28 May 2026
On 9 May, students from the Information Management and Information Systems (IMIS) programme visited the iFLYTEK Suzhou Research Institute to gain first-hand exposure to the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and industry practices.
The visit was organised by the IBSS Student Development and Support (SDS) team and attended by IBSS Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching Dr Nimesh Salike, IMIS Programme Director Dr Yang Lu, Teaching Fellow Dr Lei Li, together with Ms Hailu Hou and Ms Yixin Zhang from the SDS team.
During the visit, students toured the company’s exhibition hall and explored a variety of AI-powered applications, including speech recognition, machine translation, large language models, smart education systems, healthcare AI, intelligent office solutions, and automotive audio technologies.
A highlight of the visit was the demonstration of iFLYTEK’s Spark large language model. Students observed how generative AI supports multilingual translation, presentation design, coding assistance, meeting transcription, and interactive communication. The experience provided students with valuable insights into the growing impact of AI technologies across industries and future workplaces.
The industry sharing session also focused on career development and graduate employability. Company representatives introduced iFLYTEK’s dual-track graduate scheme, which allows graduates to pursue either technical or managerial career directions.
Representatives also outlined the company’s graduate training system, mentorship support, and professional development programmes designed to help young professionals transition into the workplace.
During the discussion, students were encouraged to evaluate not only job roles but also companies’ training systems, talent development structures, and long-term career support when considering internships and future employment opportunities. Speakers highlighted that organisations with well-established development systems can often provide stronger long-term professional support.
The visit provided students with deeper industry insights while helping them better understand future career opportunities in the rapidly evolving AI and digital economy.
In addition to the visit to iFLYTEK, the IMIS programme has continued to strengthen its practice-oriented learning approach by connecting classroom learning with real industry environments. Earlier this term, 27 students also visited Tesla in Shanghai under the guidance of Dr Nimesh Salike, Dr Yang Lu, Dr Kaiyu Xu, Dr Bingjie Deng, Ms Yidan Liu and Ms Yixin Zhang. During the visit, students explored the company’s innovation culture, digital operations, and future orientated approach to technology development.
As an interdisciplinary programme integrating business analytics, digital technologies, and management practice, IMIS places strong emphasis on developing students’ analytical thinking, digital literacy, business understanding, and industry engagement capabilities. Through company visits, industry-sharing sessions, real-world business cases, and experiential learning opportunities, the programme aims to equip students with a deeper understanding of the digital economy and the rapidly evolving AI landscape, while enhancing their long-term employability and career adaptability.
Looking ahead, the IMIS programme will continue to strengthen collaboration with industry partners and create more opportunities for students to engage with emerging technologies and real business environments beyond the classroom.
By Yixin Zhang
Edited by Thomas Durham
28 May 2026