Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University is a prestigious institution of higher learning with a long history and outstanding reputation, located in Hangzhou, a famous historical and cultural city and tourist destination in China. The predecessor of Zhejiang University, Qiushi Academy, was founded in 1897 and was one of the earliest new-style higher education institutions established by Chinese themselves. In 1928, it was named National Zhejiang University. During the War of Resistance, Zhejiang University moved westward and operated in Zunyi, Meitan and other places in Guizhou for seven years, returning to Hangzhou in the autumn of 1946. In 1952, during the nationwide reorganization of higher education institutions, some departments of Zhejiang University were transferred to sister universities and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, while the main body remaining in Hangzhou was divided into several single-discipline colleges, which later developed into the former Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University. In 1998, the four universities sharing the same origin merged to form the new Zhejiang University, embarking on a new journey to build a world-class university. During his tenure in Zhejiang, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally contacted Zhejiang University, visited and guided it 18 times, made a series of important instructions on the university's reform and development, and drew a grand blueprint for building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics at a high level. Over the past 120 years of running the university, Zhejiang University has always adhered to the fine tradition of "Seeking Truth and Pioneering Innovation" as its motto, bearing the world as its responsibility and following the truth, gradually forming the shared values of Zhejiang University people of "diligence, moral cultivation, discernment, and practicality" and the Zhejiang University spirit of "embracing rivers and seas, seeking truth and virtue, exploring things and leading the people, and establishing our country." Zhejiang University is a comprehensive, research-oriented, and innovative university with distinctive features and significant influence at home and abroad. Its disciplines cover 12 categories: philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, art, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and management. It has 7 faculties, 37 professional colleges (departments), 1 engineering college, 2 Sino-foreign cooperative education colleges, and 7 affiliated hospitals. The university currently has 7 campuses: Zijingang, Yuquan, Xixi, Huajiachi, Zhijiang, Zhoushan, and Haining, covering an area of 5,870,761 square meters, with a total building area of 2,746,377 square meters, and a library collection of 7.778 million volumes. As of the end of 2018, Zhejiang University had 54,641 full-time students (including 25,425 undergraduates, 19,038 master's students, and 10,178 doctoral students) and 7,074 international students (including 4,409 degree-seeking international students). It had 8,909 faculty and staff members (including 3,741 full-time teachers), among whom are 45 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (including double-appointed), 10 senior professors in humanities and social sciences, 121 specially appointed (lecture) professors under the Ministry of Education's "Changjiang Scholars Award Program", and 133 recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. In the national "Double First-Class" construction list, the university was selected as a first-class university construction university (Category A), with 18 disciplines selected as first-class construction disciplines, ranking third among Chinese universities. According to ESI data released in May 2019, 8 of its disciplines ranked among the top 1‰ in the world, ranking first among Chinese universities; 1 discipline ranked among the top 0.01%, and 8 disciplines ranked among the top 100 globally, both ranking second; 5 disciplines ranked among the top 50 globally, ranking third. Zhejiang University closely focuses on the core requirement of "having both moral integrity and professional competence, and comprehensive development", fully implements the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, and strives to cultivate high-quality innovative talents who are well-developed morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and labor-wise, and have global competitiveness. In its long history, it has produced many famous scientists, cultural masters, and outstanding elites in all walks of life, with more than 200 alumni elected as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The university maintains an educational philosophy that keeps pace with the times, and its reform of educational models and teaching methods is at the forefront of Chinese universities. Rich campus culture, advanced teaching facilities, and extensive international exchanges provide excellent conditions for students' growth. In 2018, the initial employment rate of graduates reached 97.64%, and the domestic and overseas further study rate of undergraduates reached 60.30%. Zhejiang University attaches great importance to academic research and technological innovation, building a number of open and international high-end academic platforms that bring together top scholars and high-level research teams across disciplines. In recent years, the university has maintained a leading position in major scientific research indicators such as the number of invention patents granted, papers published in authoritative academic journals, and total research funding. It has achieved fruitful results in science and technology and humanities and social sciences. The university actively connects with national and regional major strategic needs, striving to build a high-level source of innovation, talent pump, and think tank. Since the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, the university, as the lead organizer, has won one Grand Prize, seven First Prizes, and forty Second Prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. Its cultural heritage innovation achievements such as "A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings", "Chinese Rites Collection", and Dunhuang studies have had broad influence at home and abroad. "The state has its great institution by the Zhe River". Today's Zhejiang University adheres to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, upholds the spirit of seeking truth and innovation, is committed to disseminating and creating knowledge, promoting and leading culture, serving and contributing to society, and unswervingly strives to quickly join the ranks of world-class universities with Chinese characteristics and march towards the forefront of world-class universities, making outstanding contributions to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of human civilization.