They are a group of prodigies who have skipped years of primary and even secondary school education to enter college at a tender age -- mostly under 15 and the youngest at 11.

Most of them have continued to amaze the world with flying colors later on, academically and professionally.

Shi Zhan, who entered college at 13, made his mark by devising a mathematical model of the Brownian movement during his PhD studies, and became an advisor for PhD students at a French university when he was only 30.

Huang Qin, another gifted child, became vice-president of a big-name securities firm on Wall Street at 27. He is one of the few Chinese who have walked into a senior leadership position in financial circles in the United States.

Both were graduates from the Chinese University of Science and Technology (CUST) based in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province.

In 1978, the prestigious university launched a special program to provide tailored curricula to teens and preteens with higher than average intelligence.

To date, nearly 600 talented juveniles have graduated from the university, over 70 percent of whom have gone on to post-graduate studies at home and abroad and over 100 have got a doctoral degree.

Zhang Yaqin, who was admitted to the special program in 1979 as a 12-year-old, is now president of the Microsoft Institute in Asia.

Zhang, the youngest member ever of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), returned to his alma mater as a visiting professor in 1999.

A number of universities followed CUST's suit and set up "young genius programs" in the early 1980s, though few were as successful.

"Our success lies in our unique teaching methodology," CUST's President Zhu Qingshi said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Unlike other college students who start to concentrate on a specific field from their freshman year, the gifted young students under the special program do not choose a major until the third year, said Zhu.

"After two years of broad-based education, most students are well-grounded and know precisely what interests them most," he said. "And you're more likely to succeed when pursuing something you're most interested in."

Zhu dispelled some widespread misunderstandings about these young talents, labeled by many as "self-centered, conceited and with a low emotional quotient."

"Except for a few preteens, most students are enrolled at 15 -- only two or three years younger than the average freshman," he said.

Excellent schoolwork and a tender age are not the only criteria for a student to be admitted to the program -- they have to show honesty, moral integrity and good health too, he pointed out.

About 50 students stood out each year among thousands of nationwide candidates competing for a place in this "cradle of young scientists," said Zhu.

Campus life teaches the youngsters to cope with different situations and get along with their peers. Even the one-time "desk jockeys" are driven to the playground by the cheering crowds.

They are also encouraged to be interns and make investigative studies off campus, which help them learn more about the world.

The university has also set up a psychological service to provide counseling to the students.

"My son is no more that quiet, skinny bookworm he once was -- he's stronger and talks more," is a typical comment from parents, delighted to see the profound changes in their teenage children.

Zhu Yuan, a researcher into education for the gifted, said the program catered to the interests and individual potential of the students and ensured their all-round development.

However, some specialists in juvenile studies doubt whether it is advisable for the youngsters -- no matter how gifted they are -- to hurry into the adult world. Does a premature tree bear fruit, they ask.

But Zhu Qingshi and his colleagues say "yes."

"Despite what some people tend to think, we're not a production line of science prodigies," said Zhu Qingshi, "We just aim to explore more efficient ways to nurture young professionals and give them a chance to fully exploit their potential."

As most graduates from the program have established themselves as young to middle-aged scientists under 40, Zhu is confident they are set for greater achievements in their careers in later life.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2002)