Zhaoqing University(肇庆学院)

Zhaoqing University is a public, full-time undergraduate institution hosted by the People's Government of Guangdong Province and managed by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education. Its predecessor was the Zhaoqing Regional Normal School, founded in 1970. It has since evolved through several stages of development, including Zhaoqing Regional May 7th Teachers College, Zhaoqing Teachers College, and Xijiang University. In 2000, Xijiang University merged with Zhaoqing Education College to form the undergraduate-level Zhaoqing University. In 2021, with the approval of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, it became a master's degree-granting institution. In 2024, it was approved as a project construction unit for doctoral degree granting.

Over the past 50 years, the university has consistently adhered to its motto, "Great Virtue, Clear Wisdom, Broad Learning, and Earnest Practice," dedicating itself to serving the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and cultivating high-quality applied talents. The university has earned numerous accolades, including:

• National Typical Experience University for Graduate Employment

• National Typical Experience University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• National Civilized Unit

• National Afforestation Model Unit

• Fourth Batch of Chinese Arts and Crafts Masters Inheritance and Innovation Base Institutions

• First Batch of National Health School Construction Units

• Guangdong Provincial Civilized Unit

• Provincial Party Building Work Demonstration University

• Guangdong Provincial Demonstration School for Law-based Governance

• Guangdong Provincial Safe and Civilized Campus

• Guangdong Provincial College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Demonstration School

• Guangdong Provincial Green School

• Guangdong Provincial Water-saving University

Demographics and Faculty

The university currently enrolls nearly 26,000 full-time undergraduate students, 343 full-time master's students, and 13 part-time master's students. It has a staff of 1,728, which includes 1,249 full-time faculty members, 517 teachers with senior professional titles, and 588 teachers holding doctoral degrees.

Campuses

The university currently operates two campuses—the Main Campus and the Xinghu Campus—covering an area of approximately 1,279 mu. The planned total area of the new campus is 1,124 mu, which is being constructed in three phases. The first phase is already in use, and the second phase is expected to be completed in February 2027.

Academics and Disciplines

Zhaoqing University comprises 21 secondary colleges offering 58 active undergraduate majors across 11 major disciplinary categories. It recruits students from 24 provinces and autonomous regions nationwide, as well as from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

The university has 9 master's degree authorization points:

• First-level Master's Degree: Regional and Country Studies

• Professional Master's Degrees: Applied Statistics, International Business, Education, Physical Education, Electronic Information, Resources and Environment, Biology and Medicine, and Design.

Academic Milestones:

• Its Engineering discipline ranks in the top 1% globally according to ESI (Essential Science Indicators).

• It hosts 2 provincial-level characteristic key disciplines, 1 advantageous key discipline, 1 key cultivation discipline, 3 key construction disciplines under the "Upgrade, Make up, Strengthen" enhancement plan, 3 jointly built key disciplines by the province and city, and 3 municipal key disciplines.

• Mechanical Engineering is a designated discipline for the Pearl River Scholars program.

• It boasts 1 national-level characteristic major, 11 provincial-level key characteristic majors, 8 provincial or higher-level undergraduate major comprehensive reform pilot projects, 6 provincial-level demonstration majors for applied talent cultivation, and 12 provincial-level first-class undergraduate major construction points.

• Two courses have been selected as national first-class undergraduate courses.

• Five majors have passed the IEET engineering education accreditation, and four have passed the Ministry of Education's Tier-2 accreditation for teacher-training majors.

Quick Facts

Metric	Figure
Enrolled Students	Over 26,000
Secondary Colleges	21
Active Undergraduate Majors	58
Current Campus Area	1,279 mu
Planned New Campus Area	1,124 mu

Research and Facilities

The university currently houses 64 research platforms at or above the municipal (departmental) level, including 27 provincial-level research platforms. The Zhaoqing University Science Park has been recognized as a National University Science Park, a National Technology Enterprise Incubator, and a National Makerspace.

Additionally, the university has established 12 new R&D institutions and think tanks, 7 public service platforms for the advanced equipment manufacturing industry on the west bank of the Pearl River, and 6 innovation teams for regular higher education institutions in Guangdong Province. It has set up 3 liberal arts and 7 STEM industry colleges, achieving full industry college coverage for its secondary STEM colleges, including 3 provincial modern industry college construction projects.

Over the past five years, the university has secured 26 national-level research projects and 208 provincial/ministerial-level research projects, earning 42 provincial/ministerial-level research awards. It has been granted 194 invention patents, including 32 international patents. Based in Zhaoqing, integrating into the Greater Bay Area, and serving Guangdong, the university supports the "High-Quality Development Project for Hundreds of Counties, Thousands of Towns, and Myriads of Villages" and the high-quality development of basic education, forming a double-helix development pattern for both the university and the local region.

International Cooperation and Student Achievements

The university has established long-term friendly cooperative relations with over 90 universities and institutions in more than 20 countries and regions, engaging in multi-level, comprehensive exchanges.

In recent years, students have won thousands of national honors and provincial awards, including a Bronze Award at the National Art Exhibition (the only winner from Guangdong). Hosting the 18th "Challenge Cup" Guangdong College Students' Extracurricular Academic and Technological Work Competition in 2025, the university won the provincial "Winning Cup" for the first time, securing 35 provincial awards, as well as one second prize and one third prize at the national level. It also won a national Bronze Award in the China International College Students' Innovation Competition (2025). The university has been named an Outstanding Unit in the National Summer "Three Down to the Countryside" Social Practice Activities for College and Middle School Student Volunteers 22 times, and its Youth League Committee was awarded the "National May Fourth Red Flag Youth League Committee" title for 2025.

Strategic Vision

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the university comprehensively implements the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and all plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It deeply studies and executes the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and instructions during his inspection of Guangdong and earnestly carries out the provincial party committee's "1310" specific deployments.

Focused on the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, it persists in the integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent. Driven by the three major projects of "Double Excellence Construction, Renaming to University, and Doctoral Program Construction," it advances the "1338" action plan for high-quality development. By addressing weaknesses, building internal strengths, and leveraging its advantages, it solidifies its educational positioning as "local, applied, open, and innovative."

Focusing on "New Engineering for the Bay Area, New Liberal Arts for Lingnan, and Digital-Intelligent New Teacher Education," it accelerates a three-dimensional development pattern where engineering empowers industries, liberal arts pass down and innovate heritage, and teacher education leads the future. Through united effort and earnest work, the university is using the high-quality "15th Five-Year Plan" to lead the construction of a high-level applied university and write a new chapter of success.

(Data as of March 2026)