ABOUT XYAFU

Location

Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University (abbreviated as XYAFU hereinafter) is a full-time public university. It is located in the city of Xinyang, Henan Province, a city with deep culture and long history. The eastern frontier borders Anhui province and the southern territory neighbors Hubei Province. It is called “the northern land of the South and the southern country of the North.” This is an ideal place for living, sightseeing, and investing of projects. With such superior geographical location, beautiful natural environment, and deep cultural heritage, Xinyang is certainly an ideal place for study here.

History

The university recently came from Xinyang Agricultural College; however, it traces its history back to theRuning-fuIndustrial School established in 1910. During the past more than century-long history, the institution has been keeping with the spirit of “creation and advance, friendship and prominence,” encouraging the students to pursue lofty aims and good scholarship; and now the slogan “cherishing high ambition, acquiring great learning” have become the motto of the university. Today, XYAFU has a considerable number of schools and centers; among which agronomy enjoys an influential reputation. The university has more 100,000 alumni so far, and they have been making important contributions to the economic and social development of Henan and other provinces.

Faculty

The campus is with hills and lakes, which adding beauty to one another and representing the garden landscapes. The campus covers an area of more than 1,800mu, with the construction area of 520,00 square meters. The current number of students is over 17,000; the teaching and working staff number is 1,134. There are 845 full-time lecturers, among whom 273 people are professors and associate professors, 759 lecturers have their doctorate and master’s degrees, and 322 lecturers have two different qualifications. Furthermore, nearly 80 lecturers have possessed various honorable titles at different level such as honorable lecturer at the national level, skillful technician at the national level, member of the National Administration Committee in Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, honorable lecturer at provincial level, model lecturer of Henan Province, and so on. Moreover, there are two new-typed creation scientific and research groups at provincial level.

Schools andAcademic Centers

There are 16 schools of the university: School of Agronomy, School of Forestry, School of Fisheries, School of Tea Science, School of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, School of Food Science and Technology, School of Horticulture, School of Planning and Design, School of Information Engineering, School of Business Administration, School of Finance and Economics, School of Foreign Languages, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Tourism Management, School of Convergencemedia, School of Physical Education, as well as the Marxism Academy and the Institute for Continuing Education.

More than 39 majors offer bachelor degrees in this university，such as plant protection, forestry, aquaculture, tea science, animal science, food science and engineering, urban and rural planning, internet engineering, business English, translation, tourism management, and so on.

Facilities

It has 14 key laboratories at municipal and provincial levels; one teaching and experimental centre, two virtual simulation experiment teaching construction projects, and five “new engineering, agricultural and arts research-and-practice projects”, all of which are at provincial levels. Besides, there are eight training bases and science-popularization model bases, either at the national or provincial levels, and 203 outside-campus training bases. The total value of the scientific equipment is 141 million yuan. The library possesses 2,280,000 books including 1,660,000 paper books and 610,000 e-books. The university has a covering-campus wire and wireless internet system.

Application Researches

Taking the advantages of the regional rich sources from agriculture, forests, and tea growing in Xinyang, the universityhas established 14 laboratories at the municipal and provincial levels and 32 technological centers at municipal and provincial levels. The university has presided to have established one national standard of the “National-Level Brand-Production: the Xinyang Maojian Tea”. It also established other three provincial-leveled standards for the local productions, including the “Production and Technological Standard of Silver Carp, Variegated Carp, Black Carp, and Grass Carp from the Nanwan Lake”. Only in recent years has the University undertaken 160 research projects at the provincial and ministerial levels, the Talent-Support Projects for the “Three-Regions”, and 1,1000 Science-Popularization and Service Schemes, thus has been prized 4 times at provincial and ministerial levels and has obtained 1,200 patents.

