Centennial Development
1908 -Hunan Higher Industrial School established a “Mechanical Division” with an enrollment of over 70 students. Zhu Baofen was the first director of the division.
1910 - Practice workshops headed by a Japanese engineer was established.
1914 - Mechanical Division enrollment continued as 70 undergraduate students graduated.
1923 - Hunan established Hunan University (HNU) Preparatory Committee, intending to establish a Department of Mechanical Engineering in Hunan University.
1926 - Hunan University was founded with the Department of Mechanical Engineering established. Professor Sun Yunxiao was the first chair of the Department.
1930 - Engineering Division was renamed as College of Engineering. The Department of Mechanical Engineering foundation year student enrollment was halted.
1931 - The Department of Mechanical Engineering was authorized to confer Bachelor Degrees.
1935 - Science Hall of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was completed. HNU was developed from a provincial to a state university in 1937.
1953 - National colleges and universities' departments were adjusted. HNU was renamed as the Central-South College of Civil Engineering. The Department of Mechanical Engineering was incorporated into Central-China Institute of Technology. The mechanical engineering teaching and research groups remained.
1958 – It was renamed as Hunan Institute of Technology with the Department of Mechanical Engineering resuming enrollment. HNU name was restored in 1959.
1981 - Mechanical manufacturing and automation discipline was authorized to confer Master Degrees.
1990 - Vehicle engineering discipline was authorized to confer Ph.D. Degrees.
1990 - Professor Li Chuanqian and other professors won grand prize of the First Excellent Teaching Achievement Award for national colleges and universities.
1995 - College of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering was established with Professor Huang Hongwu as first dean.
1996 - Mechanical engineering became a "Project 211" key constructive discipline. The project on 'Key Technology and Equipment of Modern Vehicles Design and Manufacturing' was initiated.
1998 – The National Engineering Research Center for High Efficiency Grinding was established.
2000 - HNU became a “Project 985” key constructive university with mechanical engineering as one of the key constructive disciplines.
2001 - Mechanical engineering discipline established Changjiang (Yangtze River) Scholars Program distinguished professor posts. Professor Zhang Bi was hired.
2002 -Professor Zhong Zhihua's team won the first prize of the ‘National Science and Technology Progress Award’.
2003 - Mechanical engineering discipline was approved as a first-orderdiscipline authorized to confer Ph.D. degrees.
2003 - College conducted joint project with Changfeng Motors Corporation (cfmotors), and was renamed HUN Changfeng College of Automotive Engineering.
2005 - Professor Zhong Zhihua was honored as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).
2006 – The ‘Automotive Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technology Innovation Platform’, part of "Project 985" PhaseⅡ, began with 88 million CNY in construction capital.
2006 - The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing of Vehicle Body was established.
2006 – The Engineering Research Center of Automotive Electrics and Control Technology of the Ministry of Education was founded.
2007 - Mechanical engineering discipline was selected as a first-order national key discipline.
2007 - The 'China's High-level Automotive Independent Innovation Capability Construction' (Zhongqi Project), a national innovation project, was launched. Academician Zhong Zhihua was the head. Total investment was one billion CNY.
2007 - SAE formula racing car developed by the college students took part in American competition. HUN was the first university from Chinese mainland participating in world formula SAE competitions.
2008 - The Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Simulation Techniques for Special Equipment of the Ministry of Education was founded.
2008 - The College was renamed as College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering (MVE) with Professor Han Xu as dean.
2008 - MVE held a celebration for 'Centennial Mechanical Development'.
2009 - Integrated management system reform is implemented. This results in new college management featuring all-round, coordinated and sustainable development of talents cultivation, scientific research, and social service.
2009 – Former Premier Wen Jiabao visited MVE and was photographed with the formula racing team members.
2009 - Academician Zhong Zhihua led the establishment of the Center of Space Exploration of the Ministry of Education, and developed the 'four wheels and three axes' lunar rover.
2010 - College of Mechanics and Aviation and Space merged with MVE. The new College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering came into being.
2010 - The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing of Vehicle Body was accepted by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
2010 –The Engineering Research Center of Automotive Electrics and Control Technology of the Ministry of Education was accepted by the Ministry of Education.
2010 - 'Foundation of Modern Mechanical Design' and 'Mechanical CAD Technology' became national quality courses.
2010 - Vehicle engineering was listed in the national 'Excellent Engineers Education and Training Program'.
2011 - Mechanical manufacturing and automation passednational engineering education accreditation.
2012 - The National Engineering Research Center for High Efficiency Grinding was awarded excellence during the 4thOperation Evaluation bythe Ministry of Science and Technology.
2012 - The 'Special Vehicle Advanced Design Manufacturing Technology and Smart Control', part of "Project 211" PhaseⅢ, was accepted. It is a key discipline constructive project.
2012 – The Mechanical Engineering National-level Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center was approved.
2013 - Mechanical engineering ranked 6thin the third-rounddiscipline ranking by the Ministry of Education.
2013 - Professor Han Xu's team won the second prize of the 'National Science and Technology Progress Award'.
2013 - MVE was awarded the 'National Labor Award'.
2013 – The Mechanical Engineering National-level Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Center was approved.
2013 - Vehicle engineering passed national engineering education accreditation.
2014 - Hunan Green Cars Collaborative Innovation Center was founded.
2014 - FSAE racing team won the Formula Student China championship for the first time.
