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Jiangnan University

Learning and Practice to Perfection

Our Mission

Demonstrate our distinguished features in light industry to serve the people.

Innovate our cultivating pattern to form backbone of the industry.

Our Development Policy

With quality the university flourishes.

With talent the university grows strong.

With enlightened policies the university becomes vigorous.

With dedication to service the university becomes famous.

Superior Location

Jiangnan University (JU) is situated in the city of Wuxi in the southern part of the province of Jiangsu. Approximately 128km away from Shanghai in the east, Wuxi occupies an area of 4,787.61 square kilometers and has a population of 6.34 million including 2.2 million dwellers in the city proper. It’s convenient in transportation, with Shanghai International Airport about 2.5-hour drive away in the east and the local Wuxi Airport accessible to many big cities in China and some Asian countries. During a long history over 3,000 years, Wuxi has remained an important metropolis in terms of agriculture, business, commerce and culture. Wuxi is also famous for its numerous distinguished citizens dating from ancient times to the present. So, the highly developed local economy, convenient transportation and quality elementary education have laid sound foundations for the development of Jiangnan University, a university with distinctive features.

Long History of Jiangnan University

Reputed as the “Pearl of China’s Light Industry Higher Education”, Jiangnan University is one of China’s national key “211 Project” universities, one of "985" platform universities, and functions directly under China’s Ministry of Education. Its roots may stretch back to 1902 when its predecessor, San Jiang Normal School, began its first term. More than a hundred years of development and fifty years of independent education have brought Jiangnan University recognition in scientific research, teaching quality and social service from all levels of society. It is a comprehensive university, recognized and highly respected both at home and abroad.

Jiangnan University consists of 18 schools and 51 undergraduate programs with disciplines including engineering, science, literature, economics, management, law, medicine, agriculture, arts and education. It has about 20,000 full-time undergraduates and over 11,000 part-time students receiving continuing education. In July 2000, China’s Ministry of Education gave approval for Jiangnan University to start a pilot project for modern distance education. Now the School of Online Education has over 45,000 students. In addition, Jiangnan University is engaging in Chinese-foreign cooperation by hosting the School of International Education and Jiangnan-North American College. Jiangnan University has 5 Post-doctoral Research Stations in the fields of Light Industry Technology and Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Control Science and Engineering, Chemistry Engineering and Technology, and Textile Engineering. It is entitled to confer master degrees in 58 programs, and doctoral degrees in 28 programs. Currently there are over 7,500 doctoral and master candidates studying on campus.

Dedicated Faculty

The faculty team consists of 1,668 members including 1068 professors and associate professors. Also JU boasts 1 academician of the China Academy of Engineering, 10 winners totally achieving National Outstanding Youth Foundation and honor of Cheung Kong Scholars, 12 faculties supported by Programs of 1,000 Global Experts and 1,000 Young Global Experts, and over 1,100 professors and associate professors. Among the team 22.4% faculties have got abroad experience. Besides, there are two National Innovation Teams and four Jiangsu Provincial Innovation Teams. The academic research group, represented by over 800 Master and PhD supervisors, has laid a solid foundation for scientific innovation and the training of high-level personnel.

Applied Research

Jiangnan University is the cradle, and one of the major supporting institutions, of China's light industry, food science and biotechnology. The National Key Lab of Food Science and Technology, approved by the Ministry of Science & Technology, is the only one of its kind in China. In addition, it has 6 national engineering research centers, 21 laboratories at the ministerial or provincial level. Since the implementation of China’s 11th Five-Year Plan, Jiangnan University has undertaken a large quantity of national, provincial or ministerial projects including “863 Projects”, “973 Projects”, National Key Special Projects, National Key Scientific and Technological Projects, and the National Natural Science Fund. It has received 400 national, ministerial or provincial awards including 11 National Technology Invention and 2 Humanity and Social Science Awards. In 2012, 1479 academic papers by JU faculty members were SCIE, EI and ISTP indexed. In the same year, research works resulted in 5037 patent applications, including 1409 patents for inventions. More than 2570 patents were granted, which is second to none in Jiangsu. The number of granted patents and effective patents for inventions ranked the third and the fourth respectively at the provincial level. In 2012, its total research funding 444 million yuan RMB.

