Organizers of the 26th World University Games say they are taking a new approach for Friday's opening ceremonies.

Officials in China's southern industrial hub of Shenzhen are under pressure to come up with something to match the spectacular opening of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

But Jiang Haoyang, the chief director of the Shenzhen ceremonies, tells the official Xinhua news agency he wants to play down the artistic performances and emphasize the athletes themselves.

Friday's ceremony will begin with athletes from more than 150 nations and regions walking through a huge high-tech light wall dubbed the “Gate of the World.”

Jiang says most of the ceremony's performers will be college students and there will be no fireworks display.