2015 – MVE was approved as an Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation (111 Center) for lightweight automobiles.
2016 – MVE was approved as a Creative Research Group of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
2016 - The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Laser Manufacturing of Hunan Province was approved.
2017 - Ding Rongjun, Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) academician and CRRC ZHUZHOU Bureau general manger, was appointed dean.
2017 - Mechanical engineering ranked A and mechanics ranked B in the fourth-rounddiscipline ranking by the Ministry of Education.
2017 - Mechanical engineering was listed in 'World-class Disciplines' issued by the Ministry of Education.
2018 - Three provincial-level scientific research centers were approved:
The Key Laboratory of Nuclear Equipment Reliability Technology of Hunan Province;
The Engineering Research Center of Green Remanufacturing Technology for Machinery Equipment of Hunan Province; and,
The International Science and Technology Cooperation Center of Advanced Composite Manufacturing of Hunan Province.
2018 - Mechanical manufacturing and automation passed national engineering education accreditation.
Developmental History
The College, which began as a division, has gone through numerous changes during the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and the People's Republic of China between 1908 and 2010. It has experienced three periods as start-up; adjustment and transition; and, overall development, and finally has entered a rapid development period. Over the past century, it has altogether cultivated over 12,000 professionals, of which over 1,600 were postgraduates, over 10,000 were undergraduates, and more than 2,000 were students of other types. It cultivated numerous high-quality talents for the country. Except for a period of suspension from 1953 and 1958, the College remained open and developed gradually. Its development can be generally divided into four periods:
Start-up Period (1908—1953)
PhaseⅠ(1908—1926) was the period when the Mechanical Division was established despite difficulties. This laid a foundation for the future development of the Mechanical Department.
PhaseⅡ(1926—1949) was the period when the European and American Education Model was adopted to run the college and many famous professors were hired. Initially the Mechanical Department featured only majors in a broad sense and was set up with a four-year degree. This was followed by teaching arrangements implementing the credit system. In the next period strict requirements with high phasing-out rate were followed. There were a total of 419 graduate students.
PhaseⅢ(1949—1953) was the period when the People's Republic of China was founded and when the national colleges and universities system was adjusted. Preliminary reform was conducted and there were some new changes in the Mechanical Department.
Adjustment and Transition Period (1953—1976)
During phaseⅠ(1953—1958) the Mechanical Department was suspended. Departments of national colleges and universities were greatly adjusted. The Mechanical Department was incorporated into Central-China Institute of Technology.
PhaseⅡ(1958—1966) saw the recovery of the Mechanical Department along with rapid professional development. A mechanical manufacturing major was established in 1958, a casting major in 1959, and an automobile major in 1965. The Department conducted profound reform in the following aspects:
·Establishing teaching and research offices, sound teaching plan, syllabus, teaching calendar as well as teaching regulation methods;
·Perfecting various teaching archives;
·Focusing on teaching faculty team construction; and,
·Launching teaching methods research and scientific research activities.
All these helped cultivate numerous industrious and willing young teachers with rigorous teaching attitude, greatly improved teaching quality, and laid a sound foundation for the development of the Mechanical Department.
PhaseⅢ(1966—1976) was a ten-year period of unrest. Under theinfluence of the Leftistideology, classes were suspended, and the original teaching order was dissembled. Enrollment was halted for four consecutive years. Between 1971 and 1976, workers, peasants, and soldiers were enrolled. In 1972, the internal combustion engine major was opened.
Overall Development Period (1976—1995)
Mechanical engineering major was initiated in 1991 and a mold design major in 1993. After the third plenary session of the 18thCPC Central Committee, policy towards intellectuals and the strategy of national rejuvenation through science and education were carried out. This greatly motivated faculties, improved teaching quality, produced fruitful scientific research results, and enhanced discipline construction. There were numerous teaching and scientific research achievements, including:
·Grand prize of the ‘National-level Excellent Teaching Achievements’;
·Third prize of the ‘NationalScience and Technology Progress Award’;
·Second prize of the ‘National Spark Technology’; and,
·First prize of the ‘PLA Military Science and Technology Progress Award’.
Research fields with advanced manufacturing technology and modern automotive design as representatives were also formed.
Rapid Development Period (1995－2008)
In June 1995, the College of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering was founded. It was renamed as the College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering in June 2008.
In March 2010, the original College of Mechanics and Aviation and Space was incorporated into the College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering. In December 2016, HNU signed a strategic cooperation agreement with CRRC to establish the 'HNU CRRC College'. Theyjoined hands to make a better MVE in the following aspects:
·Cultivating elite and top innovative and enterprising talents in the field of vehicle transportation;
·Creating a national-leading and international-class vehicle transportation discipline cluster; and,
·Constructing an international innovation-oriented college having high starting points with scientific research, education, and production highly integrated.
Now, the College is in the crucial period of deepening reform and international construction. The majordevelopment goals of the College are:
·Constructing high-level, modern, and efficient university department operation management system;
·Strengthening the construction of national-level renowned teachers and teaching teams to improve the quality of innovative talents cultivation;
·Making greater efforts to cultivate outstanding sci-tech talents and construct national-level innovation teams and national laboratories;
·Exploring new scientific research fields and building world-class disciplines; and,
·Accelerating the internationalization process of the College and making it a leader in mechanical and vehicle engineering.
