University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences


The University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is a public university for graduate education, under the direct leadership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The predecessors of UCAS are the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Graduate School of the University of Science and Technology of China, which was founded in 1978 as the first graduate school in China by approval of the State Council.
UCAS produced the first doctoral graduate in science, the first doctoral graduate in engineering, the first female doctoral graduate and the first graduate with double doctoral degrees in China. In 2014, UCAS began to recruit undergraduates. It is a Chinese Ministry of Education Double First Class Discipline University, with Double First Class status in certain disciplines.
UCAS is ranked 18th in NTU Rankings 2019, placing it 1st in China, and ranked 84th in CWUR World University Rankings 2020-2021, placing it 3rd in China only after Peking University and Tsinghua University.

History

In 1978, the Graduate School of the University of Science and Technology of China was founded in Beijing, as the first graduate school in China.
In 1986, the Graduate School of USTC was renamed Graduate School of USTC, while USTC established a new Graduate School in Hefei, Anhui province.
In 2000, the Graduate School of USTC was renamed Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In 2005, GSCAS was renamed Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In 2012, GUCAS was renamed University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In 2014, UCAS began to recruit undergraduates.

Academics

Academic organisation

Founded in 1978, UCAS is the first graduate school in China with the ratification of the State Council. Backed by more than 110 institutes of the CAS, which are located at more than 20 cities all over the country, UCAS is headquartered in Beijing with 4 campuses, and 5 branches in Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Lanzhou. From UCAS, graduated China's first doctoral student in science, first doctoral student in engineering, first female doctoral student and first student with double doctoral degrees in China. On the 20th anniversary of UCAS in 1998, Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China wrote this inscription for the University: "Revitalizing China through science and education, and emphasizing the cultivation and nurturing of talented people." By 2004, 50,000 graduate students had graduated from UCAS, among whom there are nearly 20,000 PhD. students..
UCAS offers programs in nine major academic fields: science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, philosophy, economics, literature, linguistics, education and management science. The university is authorized to grant advanced degrees in 26 primary academic disciplines which include master's degree conferring rights in 130 secondary disciplines, and Doctoral degree rights in 114 secondary disciplines.
UCAS was the first university in China to start the master's degree program in English Applied Linguistics. Since 1978, the program has educated more than 100 English teachers who are now working at various universities and graduate schools. UCAS has the leading position in English teaching and researching in China. Back in 1993, there were four teachers, who were also the UCAS graduates, joined the national team to set up China's first English Curriculum for Non-English Majored MS and PhD Students, issued by Chinese Commission of Education and published by Chongqing University Press.
The faculty of the university is composed of over 300 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and/or the Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 6000 academic supervisors devoting themselves to the education of students. UCAS lays emphasis on an international perspective and open education. UCAS often invites the world's first-class scientists and scholars to teach and give lectures or seminars. These lectures and seminars, on the frontiers of science, together with some special education programs designed to enhance students' knowledge in the fields of social sciences and humanities, art and aesthetics widen students' vision and stimulate their academic thinking.
UCAS has a remarkable advantage in a variety of disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, biology, mechanics, material science, energy science, electronic information, automation, computer science and technology, and biological engineering. UCAS will strengthen its effort in the building of applied disciplines, new interdisciplines, humanities and social sciences while maintaining its academic advantages. UCAS boasts a number of pioneering scientists with lots of achievements. Involved in many research projects at the cutting edge of world science with excellent facilities, they command recognition both at home and abroad. At various CAS institutes, there are 3 national laboratories, 55 state key laboratories, 70 CAS key laboratories and 27 R&D Centers for technologies. There are also pioneering research projects and good research facilities at these institutes. Thanks to all these advantages, students at UCAS have not only been able to acquire solid basic knowledge, quick scientific insight and active creative thinking, but also develop fine qualities of realistic approach, truth seeking attitude, collaborative work, and creative spirit.
UCAS offers "General Scholarship for Graduate Students", "CAS Scholarship", "CAS President Scholarship" and various other sponsored scholarships. The financial aid system of "research assistantship", "administration assistantship" and "teaching assistantship" has been put into practice in UCAS.
At present, with annual enrolments of more than 10,000 students, UCAS has over 30,000 ongoing students, among whom 51% are PhD students.
UCAS offers programs for international students and students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. It also provides financial aid for these students by setting up "UCAS International Students Scholarship" and "UCAS Scholarship for Students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan". In addition, UCAS keeps close eyes at the development trend of international education and frontiers of international science and technology. The university carries out wide exchanges and collaboration with well-known universities, research institutions, and multinational corporations both at home and abroad. As a result, various bilateral exchange and cooperation relations with these institutions have been established.
UCAS values the spirit of truth seeking, enterprise, open-mindedness, practicality, ingenuity, creativity and modernity.

Reputation and Ranking

UCAS is the most reputable graduate school of science and technology in China, ranked 96th in CWUR World University Rankings 2018-2019, placing it 3rd in China only after Peking University and Tsinghua University.
The faculty is based on all the research professors in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which makes it arguably the best graduate school in China.
YearRankValuer
201996CWUR World University Rankings
202084CWUR World University Rankings

Students

Even though UCAS mainly caters to graduate education, the university started enrolling undergraduate students in 2014. In 2015, there are 44,464 graduate students and 664 undergraduates students attend the academy.
UCAS, through its various departments and research institutes of the CAS across the country, offers the following programs to foreign students in a wide range of specialties and research fields: Master Program, PhD. Program, Program for Regular Visiting Students, and Program for Senior Visiting Students.

Asteroid

Asteroid 189018 Guokeda was named in honor of the university. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018.

Partner Institution

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