On March 22, the expert group on university competition assessment and management systems from the Chinese Society of Higher Education released the 2023 National College Student Competition Analysis Report. NEFU has once again ranked first in the 2019-2023 National Agricultural and Forestry Category Undergraduate Institutions Student Competition Ranking (TOP 20) with a total score of 76.1, representing 1165 awards. This achievement marks our sixth consecutive year at the top of this list. In addition, NEFU is ranked 41st in the 2023 National General Universities Student Competition Ranking (Undergraduate, TOP 100) and 42nd in the 2019-2023 National 'Double First-Class' University Student Competition Ranking.
Since 2017, the annual national rankings for university subject competitions have been published, marking the first in our country to specifically focus on the cultivation of innovative talent and academic competition achievements in higher education. These rankings serve as an important reference for evaluating the quality of talent training in universities. This year’s competition analysis report included a total of 1218 undergraduate institutions across the country. NEFU’s consistent top ranking in the agricultural and forestry category underscores our distinctive approach to education, the effectiveness of our educational and teaching reforms, and our success in cultivating innovative and entrepreneurial talents.
NEFU consistently employs a tri-level approach—national, provincial, and institutional—in its student innovation and entrepreneurship training programs. We utilize platforms such as the China International College Student Innovation Competition, the Challenge Cup National College Student Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Competition, and the Challenge Cup Chinese College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition as key drivers. These are complemented by various professional and academic competitions, bolstered by branded university contests like the Cheng Dong Cup, Dandelion Plan, Patent Contest, and Thesis Contest. These initiatives form the foundation of our innovative and entrepreneurial competition system, which encompasses national, provincial, school, and college levels. Collaboration across all departments and colleges within the university has been instrumental in expanding the reach and adoption of innovation and entrepreneurship education, leading to a significant increase in the number of students engaging in these activities. In 2023, NEFU launched 708 major innovation projects, involving over 2800 students—a record high in both the number of projects and student participation. At the 16th National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Annual Conference, five of NEFU’s projects were selected at the national level, placing us among the 16 universities nationwide with more than five projects chosen. Two of these projects won awards at the conference, marking a historic achievement. Additionally, NEFU students have achieved remarkable success in various subject competitions, including the National College Student Engineering Practice and Innovation Ability Contest, the International Youth Artificial Intelligence Competition, and the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM).
As an institution with distinctive features in agriculture and forestry, NEFU, guided by the national innovation-driven strategy, will adhere to a development path focused on “quality, green, innovation, and cooperation”. We aim to cultivate more talents with a sense of innovation and a spirit of creativity, contributing to the development of the Longjiang region and playing a significant role in the rejuvenation of the Northeast. This commitment is part of our NEFU contribution to the collective effort to revive the Northeastern region.
