Guizhou University (GZU)

Guizhou University (GZU) was founded in 1902 as Guizhou Institute of Higher Learning and has undergone several name changes over the years, including Provincial Guizhou University, National Guizhou College of Agriculture and Engineering, and National Guizhou University. The University officially adopted the name “Guizhou University” in October 1950, which was formally inscribed by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1951. In August 1997, GZU merged with Guizhou Agricultural College and other institutions. Then, in August 2004, it merged with Guizhou University of Technology. GZU has a rich history of 120 years and has achieved significant milestones. It is first included under the national “Project 211” and then on the lists of universities and disciplines to be developed under China’s “Double First-Class” initiative. GZU is also recognized as an institution of higher learning developed through ministerial-provincial cooperation between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the People’s Government of Guizhou Province. In 2021, the Government Work Report of Guizhou Province explicitly proposed to “strengthen Guizhou University” for the first time. In November of the same year, the Guizhou Provincial Department of Education and 11 other departments jointly issued the “Implementation Plan for Strengthening Guizhou University.” The plan aims to transform Guizhou University into a nationally and internationally renowned comprehensive university that embodies Chinese characteristics, adheres to world-class standards, and addresses the needs of Guizhou. In 2023, the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and the Guizhou Provincial Government reiterated their commitment to enhancing the university’s strengths and leading the advancement of higher education in Guizhou. GZU is dedicated to fostering moral education and has received several accolades, including being recognized as a “Model University” among the first batch of universities for nationwide CPC development in higher education institutions, awarded “National Civilized Campus” in the first nationwide competition, and designated as a “Trial University” for implementing reforms on “Three Comprehensive Educational Approaches” (whole-person education, whole-process education, and all-round education) under the MOE.