The Silkworm Academy, predecessor of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, was established by Hangzhou magistrate Lin Qi to realize his vision to save the nation with industry and education in the year of 1897, and one of the earliest ever new educational institutions in China. In the year of 1908, owing to its outstanding schooling performance, it was upgraded as “Higher Sericulture School” by Qing Government with imperial assent. During the period from Xinhai Revolution to the eve of liberation, because of the unrest domestic situation, the school was repeatedly renamed, transferred here and there, underwent vicissitudes and hardships, but had all along been sticking to its schooling. After the foundation of PRC, the school has been forging ahead, and made its new historic chapter. The school began to enroll undergraduate students in 1959, was renamed as Zhejiang Institute of Silk Textiles by the State Council in 1964, began to enroll master student in 1979, and began to have the right to confer master degree in1983. In the year of 1999, approved by the Ministry of Education, the school was renamed as Zhejiang Institute of Science and Technology. In the year of 2004, approved by the Ministry of Education, the school was renamed as Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (herefrom as ZSTU). In the year of 2006, it began to have the right to confer doctorate degree. In the year of 2010, approved by the Ministry of Education, it began to be qualified to recommend excellent graduates to be candidates of master degree.
Presently, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University is a provincially key university, focusing on engineering, of distinct characteristics and highlighted advantages, and with the coordinated multi-disciplinary development of science, engineering, arts, economics, management, law, fine arts, education, etc. The university boasts 17 schools (teaching & research departments) and one independent college, and a population of over 27,000 all-time students, among whom there are over 3500 graduate students. The university boasts 63 undergraduate programs, among which there are 8 national (MOE) feature specialties, 1 MOE comprehensive reform pilot specialty, 6 MOE PETOE pilot specialties, 3 MOE-Autodesk Company specialty comprehensive reform programs, 7 “Thirteenth Five-year” provincial advantageous specialties and 5 provincial emerging specialties. ZSTU boasts 2 national bilingual teaching demonstrating courses and 2 MOE foreign student in-English brand course.
ZSTU is with an abundant qualified faculty of over 2000 teaching and administrative staff, among whom there are over 880 teachers with the professional rank of associate professor or above and over 260 teachers with the professional rank of professor. It boasts 2 MOE innovation teams, 7 provincial technology innovation teams, 1 provincial key culture innovation team, and 5 provincial higher education innovation teams.
ZSTU has been focusing on its scientific work, making progress in its scientific research, completed a series of national science & technology planned projects and national, provincial and ministry scientific research projects, won 6 second prizes of national technological invention award, 4 second prizes of national technological progress award, 1 Luxun Literature Prize, 1 Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation science and technology innovation award, and over 210 provincial and ministry prizes. The comprehensive indicators of scientific and technological work has always been among the top of Zhejiang provincial universities and colleges.
ZSTU has been sticking to the ideology of opening schooling, has established cooperation with over 100 universities and scientific research institutions from over 20 countries and areas, co-construct two Confucius Institutes with University of Mauritius and University of Suriname, and the education for foreign students is booming.
Building upon its impressive legacy accumulated over the past 110 years, ZSTU is now fully prepared for the development opportunities of the new century. Its faculty and students are working together confidently, diligently and innovatively to build ZSTU into a high-quality university.