Local-Region Services

The University stresses on technological creations and local services. It led and established five provincial-level strategic alliances; they are the alliances of the Henan Tea Production, Henan Reservoir Ecological Fishery, Henan Edible Fungus Production, Henan Tea-Oil Production, and the Dabieshan Mountainous Herbal Medicine Production. It also established the Research and Cooperation Alliance joined by 167 local administrative departments and enterprises, which has undertaken 6 research schemes. It established 12 science-popularization bases and production institutions and has undertaken 12 “research and talent-training programmes” designed by the Educational Ministry. For the contributions made towards the science-popularization and scientific support to the poverty-stricken regions,the Talent-support Projects for the “Three-Regions” that the university has undertaken, the services that has been given by the teams of doctorate-lectures, and the “Precision Service to enterprises” joined by the lecturers from the University, the University won the prize from the Provincial Government “the Progressive Working Unit of the Provincial-Levelled Accredited Persons of Science and Technology”.

Achievements and Reputations

The university has proposed some slogans: the university philosophy is that “quality is the foundation of the university, the characteristics symbolizes the prosperity of the university, and talents shows the strengthen of the university”. The university spirit is “wisdom and virtue; unity of knowledge and practice”. The study style for lecturers is “imparking knowledge and educating people” and “integration and innovation”; and for the students is “careful reflection and earnest practice; leaning for the sake of application”. The comprehensive competence of the graduates from the university has been kept increasing; most of them could find satisfactory positions in society; and the reputation of the university keeps continues growing. The Xinyang Administration praises the university that “Among the twenty thousand local cadres there are four thousand are from the University.” The university has won many honours such as “Henan Civilization Campus”, “Henan Provincial Progressive Unit of University Councils”, “Model Campus for Legally Running University”, “People’s Satisfactory University since the Foundation of the People’s Republic”, “Most-Potentially Competitive University”, and the “Progressive Unit for High Graduate-Employment Rate among the Higher and Medium Educational Institutions of Henan Province”.

Future

Currently, the university is being guided by Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics, stressing on morality education, and regards the enhancing of agriculture as its own task. The aim is to generate new motivation and bring together new strength so that it may open new spaces and re-build the university into a high-leveled one; this is for the realization of the “two betterments” as proposed by the central government.

(Based on the data available by July, 2021)

University Introduction

Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University is a public full-time application-oriented undergraduate university with distinctive agricultural and forestry characteristics. It is located in Xinyang City, which is renowned for its tea production and rich historical heritage. Xinyang City is situated in the south of Henan Province, with Anhui Province to the east and Hubei Province to the south. Here, Chu Style and Yu Melody Intermingle, and it is known as "Jiangnan in the north.” It provides an excellent environment for students with unique geographical location, beautiful natural environment and profound cultural heritage.

Mountain Resort: Jigongshan

A Century of Educational History, Staying True to the Initial Commitment to Agriculture and Forestry

The university was formerly known as Xinyang Agricultural College, and its history can be traced back to Runingfu Middle Industrial School founded in 1910. In 2013, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, it was upgraded to Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry College. It is firmly committed to socialist schooling, fully implementing the party's education policy. It adheres to the Xi Jinping new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics as the guiding principle, establishing morality as the fundamental value, strengthening agriculture and forestry as its own responsibility, and sticking to the original heart of agriculture and forestry. Meanwhile, It is dedicated to the revitalisation of the old region and is committed to cultivating high-quality applied talents with all-round development of morality, intelligence, physical fitness and aesthetics. This university promotes the spirit of "hardworking and entrepreneurship, perseverance, unity and striving, and pursuit of excellence." Adhering to the motto of "aiming high in aspirations and meticulous in learning," it continuously improves educational conditions, deepens teaching reforms, and strengthens teaching management. The quality and level of education have been significantly enhanced, making it a distinctive local application-oriented university focused on agricultural and forestry disciplines, with a coordinated development of agriculture, engineering, and management disciplines. It has cultivated over 100,000 talents for the society, making a significant contribution to the economic and social development.

Main Gate of Xinyang Agricultural College

Picturesque Landscape Garden Campus, Superior Teaching Conditions

The campus is surrounded by lush greenery, with the fragrance of flowers all year round, and the beauty of lakes and mountains reflecting each other, fully showcasing the beauty of a landscape garden campus.

