Established in 2012, Guizhou University's School of Liquor and Food Engineering (Baijiu Research Institute) currently offers three undergraduate programs: Brewing Engineering, Food Science and Engineering, and Food Quality and Safety. In addition, the school holds a master's degree authorization for the primary discipline of Food Science and Engineering, as well as master's degree programs in Food Engineering within the field of Biomedicine and Health, and in Food Processing and Safety within the field of Agricultural Extension.
I. Historical Development
The educational history of Guizhou University's School of Liquor and Food Engineering (Baijiu Research Institute) dates back to 1984, when it was part of the Food Engineering program in the Department of Light Industry at the former Guizhou Institute of Technology. Subsequently, in 1987, the former Guizhou Agricultural College established programs in Agricultural Product Processing and Storage, as well as Livestock Product Processing and Storage. In August 1997, the former Guizhou University, Guizhou Agricultural College, Guizhou College of Arts, and Guizhou Provincial Agricultural Management Cadre Institute merged to form the new Guizhou University. In August 2004, Guizhou University further integrated its resources by merging with Guizhou University of Technology, resulting in an enhanced institution. By December 2012, in an effort to advance education and research in the field of brewing and food engineering, Guizhou University officially established the School of Liquor and Food Engineering (Baijiu Research Institute).
II. Faculty Structure
The school boasts a faculty of 78 full-time staff members, which includes one academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and 64 dedicated teachers. Among these educators, there are 21 full professors, 19 associate professors, 3 senior experimental teachers, and 2 senior experimental teachers. Teachers holding doctoral degrees account for 80% of the total. Additionally, 13 faculty members have experience with overseas study or visiting scholar programs, and 7 serve as doctoral supervisors. The school also includes one member of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Food Science and Engineering majors under the Ministry of Education, five provincial experts recognized by Guizhou Province, five talents at the 'hundred-level', two talents at the 'thousand-level', six outstanding young scientific and technological talents being cultivated by Guizhou Province, and one recognized teaching master of Guizhou Province. Furthermore, the school is home to two talents at the C-level of Guizhou University's outstanding talents, 11 special post teachers of the school, one 'Teaching Master' of Guizhou Province, one 'Teaching Expert' of Guizhou University, and one 'Young Teaching Expert'.
In the past three years, the school's teachers have won two first prizes and three second prizes in the competition of the 'Guizhou Province University Teachers' Teaching Innovation Competition', and two first prizes, one second prize, and one third prize in the provincial competition. Four courses have been recommended for national first-class course status. The school actively promotes the construction of 'course-based ideology and politics', with two provincial-level courses, five school-level courses, and 30 department-level courses, successfully creating six 'gold courses'. In addition, the faculty have published 30 papers on educational reform, initiated 19 educational reform projects, and published eight textbooks or monographs.
III. Disciplinary Platform Construction
The school is home to key disciplines designated by Guizhou Province—Brewing and Food Science and Engineering—and boasts three innovation talent teams recognized by the Guizhou Provincial Department of Education. Additionally, the school operates a cooperative engineering technology center established jointly by the central and local governments, three provincial-level key laboratories in Guizhou Province, a jointly built Guizhou Province laboratory, and six engineering technology centers at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. The school also possesses research platforms such as the Guizhou Rosa roxburghii Tratt Industry Research Institute, the Famous Baijiu Collaborative Innovation Center, and the Guizhou Baijiu and Traditional Fermentation Talent Base.
In terms of professional construction, the school's Brewing Engineering and Food Science and Engineering majors have both been listed as 'National First-Class Professional Construction Points,' while the Food Quality and Safety major has been listed as a 'Guizhou Province First-Class Professional Construction Point.' The Brewing Engineering major has passed national engineering accreditation. In the 2024 'Aiersen Alumni Association' professional assessment, the Brewing Engineering major once again ranked first on the basis of its 2023 ranking, receiving an A++ rating; the Food Quality and Safety major was ranked 19th with a B++ rating; and the Food Science and Engineering major was rated B++.
IV. Party Building and Student Affairs
Over the past three years, the Party Committee of the school has been repeatedly recognized as 'Outstanding' and has been awarded the titles of 'Benchmark Party Committee' and 'Model Party Branch' by Guizhou University. Additionally, the Party Committee has been honored as an 'Advanced Grassroots Party Organization' and 'Advanced Party School' by Guizhou University, and has received the first prize for outstanding achievements in grassroots party building innovation projects. Furthermore, the Party Committee has been recognized as a 'Five-Star' grassroots party organization among higher education institutions in Guizhou Province, a construction site for 'Dual Leaders' teacher party branch secretary studios, a demonstration point for standardized and standardized party branch construction across the province, and a comprehensive reform pilot school for 'Three-Dimensional Education' in Guizhou Province.
In terms of student affairs, students from the school have excelled in various innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, securing a total of 39 awards in university student innovation and entrepreneurship contests. In the 'Internet Plus' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for College Students, students from the school have won 21 awards. They have also achieved 16 provincial-level awards and 30 university-level awards in the 'Challenge Cup' National College Students' Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition and the China College Students' Entrepreneurship Plan Competition.
V. Scientific Research
Over the past three years, the faculty of the school have led a total of 279 scientific research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, major national research and development plans, the Guizhou Provincial Natural Science Foundation, the Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Support Program, and corporate horizontal projects. During this period, the faculty have published 384 academic papers in SCI, EI, and SCD journals and have been granted 74 invention patents. Moreover, the academic staff have actively participated in academic conferences both domestically and internationally, with over a hundred individuals involved.
Additionally, the faculty have been honored with numerous provincial-level and ministerial-level science and technology awards, including the Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, the Guizhou Provincial Natural Science Award, the Science and Technology Progress Award from the China Food Industry Association, and the Science and Technology Progress Award from the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, totaling more than ten awards. The school has frequently organized, hosted, and co-hosted international and domestic academic conferences and has supported several young faculty members to undertake academic visits to countries such as Australia and Singapore.
VI. Serving Society
The school actively serves over 100 local baijiu (Chinese liquor) enterprises and ecological specialty food companies, including leading and top-tier enterprises such as Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. (China Guizhou Maotai Liquor Factory Group), Guizhou Xi Jiu Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd., Guizhou Nanfang Dairy Co., Ltd., Guizhou Lao Gan Ma Food Co., Ltd., and Guiyang Wahaha Beverage Co., Ltd., among more than 40 others. Faculty members of the school are actively involved in serving as 'Deputy General Managers of Industrial Technology Innovation' selected by the Guizhou Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology and as 'Science and Technology Special Envoys' dispatched by the Provincial Department of Science and Technology.
During the pandemic, the school organized enterprises to donate Rosa roxburghii Tratt products and other materials valued at 25.18 million yuan to hospitals, universities, and communities. Through technological services, the faculty and students of the school have contributed nearly 10 billion RMB in added economic value to enterprises. Notable cases have been reported by national and provincial media such as CCTV, People's Daily Online, Science and Technology Daily, and Guizhou TV, generating significant economic and social benefits.
The school is committed to a path of connotative development, with discipline construction as the leading force and faculty development as the core. It is dedicated to education, reform, and innovation, striving for excellence. The school is dedicated to establishing a quality-oriented institution, enhancing its distinctive features, and strengthening its talent pool. It aims to comprehensively improve the level of talent cultivation, discipline construction, scientific research, and social services, continuously enhancing the school's overall competitiveness and influence, and working tirelessly to build a school that is distinctive and of high caliber.
