College of Food Science and Engineering (CFSE), established in 1984, is an emerging new force in the field of food science. The college started enrollment of undergraduates and graduates in 1985. In 2000, it was authorized to grant doctor’s degrees. Seven years later in 2007, post-doctoral research station was founded, and a year later in 2008, it began to recruit overseas students. In 2015, the first “3+1” international double-degree undergraduate program in Food Science and Engineering was founded in collaboration with Nebraska-Lincoln University in the United States.
CFSE consists of the Food Science Department and the Department of Food Safety and Nutrition. There are two undergraduate programs--Food Science and Engineering, Food Quality and Safety--, and a international dual-degree undergraduate joint program. Altogether, these three programs in Food Science and Engineering represent a national-level recognized specialty. And this college took the lead in China in establishing the Food Quality and Safety undergraduate program.
Offering comprehensive talent cultivation system from undergraduate to doctor’s degree, CFSE is authorized to grant Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees and has founded the post-doctoral research station in Food Science, which is a First-level Discipline. And it has the authority to offer master’s degrees in four Second-level Disciplines including Food Science, Cereals, Oils and Vegetable Protein Engineering, Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Engineering and Aquatic Product Processing and Storage Engineering. In addition, it is also authorized to grant two Professional Master’s Degrees including Master of Engineering in Food Science and Master of Agricultural Extension in Food Processing and Safety.
CFSE provides a broad research platform including 5 research institutes and 4 provincial and ministerial-level Certification and Quality Assessment Centers. The 5 research institutes approved by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) are as follows: National Agricultural Comprehensive Testing and Engineering Technology Research Center (Yangling, China), Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Risk Assessment of Agricultural Products of Ministry of Agriculture (Yangling, China), Testing Center for New Plant Variety Protection of Ministry of Agriculture (Yangling branch), and Shaanxi Province Agricultural Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Station. CFSE is also qualified to evaluate and detect the quality of Agricultural Products of Geographical Indication and Pollution-free Agricultural Products of Ministry of Agriculture.
The faculty team is becoming increasingly strong. There are currently 117 staff members including 68 full-time teachers. Among them, there are 18 professors (or researchers), 27 associate professors (or associate researchers), 19 doctoral supervisors, 51 master supervisors. 2 experts enjoying Special Government Allowance, 1 member of State Academic Degrees Appraisal Committee, 1 Cheung Kong Scholar Chair Professor, 1 member of Thousand Talents Program, 4 New Century Excellent Talents, 1 Shaanxi Teaching Master, 1 Shaanxi Three Five Talent，1 Shaanxi New-star Plan of Science and Technology.
CFSE puts moral education in the first place, fosters and practices core socialist values. In order to meet students’ needs, a rich variety of activities covering moral education, innovative entrepreneurship, recreational and sports activities have been implemented, which greatly improve students’ comprehensive abilities. There are currently 1317 undergraduates and 405 graduates enrolled. In the 33 years since the establishment of College of Food Science and Technology, more than 5000 students have graduated and become qualified personnel for universities, research institutes and large food entrepreneurs.
CFSE focuses on enhancing scientific research and social service ability. In the past 5 years, it has administered 382 projects with total funding of over 71 million. Among them, National Scientific and Technological Key Projects, National Sci-Tech Support Plan Projects, Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Projects, 863 Projects, West China Projects, China State Agricultural Stride Plan Projects made up 60 projects. And there are 230 other projects at provincial level. The research findings have won 7 prizes of Shaanxi Science and Technology Award including 3 first prizes, 2 second prizes and 2 third prizes, 16 other science and technology awards, and accomplished over 40 items of technology transfer.
CFSE gives prominence to international cooperation and exchange, and establishes collaboration with over 40 world-known universities and institutes such as Cornell University, University of Maryland, University of Guelph, Canada, etc. in 2014, Sino-US Joint Research Center of Food Safety was established in cooperation with the University of California, Davis. Additionally, the first “3+1”international dual-degree undergraduate program in Food Science and Engineering was founded in collaboration with Nebraska-Lincoln University, U.S.A, and was authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Education to enroll undergraduate students in 2015.
In the 13th Five Year Plan, CFSE will continue the talent-based and internalization-based strategy, making new and greater contributions toward achieving the goal of building a national-leading and world-famous research-based college.