The campus covers an area of over 1,800 mu (approximately 120 hectares), with a total construction area of the school buildings exceeding 520,000 square meters. There are over 20,400 full-time ordinary students enrolled. It features 16 experimental teaching centers for tea science, aquaculture, forestry, agriculture, etc. There are 23 provincial and municipal key laboratories, 1 provincial-level experimental teaching demonstration center, 10 provincial-level virtual simulation experimental teaching construction projects, and 5 new provincial-level projects for research and practice in engineering, agriculture, and liberal arts subjects. Nine national and provincial-level training and science popularization demonstration bases, and 213 off-campus internship and practice bases are also part of the its facilities. The total value of teaching and scientific research instruments is 1.96 billion yuan. The library collection exceeds 2.51 million volumes, including over 1.74 million volumes of printed books and over 770,000 electronic books. The university has established a campus network with a 10-gigabit backbone and gigabit to the desktop, achieving full coverage of both wired and wireless networks.

Main Gate of Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University

Distinctive Professional Features, Strong Faculty Team

The university has 18 colleges, including Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Science and Technology, Tea Science, Aquaculture, Horticulture, Food Science and Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Information Engineering, Pharmacy, Management, Logistics and E-commerce, Foreign Languages, Tourism, Humanities and Communication, Sports, Marxism, and Continuing Education. There are 47 undergraduate majors such as Plant Protection, Forestry, Aquaculture, Animal Science, Tea Science, Food Science and Engineering, Urban and Rural Planning, Network Engineering, Tourism Management, and Biopharmaceuticals. It boasts 10 key disciplinary areas for cultivation in Henan Province, comprehensive pilot programs for specialty reform, and first-class undergraduate professional construction sites.

It currently has 1,244 faculty and staff members, among which there are 928 full-time teachers, 317 teachers with senior professional and technical positions, and 856 teachers with doctoral or master's degrees. There are 347 "dual-qualified" teachers. Three individuals enjoy government allowances from the State Council. And there are 97 high-level talents including national-level distinguished teachers, national technical experts, members of the Teaching Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education for Higher Education, distinguished teachers from the Central Plains, great craftsmen from the Central Plains, provincial distinguished teachers, provincially managed excellent experts, provincial academic and technical leaders, outstanding teachers of Henan Province, and technical experts of Henan Province. Additionally, there are two provincial-level innovative science and technology teams.

Beautiful Lotus Pond on Campus

Deepen Teaching Reform, Improve the Quality of Education

The university adheres to the principle of education being student-centered and morality being the priority. It tightly focuses on the goal of cultivating application-oriented talents, deeply implements the OBE (Outcome-Based Education) concept, and vigorously promotes the reform of talent training models and teaching methods. It comprehensively strengthens the construction of disciplines, courses and textbooks, and practical teaching links, enhances quality control, and strictly manages teaching. By focusing on projects as the main approach, the university continuously achieves tangible results in teaching reform. Since becoming a degree-granting institution, the university has initiated 311 educational reform projects, including 20 provincial-level projects, achieving 20 provincial-level appraised outcomes. It has won one national second-class award for teaching achievements, one provincial first-class award, and 7 provincial second-class awards. It has established 2 national premier courses, 16 Henan province premier undergraduate courses, 7 provincial elite online open courses, 2 specialized centers for teaching Ideological and Political Theory as part of courses, 2 teaching teams, and 8 model courses in this regard; and has compiled 20 provincial and ministerial-level planned textbooks. The university boasts 2 provincial-level key first-level disciplines, 1 provincial-level key second-level discipline, 6 first-class undergraduate program construction sites, 1 provincial-level experimental teaching demonstration center, and 2 provincial-level key modern industry colleges.

The university has established a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for College Students, incorporated innovation and entrepreneurship education into the talent training program, and constructed a “Four-in-One” Dual Innovation Education Model including classroom teaching, professional practical training, discipline competitions, and community activities. It focuses on grasping the key links of innovation and entrepreneurship education such as education and teaching, practical training, and guidance and incubation, cultivating the awareness of innovation and entrepreneurship of college students. The innovation and entrepreneurship ability of college students has been significantly improved. It has been approved for 87 projects of the national and provincial college students' innovation and entrepreneurship training plan, and won 49 awards in the category of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship at or above the provincial level. It has won the silver award in the national finals of the "Internet +" College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in China twice.

