Sichuan Minzu College in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Overview
Sichuan Minzu College (四川民族学院) is a provincial full-time regular undergraduate institution located in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, specifically in Kangding City and Luding County (one school, two locations, three areas). The college has been selected for the Gongga Plan of “Double First-Class” construction for higher education in Sichuan Province, the Excellent Legal Talent Education and Training Program, and the Excellent Agricultural and Forestry Talent Education and Training Program. It is the only public undergraduate college established by the state in the Kham region (including Tibet’s Changdu, Qinghai’s Yushu, Yunnan’s Diqing, and Sichuan’s Ganzi) and is recognized as a provincial “Garden-style Campus.”
The college originated in 1985 as the Kangding National Normal College (康定民族师范专科学校). In 1992, it was renamed Kangding National Normal Higher College (康定民族师范高等专科学校). In 2004, it merged with Ganzi Prefecture Agricultural School and Ganzi Prefecture Finance School. In 2009, it was officially upgraded and renamed Sichuan Minzu College with approval from the Ministry of Education.
As of July 2024, the college has 15 secondary colleges, 35 undergraduate programs, and ethnic preparatory education. It currently has 15,000 students, of whom 5,000 are from ethnic minorities.
Historical Development
The establishment of the college began in 1985 with the founding of Kangding National Normal College, where Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦), then General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, inscribed the college’s name in Chinese.
In 1986, the 10th Panchen Lama, Erdini Qujiqiancan (额尔德尼·确吉坚赞), who was then Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, wrote the Tibetan name for the school.
In 1992, the college was renamed Kangding National Normal Higher College.
In 2004, the Ganzi Prefecture Agricultural School (formerly known as the Ganzi Prefecture Animal Husbandry School and the Ganzi Prefecture Forestry Technical School) and the Ganzi Prefecture Finance School (formerly known as the Ganzi Prefecture Financial and Trade School and the Ganzi Prefecture Industrial School) were merged into the college.
In March 2009, it was officially upgraded to Sichuan Minzu College after approval from the Ministry of Education.
In 2013, the college obtained the qualifications to confer bachelor’s degrees.
In 2015, it passed the Ministry of Education’s assessment for undergraduate teaching quality.
Educational Facilities
School Scale
As of July 2024, the college has campuses in Kangding and Luding, covering an area of 1,374 acres. The total building area is 278,000 square meters, with a total fixed asset value of 637 million yuan and teaching and research equipment valued at 100 million yuan. The library has a collection of over one million paper books and more than 430,000 electronic books. The college offers 35 undergraduate programs, 14 second bachelor’s degree programs, and ethnic preparatory education, covering ten academic disciplines, including arts, sciences, education, management, law, economics, agriculture, engineering, history, and arts, with 15,000 students enrolled, including 5,000 from ethnic minorities.
The college has established 172 on-campus laboratories for various majors, one off-campus practice base, and 167 school-level practice training bases. It serves as a venue for graduate entrance exams, teacher qualification exams, and focuses primarily on humanities and social sciences while steadily developing teacher education programs and actively promoting the local economy.
The Luding New Campus of Sichuan Minzu College is located in Luqiao Town, Luding County, with a planned enrollment of 10,000 students and a campus area of 1,001.97 acres. The building area is 324,600 square meters. The first phase of construction is planned to be completed before 2022, adding a capacity for 2,500 students, with the second and third phases scheduled for completion before 2024 and 2029, respectively. The construction of the new campus will lay a solid foundation for establishing a first-class comprehensive university, talent base, and research institution in Ganzi Prefecture.
Faculty Strength
As of July 2024, the college has over 900 faculty and staff members, including more than 180 with senior professional technical positions, and over 360 teachers with doctoral or master’s degrees.
Notable Faculty
- Associate Professors: Jiang Chao, Deng Long’an
- Provincial Academic and Technical Leaders: Deng Long’an
- Provincial Teaching Masters: La Du
- Provincial “Teacher of Character and Education”: Xie Xueqiang
- Provincial Teaching Team: Mathematical Analysis and Applications
- Provincial “Curriculum Ideology” Demonstration Teaching Team: Criminal Law Studies
Departments and Programs
As of July 2024, the college has 15 secondary colleges offering 35 undergraduate programs.
List of Departments and Programs
| College Name | Undergraduate Programs | Diploma Programs |
|---|---|---|
| School of History, Culture, and Tourism | Horticulture, Veterinary Medicine, Tourism Management, History | Modern Agricultural Technology, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine |
| School of Mathematics and Statistics | Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Technology, Physics, Data Science and Big Data Technology | – |
| School of Tibetan Studies | Chinese Ethnic Minority Language and Literature (Tibetan Language and Literature), Chinese Ethnic Minority Language and Literature (Tibetan-Chinese Translation) | – |
| School of Liberal Arts | Chinese Language and Literature, Internet and New Media | – |
| School of Economics and Management | Financial Management, Administrative Management, Human Resource Management, Economics, Accounting | Big Data and Accounting, E-commerce |
| School of Foreign Languages | English | – |
| School of Educational Sciences | Preschool Education, Primary Education | – |
| School of Law | Law, Law (Bilingual Tibetan-Chinese) | – |
| School of Marxism | Ideological and Political Education, Political Science and Administration | – |
| School of Music and Dance | Dance Studies, Music Studies, Aviation Service Arts and Management | – |
| School of Physical Education | Physical Education, Social Sports Guidance and Management, Leisure Sports | – |
| School of Fine Arts | Fine Arts, Visual Communication Design, Environmental Design, Calligraphy | – |
Academic Development
As of July 2024, the college has established one discipline included in the Gongga Plan for “Double First-Class” construction in Sichuan Province and four key disciplines recognized by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission.
Key Disciplines
| Category | Name |
|---|---|
| Sichuan Provincial “Double First-Class” Construction Discipline | Ecology |
| National Key Discipline | Computer Science and Technology, Business Administration |
| Secondary National Key Discipline | Ethnic Studies, Basic Mathematics |
Student Organizations
Sichuan Minzu College has nearly 40 student organizations, including the Youth Image Film Society, Environmental Protection Association, Tourism Association, Psychology Association, Speech and Communication Association, Mandarin Association, Computer Association, Applied Mathematics Research Association, National Studies Seal Carving Association, English Salon Association, Book Club Association, Japanese Communication Association, Deng Xiaoping Research Association, KBA Animation Society, Ethnic Culture Research Association, Law Society, Xianzi Guozhuang Association, Thangka Association, Table Tennis Association, Basketball Association, Football Fitness Club, Yoga Association, Martial Arts Association, and Military Enthusiasts Association. The college’s Student Association is responsible for the cultural development of these organizations and organizes in-depth, meaningful, and valuable activities.
