The history of College of Agronomy can be traced back to the Shandong Higher Agricultural Academy, which was established in 1906 more than 110 years ago. In 1952, the Academy was restructured to the Shandong Agricultural College and the Department of Agriculture was established. On December 12, 2000, College of Agronomy was established on the basis of the former Department of Agriculture. It currently has three departments, two centers and one station, namely Department of Plant Science and Information, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, Department of Seed Science and Engineering,  Center of Crop Science and Research, Experimental Center for Crop Science Research and Agricultural Experimental Station. There are 4 undergraduate majors, namely Agronomy, Plant Science and Technology, Seed Science and Engineering, Chinese Traditional Medicine Resources and Development.

Faculty

The college currently has 116 faculty members, including 88 full-time teachers (38 professors, 38 associate professors, and 12 lecturers). It has 1 academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 1 member of the Disciplinary Evaluation Group of the Academic Degrees Committee in the State Council, 1 member of national Millions of Talents Project, 1 winner of the National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation and 1 leading talent of national “Ten Thousand People Plan” for Science and Technology Innovation, 1 leading talent for “Taishan Advantage Team”, 1 “Taishan Climbing Plan” scholar, 4 “Taishan Experts” Scholars, 4 “Taishan Young Experts” Scholars, 3 Leading Talents of “Taishan Industry Engineering”, 4 young and middle-aged experts with outstanding scientific research contributions in shandong province.

Subject and Platform Construction

The college has 1 postdoctoral scientific research institute for crop science, 1 doctoral degree authorization station for primary disciplines of crop science, 4 doctoral degree authorization stations for secondary disciplines of crop cultivation and tillage, crop genetics and breeding, seed science and technology and plant resources science, as well as 5 master degree authorization stations for crop cultivation and tillage, crop genetics and breeding, seed science and technology, genetics, and agronomic and seed industry.

It currently has 1 state key discipline of crop cultivation and farming and 2 provincial key disciplines of crop cultivation and tillage and crop genetics and breeding. It also has some state key laboratories, such as state key laboratory of crop biology.

Alumni

The college has cultivated more than 11,000 undergraduates, 1,800 master students and 110 post-doctoral students. Among the previous graduates, there have been 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. There have been more than 50 cadres at or above the department level, including 4 at provincial or ministerial level.

Research and Teaching Achievements

The college has won more than 80 provincial and ministerial level awards for various achievements, including 1 first prize for national technological inventions, 10 second prizes for national scientific and technological progress, 2 “Fok Ying Tung” awards, 3 “Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation” awards, 1 “Agricultural Elite Award in China”, 1 national special prize and 1 national first prize for teaching achievement, and 1 award for excellent teaching achievement.

In recent years, the college has undertaken 786 research projects with project funding of 514 million yuan. The faculty has published more than 2000 academic papers, of which 688 were cited by SCI. 1 paper was published in Science and cited as cover story. 26 monographs were published. 61 new varieties of wheat, corn, peanut and cotton were approved. 53 new varieties of protection rights were obtained. A large number of varieties have been promoted in shandong province and even across the country, which has made outstanding contributions to food safety.

International Exchange and Social Services

In recent years, the college has sent more than 60 teachers to study for doctoral degrees or do postdoctoral research at home and abroad. More than 100 teachers have been sent to the United States, Canada, Germany and other countries for study, academic exchange and scientific research. The college has organized and held 3 international academic conferences and experts from more than 10 countries came here for lectures and academic exchanges. It has established academic exchanges or cooperation relations with more than 30 counterparts.

The college encourages young teachers to work and study at the forefront of production and improve their practical skills. Every year, more than 200 experts and professors have been assigned to the forefront of agricultural industry to provide technical guidance and scientific consultation, which has made outstanding contributions to “New Countryside Construction” and “Agriculture, Countryside and Farmer Issues”.