Fruitful Achievements

Over the last 50 years, Jiangnan University has turned out over 140,000 graduates, many of whom have become members of the technical elite and important leaders in various industries. Its achievements and contributions have been fully recognized by all circles of society.

Jiangnan University boasts 6 national key disciplines. Among them, Food Science & Technology ranked the first, Light Industry Technology & Engineering the second, Design the fourth and Textile Science & Technology the fifth according to the 2012 National Discipline Assessment by Ministry of Education.

In recent 5 years, Jiangnan University has won over 80 national and provincial outstanding teaching achievement awards. It also has the National Base for Training Qualified Personnel in Life Science and the National Cultural Quality Education Base for College Students.

Jiangnan University takes an active part in the construction of national and regional scientific and technological innovation and service systems and promotes the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements. By closely meeting social demands, the University carries out overall cooperation with enterprises in research and development, technical services and personnel training and helps the enterprises to improve technology and upgrade products. Its National University Science Park is an important incubation base for high-tech research programs.

Jiangnan University has a very close relationship with industries. The Board of Trustees includes representatives of over 100 well-known enterprises globally, such as Haier, Moutai, Tsingdao Brewery, P&G and Seagate, promoting production-study-research cooperation.

International Exchanges and Cooperation

Jiangnan University was in the first group of higher institutions approved by China’s Ministry of Education to enroll foreign students, and has long been active in international exchanges and cooperation. Since 1977, over 2900 international students from more than 86 countries have received training and education at Jiangnan University. Many of them have earned reputations as experts and leaders in various fields of science and technology.

It has cooperated in teaching or scientific research with 122 universities or research organizations in more 28 countries and regions. Since 1979, over 1000 teaching staff members have gained international experience through further studies, co-research or academic visits in different countries. During this period, the university also appointed over 100 foreign professors and experts as honorary professors, adjunct professors or visiting professors. They enjoy high reputations in their research fields and have contributed significantly to the development of the university. Dr. Charles Shoemaker, visiting professor at the School of Food Science (JU) and professor of UC Davis, became the National Friendship Award Laureate of 2007. In 2013, a visiting professor at the School of Design in JU — Ezio Manzini who is a professor from Politecnico De Milano was honored with Jiangsu Friendship Award.

Faculty and student exchanges, joint supervision of postgraduates, co-research and symposiums are the major activities that add to the rich academic atmosphere of the university.

Jiangnan University has offered long-term and short-term programs for the students. To encourage them to participate in international exchanges, our university has set up “Yuan Xiang Scholarships” particularly. Last year, 17.1% of the total students joined the 45 programs of Study Abroad. For incoming students, Jiangnan University provides semester study and one-month summer school. Amid them, “A Taste of China” started in 2010, has become a brand program, attracting students from various institutions overseas, such as University of California, University of Guelph, Carleton University and so forth.

With various international conferences being held on campus each year, Jiangnan University has gradually become one of the most important international exchange centers in the fields of food science & technology, biotechnology, industrial design and textile technology. Cooperating with the University of California, Davis, JU initiated in 1991 the International Conference on Food Science & Technology, which was held every two to three years ever since and has become a very important event in the circle of food science and technology.

In Sep. 2013 the first Confucius Institute devoted to the Chinese food and beverage culture globally got cooking at the University of California-Davis in partnership with Jiangnan University. In the ceremony, MS Xu Lin, director-general of Hanban, read the congratulatory letter from China’s President Xi Jinping. The opening marks the formal operation of the CI and makes greater contribution to internationalization and spread of Chinese language and Chinese cuisine culture, academic communication of two institutes and enhancement of the friendship between two countries.

Beautiful Campus Environment

The newly completed university campus, covering 208 hectares, is located by the Taihu Lake, a national scenic resort in the south of Wuxi. It was designed and built to demonstrate the concept of an “Eco-campus”, landscaped with beautiful greens, elegant gardens, unique bridges and tranquil streams. In addition, the digital Digital Energy Management platform based on IOT technology and eight power reserve and management systems were established to fully utilize water and electricity for providing the university with a brand new stage from which to achieve fast, sustainable development in the near future.

Jiangnan University, with its century of achievements in several key disciplines, is now striving for even greater success with the ultimate goal of becoming a high level comprehensive university of international reputation.