The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Nanchang University is originated from the chemistry department of Jiangxi University founded in 1958, which is one of the earliest science and engineering disciplines.
At present, the School has four secondary teaching units, including Chemistry Department, Applied Chemistry Department, Chemical Engineering Department and Basic Chemistry Experiment Center; Six Key Laboratories of Jiangxi Province, including New Energy Chemistry Key Lab, Key Lab of Environment and Energy Catalysis, Key Lab of Homology of Medicine and Food for High-Value Utilization of Plant Resources, Key Lab of Macromolecule Energy Materials Engineering, Key Lab of Rare Earth Precursor Engineering Study and Jiangxi Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Ferroelectrochemistry; Three university-level independent research organizations, including International Ordered-Materials Institute, Macromolecule and Energy Chemistry Institute and Rare Institute; Two university-level non-dependent research organizations, including Institute of Applied Chemistry and Rare Earth & Micro-Nano Functional Materials Research Center.
The school currently has four provincial First-class Undergraduate programs, including Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Technology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, among which the latter three have been selected into the national First-class undergraduate construction program; and the Chemistry and Applied Chemistry have been selected as the first batch of five-star program of Jiangxi Province. The school has two first-level discipline Ph. D programs and two respective postdoctoral research stations, which are Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Technology; two Professional Master degree points, which are Material & Chemical Engineering and Biology & Medicine.
The school is the team member of Chinese Chemical Society and the council member of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Society of Jiangxi Province. Chemistry is the first-batch leading disciplines of Jiangxi Province University Alliance. Chemical Engineering & Technology is a High-level Key Discipline of Jiangxi Province, and also selected as a High-level university construction plan of Jiangxi Province.
The school has a strong faculty team with 129 full-time teachers, among which includes 60 professors, 49 associate professors. 82.9% of them have a Ph.D. degree. Currently, two of the faculty are awarded National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars; One is awarded National Science Foundation for Excellent Young Scholars; two are awarded National Hundred, Thousand and Ten Thousand Talents; four are awarded National Great Talent Youth Project of the Education Ministry; one is awarded National High-level Talent Supporting Plan; one is awarded National High-level Youth Talent Supporting Plan; one is awarded National Young and Middle-age Technological Innovation Leading Talents; one is awarded National Model Teacher; two are awarded State Council Special Allowance; one is selected as a member of Advisory Committee for Undergraduate Education of Education Ministry; three are awarded Young talent support Project of China Association for Science and Technology; three are awarded New Century Outstanding Talent Support Project of Education Ministry. Over recent years, nearly 80 of the faculty have been awarded Academic Leaders of Major Subjects in Jiangxi Province, May 4th Youth Medal of Jiangxi Province, University Jing-gang Scholar and Double Thousand Talent Project.
The school has obtained abundant scientific research achievements. As to the number of National Natural Science Foundation of China Projects and high-level scientific papers, the school has always been ranked forefront at Nanchang University. Over past 5 years, the school has achieved more than 100 projects from National Natural Science Foundation of China, among which one is Significant Project (First one in Jiangxi Province), three are Major Projects, three are Breeding Projects for Significant Research Plan, and two are National Major Research Project. 800 papers have been published in prestigious journals, such as Science, PNAS, JACS, Angew, AM, by the faculty members as first corresponding author unit, and several of the research achievement are rated as “The 10 Major Scientific Progresses in Chinese Universities”. Moreover, the school has awarded 25 provincial and ministerial level awards and prizes. The data released by the United States Essential Science Indicators Database (ESI) indicate that the ESI ranking of chemistry discipline at Nanchang University has been increased from top 5.2‰ in 2017 to 2.3‰ in 2022, being ranked around 394 in top 500 chemistry discipline around the world. According to the Global Natural Index, the chemistry discipline is ranked around 200 in the world; and according to Soft science best discipline in China (chemistry)，it is ranked in top 20%.
The school has achieved remarkable results in talent training. The school adheres to the direction of "Moral education and building up persons", and focuses on the concept of "First-level position, International view, Leading by famous teachers, Serving the society". The school has made endeavor to construct into first-rate basic education base and scientific research innovation base, thus being able to cultivate High-quality innovative talents. For undergraduate education, the school owns a group of teachers with abundant experience and excellent teaching ability. Over past several years, they have been awarded more than 10 national and provincial High Quality Courses, one first prize and two second prize of Provincial Teaching Achievement, more than 30 Provincial Education Innovation projects; one excellent prize of National Multimedia Course Competition. One people was selected as Provincial Gold Teacher. Since 2014, the school has been ranked first prize of undergraduate teaching status assessment and comprehensive evaluation of undergraduate programs of Nanchang University consecutively. The school has cultivated a big group of outstanding alumni. Professor Qiu Dingpan and Xie Mingyong were elected as the academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Professor Zeng Anping was elected as the academician of the Germany Academy of Engineering. Four persons won National Prize for Natural Sciences; Five persons won National Prize for Science and Technology Progress; Nine persons got National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars; Two persons were appointed as special professor of national Key Talents Program of the Education Ministry; One people was selected as young scholar of national Key Talents Program of the Education Ministry. The school has trained more than 10 thousand Chemistry and chemical engineering professionals, who are currently working in different fields around the world.
The school is a Party Construction benchmark unit, which is specially cultivated by Nanchang University. In February 2022, it was selected as the third batch of National Benchmark Party Construction institution. One sample branch and one branch secretary's office of national Party Construction of the Education Ministry are under constructing now. The school has also a“1+8+N”class supervisor Party Construction Featured base.
There are 1833 students studying at the school currently, among which 742 are graduate students and 1091 are undergraduate students. The school strongly promotes party construction, “1+8+N”class supervisor rule, "leading by famous teachers for party life” and “party construction+ Zhihui Chemistry”. Over recent three years, the first employment rate of the graduated students keeps around 90%. 40% of the undergraduate students continue to graduate study. The students won more than 100 national and provincial prizes.
The school actively promotes the cooperation between school and enterprise to serve the society, and has built up close relations with some famous companies to corporate education, develop key technologies and make products. More than 20 research results have been commercialized by 10 groups, which has pushed forward the development of related industry, and brought very good society and economic benefit.
The school has established Ri-zhi-sheng Technology Scholarship, Agilent Scholarship, Teng-ding Scholarship, Sheng-yi Prize (or aid) Scholarship, San-xing Scholarship, Guang-yuang Chemical Engineering Scholarship, Da-ying Scholarships, Betley Scholarships, Ogilvy Technology Scholarships, and Wan-he-da Technology Scholarships. The total granting is nearly 1 million RMB, which has covered different departments, different majors, and students at all grades and levels, thus the school is one of the most funded by alumni at the university.
The school actively promotes international education, and has held three times Summer School, for which many famous scholars from different countries were invited to give lessons. The school also collaborate with National University of Singapore and other international universities to train students, and invites deomestic and abroad scholars to give lectures at “Zhihui Chemistry” forum, targeting to cultivate high-quality talents with an international perspective.
At present, Nanchang University has embarked on a new journey of "setting an example, striving to be the first, and creating first-class". The school is striving to build a first-class discipline and a first-class high-level institution.