University of Science and Technology of China - CAS-TWAS President's Fellowship Programme

About the university

The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), abbreviated as USTC or Zhongkeda, is located in Hefei, Anhui Province. It is a national key university directly under the central government and affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), jointly established by CAS, the Ministry of Education, and Anhui Province. It is a Class A institution under the national "Double First-Class" initiative, a key university under the "985 Project" and "211 Project," and an autonomous degree-granting unit. It is part of the Everest Plan, the 2011 Plan, the 111 Plan, and the Strengthening Basic Sciences Plan. It is one of the first Future Technology Colleges designated by the Ministry of Education, a member of the C9 League and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. USTC is a science and engineering university focusing on cutting-edge science and high technology, while also encompassing medicine, distinctive management, and humanities. It was founded by the older generation of revolutionaries and scientists of the Communist Party of China for the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" cause, making it a red university. The university was established in Beijing in September 1958. In 1959, the China Scientific and Technical Information University merged into it. In early 1970, the university moved to Hefei, Anhui Province. In February 1978, it was reinstated as a key university. In November 1981, it was approved by the State Council as one of the first institutions authorized to confer doctoral and master's degrees. In October 2011, it was selected for the Ministry of Education's "Excellent Engineer Education and Training Program." In September 2017 and February 2022, it was twice selected as a national university for building world-class universities and world-class disciplines. In 2023, the university initiated the construction of the Hefei Advanced Light Source. As of June 2025, the university has 3,212 teaching and research staff, including 779 high-level talents (non-duplicate count) such as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. It offers 44 undergraduate programs, 34 first-level doctoral degree authorization points (including interdisciplinary disciplines), 6 first-level master's degree authorization points, and 16 professional degree authorization points, including 6 professional doctoral degree authorization points. As of July 2025, the university has 34 schools, including 8 science-education integration schools. As of December 2024, the total value of teaching and research equipment assets is 7.868 billion yuan. In the 1950s, China's scientific and technological strength and comprehensive national power were very weak, making it difficult to meet the needs of national development and international competition. The Chinese Academy of Sciences, as the national academic and research center, had many high-level scientific talents but urgently needed excellent reserve forces, especially top-tier scientific and technological talents in emerging technical disciplines. At that time, graduates from higher education institutions could not meet the demand in terms of quantity or quality. Under these circumstances, leveraging the advantages of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish a new university that would cultivate top-tier scientific and technological talents in emerging, marginal, and interdisciplinary fields became a common vision among CAS leaders and many scientists. On March 18, 1958, at the third executive meeting of the CAS, President Guo Moruo proposed that the Academy could consider establishing a higher education institution to train cadres. On May 9, Zhang Jinfu, Secretary of the CAS Party Group, submitted a request on behalf of the CAS Party Group to Vice Premier Nie Rongzhen, who was in charge of national science and technology work, and the Propaganda Department, suggesting that the CAS pilot a university. Vice Premier Nie Rongzhen immediately reported the matter to Premier Zhou Enlai, who approved the idea. On May 21, Vice Premier Nie Rongzhen submitted a report to the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. On June 2, 1958, after discussion at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, Deng Xiaoping, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and General Secretary, instructed: "The Secretariat meeting approved this report and decided to establish this university." Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and Chen Yun also approved the decision of the Central Committee Secretariat. On June 8, 1958, CAS President Guo Moruo presided over the first meeting of the university preparatory committee, deciding to name the university "University of Science and Technology of China." The university preparatory committee was established, and the meeting approved the university-building plan and the 1958 enrollment brochure, clarifying that teaching equipment would be provided by the relevant CAS research institutes. The meeting decided to establish 12 departments: Department of Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Department of Technical Physics, Department of Chemical Physics, Department of Physical Thermal Engineering, Department of Radio Electronics, Department of Automation, Department of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering, Department of Radiochemistry and Radiation Chemistry, Department of Geochemistry and Rare Elements, Department of Polymer Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Technology, and Department of Biophysics. It also established cooperative relations with Peking University and Tsinghua University. On June 18, the People's Daily, Guangming Daily, and China Youth Daily published the USTC enrollment brochure. On July 28, the preparatory committee held its first meeting of department heads, deciding to add a Department of Applied Geophysics and establish four groups: General Physics, General Chemistry, Mathematics, and Political Courses. According to Vice Premier Nie Rongzhen's instructions, the former second campus of the Central Party School at Yuquan Road was given to USTC as its campus. The CAS headquarters and various research institutes provided a large number of cadres, classrooms, workers, books, and experimental equipment. In early September, 150 newly admitted students from the Beijing examination area reported early to participate in voluntary labor such as cleaning the campus and building sports fields. On September 15, students from outside Beijing completed registration procedures, and a total of 1,634 students were admitted. Old North Gate. On the eve of the opening, Guo Moruo drafted the lyrics of the school song and widely solicited revisions. On September 19, Guo Moruo met with all students for the first time and invited the composer of the school song, Lv Ji, chairman of the National Music Association, to teach the students the school song "Eternal East Wind."