University of Science and Technology of China

A national-level research institution based in Beijing, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) is the latest entrant into the country’s list of the topmost 16 national key universities. It was founded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) by amalgamating the majority of its departments with the new entity in September 1958. The founding of USTC was acclaimed in the Chinese media as “A major event in the history of Chinese Education and Science”.

OBJECTIVE: The objective behind this move was to address the urgent national need for education in science and technology, carry out research and development (R&D) in defense construction and also to design blueprints to boost the country’s economy. This seat of higher learning has proved its excellence in the above arenas and has also made forays into management and humanities.

MOTTO: The motto of USTC is 红专并进，理实交融. Translated into English it connotes that it would always strive to be “Politically sound and professionally competent, and to integrate theory with practice.”

THE STRONG BASE: The approach of the University of Science and Technology of China is marked by a vibrant base on scientific temper and engineering excellence.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: USTC was ranked 49th among the worldwide universities by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010-2011.

AFFILIATIONS & WEBSITE: Besides the prestigious C9 League, the institution is affiliated to AEARU, and APRU. The official website of the University is www.ustc.edu.cn

ACADEMICS: The University has 27 departments in 12 Schools besides the School of Continuing Education, the three Graduate Schools at Hefei, Shanghai, and Suzhou, the Beijing-based School of Management, the School of Network Education, and the Software School. The institution has two sections — the Experimental Class for the Teaching Reform, and the Special Class for the Gifted Young.

STAFF & STUDENTS: The total academic staff including staff members of the University numbers 3,600. There are 432 professors, as well as 22 CAE and CAS academicians. Students enrolled in the normal higher education courses number 13794. Of them, the research scholars total 1498; students pursuing the masters’ degree course number 3873; while the undergraduates number 8243.

SHIFT OF CAMPUS: The institution was shifted to the capital of Anhui Province — Hefei — during the Cultural Revolution in the early part of 1969.

THE JOURNEY: The University of Science and Technology of China survived the Cultural Revolution and registered rapid strides thereafter. The fag end of the 1970s witnessed the university management adoption of a series of steps with an open mind and a catholic approach wedded to innovation. In 1978, the USTC set up its maiden graduate school in Beijing as a futuristic project to mould its postgraduate pupils. Subsequently, the CAS rechristened it as the ‘Graduate School of the CAS’. The 1990s witnessed the University initiated major steps to gear up three sectors of the country, namely education, science and technology, and social economy. In 1995, the Chinese Government included the University in the Ninth Five-Year Plan whereby USTC would get financial and expert backup to strengthen the infrastructure. That very year, the Chinese Government also included the University in the prestigious ‘Project 211’. A significant jump for the prestigious seat of higher learning was its selection among the country’s top nine universities to get priority backup from the government under the ‘Plan of Vitalizing Education Action Geared to the 21st Century’ in the year 1999. USTC implemented the campus construction project under ‘Project 211’ during the 10^th National Development Plan in 2002.

Hefei

The city of Hefei is the capital of Anhui province of the People’s Republic of China. This prefecture-level city, with an area of 11,323 km2 (4,372 sq mi), is the largest city of the province and also its economic, political and cultural hub. The city has Chuzhou to its northeast, Chaohu to its southeast, Luan to the west and Huainan to the north.

POPULATION
According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 7,457,027 inhabitants majority of whom are Han Chinese. A small number of Hui Chinese also live in the city. A large number of migrant workers from other parts of Anhui also inhabit the city.

TRACING ITS ROOTS
The origin of the present city dates back to the times of the Song Dynasty (960-1126). It was the capital city of the independent Wu kingdom (902-938) for some time and an important city of the Southern Tang state (937-975). After the formation of the Republic of China in 1911, the superior prefecture was abolished and the city took the name Heifei. It was known in the earlier times as Ho-fei , Luzhou or Luchow. Heifei remained the temporary capital of the Anhui province from 1853 to 1862 and after China won the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1945, it became the permanent capital of Anhui.

CLIMATE
Hefei experiences humid sub-tropical climate with very hot and humid summers and damp and cold winters with irregular snowfalls. The average annual temperature here is 15.830C (60.50F).On the other hand the spring season is pleasant while it is cool and dry during the autumn season.

ADMINISTRATION
Nine county level divisions that include 1 county city, 4 counties and 4 districts are under the administration of Hefei city.

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING
The city hosts a number of prestigious institutions of higher learning. These are the Hefei University of Technology (HFUT), Anhui University (AHU), Anhui Agricultural University (AHAU), University of Science and Technology of China (USTC),Anhui Medical University (AHMU),Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (AHTCM),Anhui Institute of Architecture and Industry (AIAI) ,Hefei Normal University (HNU) and Hefei University (HU).

ECONOMY
The per capita gross domestic product of Hefei is ¥41,543 (ca. US$6,082). During the period prior to the Chinese Civil War, agriculture was the mainstay of the city. But at present, there are electronics, steel, textile and cigarette making industries in the city.

CENTRE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The city is a major centre of scientific research in the country. It houses seven national laboratories, that includes the Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, The National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Solid State Physics, Institute of Plasma Physics and
Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics.

Academic & Department