Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University (ZJU; simplified Chinese: 浙江大学; traditional Chinese: 浙江大學; pinyin: Zhèjiāng Dàxué; Wade–Giles: Che-chiang-ta-hsüeh), sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education. It is a member of the C9 League.

Zhejiang University is located in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, approximately 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Shanghai. Zhejiang University Library collection contains about 6.9 million volumes, making it one of the largest academic libraries in the country.

History

Qing Dynasty

In 1897, Lin Qi (simplified Chinese: 林启; traditional Chinese: 林啓; pinyin: Lín Qǐ; Wade–Giles: Lin Ch'i), the mayor of Hangzhou, established "Qiushi Academy" (simplified Chinese: 求是书院; traditional Chinese: 求是書院; pinyin: Qíushì Shūyuàn; Wade–Giles: Ch'iu-shih-shu-yüan). Lin studied the western higher education system and applied it to Qiushi Academy, which would become one of the earliest new schools in modern China history. 1902, Qiushi Academy was renamed as Zhejiang Academy (浙江大學堂/浙江大学堂). 1903, its name was changed to Zhejiang Advanced College， established by Hongcheng's wife, panpan. The "Yuying Academy" was also one of the Zhejiang University's early roots. Yuying Academy was established in 1902 with its original name "Yuying Xuetang" (Xuetang means school or college), later "Yuying Yishu" (Yishu means public school), and then the academy. 1911, Yuying Academy was modified to Zhijiang Xutang, and moved to the Qinwang Hill (秦望山), outside of Hangzhou.

1912, the Zhejiang Medical School was established, later it developed to the Zhejiang Provincial Medical College. This college became the medical college of Zhejiang University.

1927, some schools and colleges (e.g. industrial and agricultural colleges/schools) were merged into the Qiushi Academy. Then the name of the enlarged school was changed into "National Third Sun Zhongshan University" (or, National Third Sun Yat-sen University), for memorial of Sun Yat-sen. April 1, 1928, it was called "Chekiang University" (or Pinyin: Zhejiang University), in the same year, "National" was added and it became "National Chekiang University" (simplified Chinese: 国立浙江大学; traditional Chinese: 國立浙江大學; pinyin: Guólì Zhèjiāng Dàxué).

1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out. Due to the attack from Japanese army, the university had to move out of Hangzhou to Guizhou until 1946, after the war ended.

Reputed as "Cambridge of the East" by Joseph Needham (twice visited ZJU in 1944) in China's modern history of higher education, Zhejiang University's was consistently ranked as among top 3 in the nation during that time.

During this period, the National Zhejiang University was praised as one of the Four most Prominent Universities in the Republic China (Chinese: 民国四大名校), along with National Central University, National Southwestern Associated University and National Wuhan University.

Zhejiang University was split up into a number of single-discipline colleges during the 1952 readjustment of China's Tertiary Education System. Its schools of arts and sciences either went to former Hangzhou University or jointed with Fudan University. Its medical and pharmaceutical schools formed Zhejiang Medical University. Its agricultural and horticultural schools went to establish Zhejiang Agricultural University.

1952~1953, Its chemical engineering departments and some the other technological parts went to former Hangzhou Chemical Engineering School (now Zhejiang University of Technology, ZJUT). And the dean Li Shouheng, who was one of the main founders of China's modern chemical engineering, was pointed to be the first president of ZJUT.

In 1998, with the approval of the State Council, the new Zhejiang University was established as a combination of four major universities that had grown up in Hangzhou over the previous half-century, namely Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University.

On September 21, 2006, Chinese billionaires Duan Yongping (Zhejiang University alumnus) and Ding Lei (Zhejiang native) donated together a one-time endowment of 40 million US dollars to Zhejiang University. 30 million USD was from Duan with 10 million from Ding.

Colleges and schools

Chu Kochen Honors College

College of Economics

Guanghua Law School

College of Education

College of Humanities

School of International Studies

College of Science

College of Life Sciences

College of Mechanical and Energy Engineering

College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering

College of Electrical Engineering

College of Information Science and Electrical Engineering

College of Media and International Cultures

School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

College of Computer Science

College of Software Technology

College of Civil Engineering and Architecture

College of Biosystem Engineering and Food Science

College of Environmental and Resource Sciences

College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science

College of Agriculture and Biotechnology

College of Animal Sciences

School of Medicine

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

School of Management

College of Public Administration

Zhejiang University Ranked:

191th in the 2011 QS World University Ranking