The university has been visited by several heads of state, scientists and researchers such as Nobel Prize winner in Physics Dr. Yang Zhenning.

Many business and academics have made donations to support the development of Shenzhen University and some entrepreneurs have set up funds and scholarships in various disciplines.

In 1996, Shenzhen University was accredited by the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of the State Council for Master's programs.

In 1997, Shenzhen University reorganized into the faculty and college structure, adopted a work-study program and committed to an integrated approach to teaching.

[citation needed]Since 2017, the university has concentrated on research-oriented teaching and has invested heavily in providing state of the art research laboratories.

[citation needed] It has granted diplomas to 2,000 graduates from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administration Regions as well as Taiwan.

Shenzhen University has also established "dual-campus" joint-programs for undergraduate degrees with institutions in Great Britain and other foreign countries.

[21] Nature Index tracks the affiliations of high-quality scientific articles and presents research outputs by institution and country on a monthly basis.