Chuyun Lake: A Campus Landmark

Strengthen Applied Research, Determined to Serve the Local Community.

The university fully leverages the geographical advantages of Xinyang City, which is rich in agriculture, forestry, water, and tea resources, by establishing 9 provincial (ministerial) level engineering technology centers and 39 city-level engineering technology centers. It has chaired (or participated in) the formulation of 3 national standards for the geographic indicator product "Xinyang Maojian" and 6 provincial local standards like the "Production Technology Specifications for Nanwan Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, Grass Carp, and Black Carp." In recent years, it has undertaken more than 230 scientific research projects at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and more than 1200 science and technology extension service projects such as the "Three Districts" talent support program and science popularization projects, won 10 provincial and ministerial awards, and obtained more than 1370 intellectual property rights including national invention patents. The university has been awarded "Advanced Collective in Scientific Research Management Work among Higher Education Institutions of Henan Province."

The university has strengthened the construction of scientific and technological innovation and service platforms, taking the lead in forming five provincial-level industry technology innovation strategic alliances, including the Henan Tea Industry, Henan Reservoir Ecological Fisheries Industry, Henan Edible and Medicinal Fungi Industry, Henan Camellia Oil Industry, and Dabie Mountain Traditional Chinese Medicine Materials Industry. In conjunction with local governments, it has established the Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry College Industry-Education-Research Cooperation Alliance, which includes 167 enterprises, public institutions, and research bodies. The university has undertaken six provincial-level industry-education-research cooperative pilot projects. It has built a provincial-level, science popularization demonstration base, and in cooperation with enterprises and public institutions, has constructed 12 industry colleges, two of which have been approved as provincial-level modern industry colleges. It has received 14 education-industry-research collaborative education projects from the Ministry of Education. The university has assisted with the local economic development and poverty alleviation in old revolutionary base areas by participating in science and technology poverty alleviation, science popularization, and the dissemination of applicable technical projects, as well as the "Three Districts" talent support plan, organizing doctoral service teams, and dispatching provincial-level scientific and technological commissioners to provide precise services to industrial enterprises. For its efforts, the university has been recognized as an "Advanced Collective in Henan Province's Science and Technology Commissioner Work".

Revolutionary Old Area and General County: Xinxian

Promote In-depth Development, Earn Wide Acclaim

Adhering to the educational philosophy of "Establishing the school on quality, and strengthening it with uniqueness and talents," the school focuses on talent development goals, advocating the school ethos of "Understanding reason and venerating virtue, integrating knowledge and action," the teaching spirit of "Educating and teaching, being upright and innovative," and the learning spirit of "Deliberate thought and sincere action, learning for practical application," thereby promoting the all-around development of students in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education. The comprehensive abilities, employment quality, social reputation, and influence of graduates are continuously improving. "Twenty thousand township cadres, four thousand people in agriculture and forestry," is the full acknowledgment by Xinyang Municipal Committee and Government of the school's achievements in talent training. The university has been successively awarded titles such as "Advanced Unit of Party Construction Work in Higher Education Institutions of Henan Province," "Model University of Governing According to Law in Henan Province," "Satisfactory Higher Education Institution of Henan Province on the 70th Anniversary of New China," "Model Higher Education Institution of Henan Province with Employment Competitiveness," "Advanced Collective of Employment Work for Graduates of Ordinary Higher Education Institutions of Henan Province," "Top 20 Higher Education Brands in Henan Province," "Socially Recognized Henan Higher Education Brand Institution of the Year 2022," "Model Civilized Campus in Henan Province," and more. Positioning in the new era, it will be guided by Xi Jinping's Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, take cultivating virtuous talents as the foundation, commit to strengthening and revitalizing agriculture, accelerate the gathering of new drivers for development, amass new advantages for growth, expand new spaces for development, and strive to build a high-level applied university with distinct features in agriculture and forestry. It is committed to undertaking solid steps in the journey of composing a more brilliant chapter for the Central Plains in the new era and striving to realize the "Two Better Goals."

On-Campus Horticultural Training Base

(Based on the data available by June, 2024)