September 24th marks the 20th anniversary of NingboTech University.
NingboTech University, originally called Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, was co-established by the People's Government of Ningbo Municipality and Zhejiang University back in June, 2001. That was an important step in the institutional reform of China's higher education system.
During his visit to the university back in October, 2002, XI Jinping, then Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Zhejiang Province, gave advice on the university's future development. Keeping in mind his illuminating words and adhering to Zhejiang University's motto of "Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation", the university has since realized transformative development.
Upgraded into a public undergraduate-level university in January last year, NingboTech is now steadily moving towards the goal of building itself into one that is among the first-class in Zhejiang province and Top 100 nationwide.
The university had a head start thanks to Zhejiang University's huge support. ZJU professors have been invited to teach here, its rich digital resources have been accessible to NingboTech teachers and students through optical fiber, various programs have been set up to support and train professionals and Zhejiang University Ningbo Campus was established in 2018.
Academician YANG Deren of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was appointed President after the university became a public undergraduate-level university in 2020. Other renowned ZJU professors have been appointed deans of schools and three academicians have joined the university. All of the moves have reflected the university's development philosophy of "being rooted in Ningbo with a global view and growing with the support from Zhejiang University".
As President YANG once remarked, support from Zhejiang University, a top university in the world, is invaluable for NingboTech.
During its 20-year history, NingboTech University has taken root in Ningbo and brought tangible economic and social benefits to the city. The university has built partnerships with 10 counties and districts in Ningbo and set up 31 research institutions with local governments, businesses and public institutions.
The university has been a part of several regional and national strategies including the integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta, the Great Bay Area in Zhejiang province and Ningbo's plan for quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative and has been actively exploring new cooperation models. Academician LI Zhaofen joined the university and was appointed Director and Chief Scientist of Ningbo Engineering Research Center for the Greater Bay Area in 2019. Academician WEN Xueyou, expert in gas turbine engines for ships, was appointed Chief Expert of the Research Center for New Energy Innovation in the same year. After working day and night, the team led by Prof. CHEN Genlang successfully developed Ningbo Health Code System, a mobile application which is a great help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The team led by Prof. WANG Yinhui and Prof. WANG Xiaojun offered technical and scientific support to the construction of Ningbo's Metro Line 4. 11 academicians have been invited to give advice on the university's plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan Period.
According to 2021 Top Chinese Universities List released by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, NingboTech ranked 251st nationwide and 12th in the province (in the category of comprehensive universities).
With 40 majors registered in the Ministry of Education and over 10,000 full-time students, the university has attached great importance to students' all-round development. Students have acquitted themselves brilliantly in competitions at different levels in the past five years, taking home 2,400 prizes, including almost 800 at the national or international level. Students won three first prizes in the Contemporary Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling, tied for the 27th place out of 120 finalists in the International Collegiate Programming Contest, and won Red Dot Award: Design Concept seven times, to just name a few. More than 46,000 graduates have walked out of the university, including JIANG Yinfeng 05', who was received by central government officials for her voluntary service, LI Jinghui 18', who devoted herself into elder care and HAO Zhiwei 17', who published a paper in Nature.
Thanks to the support from alumni and all sectors of society, scholarships worth 15.27 million yuan have been set up to for NingboTech students.
The university has paid much attention to disciplinary development. As of now, the university boasts of nine first-class majors at the national level, six first-class disciplines at the provincial level, five signature majors, four demonstration centers for experiment teaching and demonstration bases for industry-university integration, six platforms for scientific innovation at or above the provincial level, 53 first-class courses at or above the provincial level, etc.
With an international vision, the university has set up joint training programs with the University of Indianapolis. Focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative, the university strives to synergize with Central and Eastern European countries. The university has forged partnerships with over 50 universities (research institutions) from 20 countries. To better facilitate cooperation with CEE countries, the Polish Studies Center, a research center dedicated to international and regional studies, was set up with the approval of the Ministry of Education.
The past 20 years has witnessed aspirations and perspiration of each and every NingboTech teacher and student. "Positive results have been yielded in the past 20 years thanks to the strong support from the People's Government of Ningbo Municipality and Zhejiang University. In the future, we will build on past achievements and move in more confident strides towards the goal of building the university into one that's among Top 100 in China," said HU Zhengyu, Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of NingboTech University.
