, students gained a firsthand experience of the "communication heart" supported by massive data, developing a more intuitive understanding of network infrastructure.

Subsequently, Shanghai  Unicom's business expert elaborated on the current diversified services of "5G IoT + MEC + Private Network" with cutting-edge case studies. During the sharing session, the expert specifically used "Zhangjiang AI Island, China's first 5G+AI full-scenario commercial demonstration park" as an example to demonstrate the deep integration of 5G network and MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) technology. By building differentiated MEC private networks, Shanghai Unicom provides solid guarantees of high bandwidth and low latency for intelligent applications in the park, including driverless vehicles, reception robots, industrial control systems, and 4K high-definition cameras. From smart cities in wide areas to cross-regional medical consortia, the cutting-edge architecture of integrated cloud and network, and coordinated network-industry collaboration, allowed students to deeply understand the tremendous industrial transformation brought about by the implementation of IoT and edge computing technologies.

In addition to the hardcore technical sharing, Mr. Yuanhong Pang, Data Officer at Shanghai Digital Public Service Station (Chuangyuan New Town) delivered an engaging career planning workshop for the students. Facing a new generation of graduates on the verge of entering the workforce, the executive shared several pieces of invaluable advice based on his own industry experience:

• Break Down Barriers and Enhance Interdisciplinary Learning: The future tech industry belongs to no single skill set. Confronting increasingly complex real-world scenarios, the key to standing out lies in your ability to synthesize knowledge and solve comprehensive problems across disciplines.
• Stay Curious and Embrace Lifelong Learning: With technology iterating at a breakneck pace, maintaining the capability and intrinsic motivation for lifelong learning is essential to keenly capture your own direction on a rapidly changing career path.
• Passion is Paramount, Find Your True Calling: The executive shared earnestly, "It is an incredibly joyful and fulfilling thing when a person finds their interest and passion and aligns it with a suitable career."

This visit to China Unicom (Shanghai) not only enabled IoT students to step beyond their textbooks and get a hands-on experience with the cutting edge of 5G private networks and MEC technology, but also lit a beacon for their future career planning.