Ningbo University is a public municipal university in the Jiangbei district of Ningbo, in Zhejiang province, China. It was founded in 1986 and is affiliated with the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government. The public record notes that its first president, the academician Zhu Zhaoxiang, served from September 1985 to September 1988, which indicates that preparations began before the opening. The president now is Cai Ronggen.
The university has one urban campus of 5.3 square kilometres. It enrols about 25,000 students and employs about 2,300 academic staff. The record does not list its schools or faculties, so applicants should look at the official site for the full range of programmes. The motto, which can be translated as seek truth from facts and apply knowledge to practical use, sets a practical tone.
The university is part of China’s Double First-Class Construction, a national programme that supports selected disciplines. This status is a notable achievement for a university under municipal control, and it signals the quality of some of its fields. Another academician, Yan Luguang, served as president from 1999 to 2004.
The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024 placed Ningbo University in the 401 to 500 band globally and 78th in China. These placements put it among the leading universities of its category, notably among those funded at municipal level.
The city of Ningbo is one of the major ports of the world, near Shanghai and Hangzhou, and the university benefits from the economic and industrial base of the city. For an applicant, the points to check are the language of teaching, which is mainly Chinese, the entry conditions and the scholarships available for international students. Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Students should read the official pages for the full list of colleges, which the public record does not give here, and for the programmes taught in English. Ningbo also hosts several international university campuses, and the city offers good transport links to Shanghai and Hangzhou. Applicants should compare the programmes with their career plans in this port economy.
Municipal university affiliated with the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government, Double First-Class Construction.
Research:
Marine and engineering sciences, sciences, humanities and management.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2300
Current students***:
25000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Double First-Class university, ARWU 401 to 500 in 2024, port city location, 5.3 square kilometre campus.
Cons
Teaching mainly in Chinese, municipal rather than national funding, limited public information on schools.
Best For
Students seeking a municipal research university in the port city of Ningbo.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Think of Qingdao University when marine science, mechanical engineering and materials is the priority: it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers chemistry and software engineering as well.
Yangzhou University takes a similar route through food science, mechanical engineering and life sciences, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers agriculture and civil engineering as well.
Think of Hainan University when marine science, food science and life sciences is the priority: it covers agriculture and ecology and sustainability as well, and is larger, enrolling about 46,629 students against roughly 25,000 here.
For students who like the materials, life sciences and engineering focus of this university but want another option nearby, Guizhou University fits well: it covers agriculture and chemistry as well, and is larger, enrolling about 47,944 students against roughly 25,000 here.
Nanchang University works in much the same fields, chiefly food science, mechanical engineering and materials, and it also offers mba programmes and covers chemistry and physics as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Seen from abroad, University of Aveiro (Portugal) is a close relative on subject matter, since marine science, materials and life sciences are central to both, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers chemistry and telecommunications as well.
University of Tasmania in Australia shares the marine science, food science and life sciences orientation of this institution, and it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.
In South Korea, Pusan National University teaches much the same core subjects, materials, life sciences and engineering, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
University of California, Santa Barbara brings a the United States setting to the same core fields, marine science, materials and life sciences, and it has almost the same size, at about 26,100 students, and is also a public institution.
Flinders University offers an international parallel to this institution, with marine science, life sciences and engineering as common ground; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers robotics and ecology and sustainability as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Ningbo University?
In the Jiangbei district of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China.
When was it founded?
In 1986.
Who funds it?
The Ningbo Municipal People's Government.
How large is the campus?
5.3 square kilometres.
How many students does it have?
About 25,000.
How many academic staff does it have?
About 2,300.
Who is the president?
Cai Ronggen.
Is it part of the Double First-Class Construction?
Yes.
How is it placed in the ARWU 2024?
In the 401 to 500 band globally and 78th in China.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Engineering, Environment, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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