Zhejiang University
In September 1998, a new Zhejiang University was established on the basis of the amalgamation of the four former individual universities, namely Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University, which were all located in the garden city of Hangzhou. Approved by the State Council, the founding of the new Zhejiang University has been a significant move in the reform and development of China's higher education. The four universities have grown out of the same ancestry, the Qiushi (with the literal meaning of "seeking truth" in Chinese) Academy, which was founded a century ago as one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in China. As a result, they have all inherited from it the spirit of "Qiushi" and at the same time, built up their own distinctive features in teaching and research.
Under the direct administration of China's Ministry of Education, the new Zhejiang University is a key comprehensive university whose fields of study cover eleven branches of learning, namely philosophy, literature, history, education, science, economics, law, management, engineering, agriculture and medicine. The university, now has 112 specialties for undergraduate studies, and it is entitled to confer masters degrees in 317 programs and doctoral degrees in 283 programs. Under its administration there are 14 Nation Key Laboratories, 2 National Engineering Research Centers and 3 National Engineering Technology Centers. Besides, it has set up 35 nation key specialties and 43 post-doctor stations.
Endowed with a pleasant climate, picturesque surroundings and a favorable academic atmosphere, Zhejiang University is an ideal place for teaching, research, and learning. With five campuses, namely Zijingang, Yuquan, Xixi, Huajiachi, and Zhijiang, the university now occupies a total area of 518 hectares and a floor space of over 2,000,000 square meters. At present, the total number of full time students has reached over 39,000, including more than 22,900 undergraduates, over 9,500 postgraduates working for master's degrees and over 6,600 Ph.D. candidates. There are also nearly 37,000 students taking courses in degree and non-degree programs in adult education. Among its 8,400 staff members and workers, there are 13 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 13 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 1,200 full professors and over 2,400 associate professors. With a total space of 83,000 square meters, the university library has a collection of more than 5,840,000 volumes. In addition, the university has 6 affiliated hospitals, providing medical services of various kinds for people from all over Zhejiang province.
At the turn of the century, the university is taking full advantage of the opportunities brought by the amalgamation, and will continue to give priority to education and research. It seeks to offer service to the nation's economic development, and to make every effort to build itself into an institution on a par with the first-class university in the world.
International College of Zhejiang University
The International College of Zhejiang University is a special teaching and administrative institute responsible for the enrollment, service and Chinese as Second Language (CSL) program, consisting of Office of General Affairs, Office of International Promotion of Chinese Language, Office of Degree Student Affairs, Office of CSL program, and Foreign Experts and Overseas Students Service Center, whose head office is located in Yuquan Campus with two other administrative offices located in Zijianggang Campus and Huajiachi Campus respectively.
The university had its first enrollment of international students in 1979 and since then, more than 20,000 international students have come to study in the school. In 2007, the International College gave admission to, both long-term and short-term, more than 3,100 overseas students coming from more than 100 countries across the world, including 105 doctoral candidates, 143 graduate students, 843 undergraduate students, 145 visiting students, more than 1,400 long-term Chinese language students and about 480 students of short-term programs. The college has a strong teaching faculty composed of more than 30 full-time teachers and over 40 part-time teachers, including 8 full professors and 20 associate professors.
In addition to the long and short term Chinese Language and Culture programs, the college has been running an undergraduate program of Chinese Studies (with focus on Economics and Trade/Tourism Management), and a graduate program of Chinese Studies will be offered when preparation is completed. We have a HSK(Chinese Proficiency Test) Test Center which holds the test on April, June and December every year. The majority of the students attending the language program have achieved satisfactory grades in the past tests. We also run short-term programs for group students, with focus on different subjects such as Chinese language, culture, economics and trade, business administration, music, weiqi, calligraphy, painting and so on. Each year there are about 500 students coming to our university.
Every year, the International College accepts over 200 CSC scholarship students. Meanwhile, we also offer college scholarship to international students who achieve excellent academic performance, abide by laws and school regulations and study in our school for more than one academic year, and in addition, we would provide scholarship for applicants of high competitiveness. We attach great importance to building long-term and close co-operation with foreign universities and overseas study agencies. Each year hundreds of university exchange students and students recommended by study abroad agencies come to our school to attend academic programs.
Our alumni all over the world have been bringing into full play what they had learnt in our school and contributing greatly to exchange, co-operation and friendship between Chinese people and peoples across the world. After completing their studies or graduating from our university, many overseas students pursue further studies in our school, become the mainstay in governmental or higher learning institutions, take jobs in joint ventures or foreign-invested companies in China or build careers in the fields of Chinese teaching, trade or culture exchange with China.
The college has been vigorously developing Chinese language teaching programs with overseas partners. Entrusted by National Office of Chinese Language Council International, we have worked together with the University of Western Australia to set up a Confucius Institute on their campus and more Confucius Institutes in different parts of the world are on their way. The International College and the Sate Street Corporation, the world’s largest financial service provider, have jointly established a Chinese Culture Center in Boston, US, to which we send teachers on a regular basis to give Chinese courses to State Street’s employees. In co-operation with the university Graduate School and the School of Humanities, we have been running a post-graduate program on Chinese language and culture in Malaysia.
There are many opportunities of fieldwork and after-class activities provided by our college each year, including agriculture visits to tea plantation and farm, industry visits, trips to Xi’an, Hainan island, Thousand-islet Lake and ancient waterside towns. Our students are also strongly encouraged to participate in all kinds of stage performances, speech contests, various sports events and will be invited to receptions for major holidays and festivals.
