A General Introduction to Hebei University 
a University with a Splendid Future in the 21st Century 

    Hebei University, is one of the top universities within Hebei Province. It is situated in Baoding, a city with a long history and rich cultural heritage in China, within easy access of Beijing. Hebei University was founded in Tianjin in 1921. Since its foundation, Hebei University has undergone successive changes in its name. It used to be Tianjin Industrial & Commercial Institute, it later became Jingu College, then Tianjin Normal School, and Tianjin Normal University for a while. In 1960, it was transformed in to a comprehensive university with its current name Hebei University. Then in 1970, it was moved to Baoding.
    As a comprehensive university, Hebei University offers a variety of courses covering a wide range of fields, including Philosophy, Economics, Law, Education, Literature, History, Science and  Technology, Engineering,Medicine and Management. The 15 colleges offer 56 specialized undergraduate courses leading to bachelor's degrees. The university can also award master's  degrees in forty-four subjects and doctorates in six fields. Ten of our specialized subjects and two of our laboratories are at the provincial-appointed level. Chinese Language & Literature and  History are appointed as the bases for research and cultivation of talents in liberal parts by  the province. Currently the university has an enrollment of 17,862, including 845 graduates and  17,000 undergraduates and two-year students. 16,972 adult students and 46 international students are also studying at the university.
    Hebei University has assembled a teaching faculty well known for its intellectual vigor, among  which there are quite a few accomplished scholars and experts. There are 2,100 teaching and  administrative staff, of which nearly half are doing teaching and research work, including three  members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and 550 professors and associate professors.     Among them, professor Yin Xiangchu, a member of CAS, takes the lead in the systematic study of  the locust and his work entitled, ‘The Habitat of the Locust Order and a Bibiliography of  References’ is considered the most exclusive and systematic in this field. Prof. Song Daxiang,  who is renowned as an expert in the study of spiders in China and the author of ‘The Arachnids  of China’. He is acclaimed as the chief scholar in his field. Professor Wei Chunjiang, a  distinguished microbiologist, is considered to be the authority on the study of lichen by his  fellow scholars at home and abroad. In addition, the study of the Song Dynasty, headed by Prof.  Qi Xia, is among the best in China. Qi's work ‘The Economic History of the Song Dynasty’, lays  the cornerstone for the study of economy in ancient China. The study of the history of education  in foreign countries, led by Prof. Teng Dachun, has contributed enormously to works in this  field. Teng's book, ‘The History of Education in the United States’, is one of the most  important achievements in this field. In addition to these eminent scholars, the university also  boasts a staff of talented young teachers who are beginning to display their talents in their own  academic fields. They are the backbone of teaching and research.
    The University campus covers an area of over 700 acres. It is well equipped with first-class  facilities, notably in the areas of science and technology. The University library has a  collection of 2,770,000 books and 5,000 periodicals published at home and abroad. It has one of  the largest collections of rare books among the universities in China. The University museum  houses more than 8,000 historical relics over 70 of which enjoy the highest degree of national  protection. Furthermore, the museum also possesses some rare specimens of animals and plants. As  one of the first 100 universities and colleges which entered the Chinese Education and Research  Net (CERNET), [the net of Hebei University – HEBUNET] is on its way to rapid development. With  the support of the Municipal Party Committee and the local government of Baoding, Hebei  University launched ambitious plans for expansion. We have recently purchased a further 1,545  acres of land in Baoding and are about to invest RMB 800,000,000 to establish a new and  modernized campus in accordance with the modern theories of higher education. The plans for the  new campus have already been completed and the construction programs are under revision and will  be started within a few days. 
    The University insists that scientific research should be combined with the development of the  local economy. In the light of this principle, the University has contributed to the development  of the economy, the advancement of science and technology and the progress of society in Hebei  Province. In many fields of study, Hebei University has become the center of scientific research  and serves as a window in academic exchange. In social science and humanities, we claim a leading  position in the study of the History of Ancient China, Chinese Classical Literature, the History  of Foreign Educational Systems and Japanese Economy. In natural science, our researches in basic  mathematics, optics and physics of materials, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, and  biology are among the most advanced in the world. Since the ninth Five-year Plan was implemented,  the University has produced more research papers than any other university with Hebei Province  and some papers have been recorded in SCI  As for high-tech and applied research, the researchers in this University have developed a  computer program that can recognize Chinese characters, electrostatic precipitation, Prawn bait  additiues and A series of achievement such as bait additive of prawn、controll of prawn's sex、The enzyme gene of acyl ization of enicillin is cloned、Low cost technology of high quality，all of them is international advanced or leading at home.。
    The academic exchange between Hebei University and the universities and institutions in China and  overseas, is brisk and extensive. Taking full advantage of its convenient location close to  Beijing & Tianjin, the University has started a “bring-in” program. Its purpose is to invite  members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other  nationally distinguished scholars to give lectures. We have also reached agreements with ten  sister universities and institutes in Japan, Russia, Mongolia and the USA to exchange students  and established friendly relationships with many universities and institutes in Canada,  Australia, South Korea, and Germany. In the last few years, over a hundred scholars and experts  from more than ten countries have been invited to Hebei University for teaching, short-term  lecturing, and joint research. Especially since 1997, the University has held a number of  important and influential international academic conferences and symposia. They include The 7th  international symposium on Fine chemistry and The seventh international meticulous chemistry and high polymer of function scientific seminar、China's ancient literature theory international scientific seminar and the 11th annual meeting、International Song history seminar and the ninth annual meeting of research association of China's history of Song、The fifth international nonferrous metals hold and the thing and catalysis scientific seminar in place with a net.。 The International students program includes short-term and long-term language training,  bachelor-degree, master-degree and doctor-degree programs.
    In the 80 years since its foundation, Hebei University has educated 76,000 young intellectual  students for the nation. Now they are working all over the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. Some  have been playing an important role in bringing about a great advancement in the nation’s  educational and scientific development; some have become experts in certain fields, or noted  public figures; and some have become senior leaders of the Party. Among them are Yao Yilin, the  former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and deputy Prime Minister of the  State Council, Yuan Jian, world-famous physicist, Zheng Hanjun, Chairman of the Housing  commission of the Hong kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Fan Gang, a distinguished  young economist, Xin qi, noted expert in the study of the Taiwan problem, Qie Xiushu, one of the  ten outstanding women in China. 
    With a view to adjusting to the socialist market economy and the development of Hebei Province  with technology and education, Hebei University is quickening its steps in the reforming of the  internal administration system. Meanwhile, we have put forward the ambitious goal of building a  nationally first-class University. A building & developing plan geared to the needs of the 21st  century has been made for the University and now is being implemented. We defined our guiding  principle To meet the challenges of the new century, Hebei University is upholding the great banner of Deng  Xiaoping’s Theory, quickening our reforms, and developing at a great speed. Our priority is  reinforcing the courses, and teaching is our focus. On the other hand, we also give vigorous support to scientific research, a combined program of teaching with research and production, and  carry on quality education effectively. For all this, we have one goal: to cultivate qualified  graduates for the building of the economy, the development of science and technology and the  advancement of society in Hebei province.