The College of Materials at Xiamen University was established in 2007. The college is currently comprised of two departments: the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Biomaterials. The origin of the department of materials science and engineering dates back to 1960 when the polymer research direction was founded. In 1986, Xiamen University was the first university in China to launch a major in materials chemistry which eventually led to the establishment of materials department in 1997. The Department of Biomaterials originates from the Biomedical Engineering Research Center established in 2002. Designated by the university as a key institution under China's "211 project", "985 project", and the "Double First-Class Initiative", the College of Materials offers doctoral programs and postdoctoral research stations. Xiamen University's materials science discipline ranks among the top 6.1‱ globally according to Essential Science Indicators (ESI). The College of Materials has become an important base for talent cultivation and materials research in China.
There are currently 68 full-time faculty members in the college, including 32 professors, 23 associate professors, and 12 assistant professors. Among them are distinguished individuals such as 1 member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (jointly appointed), 8 national-level outstanding talents, 3 chief scientists of national key research and development programs, 7 recipients of the national outstanding young talents, 5winners of "New Century Excellent Talents Support Program" of the Ministry of Education, and 5 specially appointed professors of Minjiang Scholars in Fujian Province.
The college upholds the spirit of the university’s motto of "Pursue Excellence, Strive for Perfection", adheres to the original mission of fostering virtue through education, and is committed to nurturing top-notch innovative talents capable of contributing to the national rejuvenation. Currently, there are over 900 full-time students, including over 340 undergraduates, over 430 master's students, and over 130 doctoral students. The major of Materials Science and Engineering has been selected as a national-level first-class undergraduate program, a national-level characteristic major, and outstanding engineer education and training program of the Ministry of Education. It has also established a national-level experimental teaching demonstration center. There are currently 1 national-level first-class undergraduate course and 1 national-level quality course. In recent years, the college has won 3 first prizes and 1 second prize in the Fujian Provincial Teaching Achievement Awards. The college emphasizes cultivating graduate students' innovative capabilities through research practice, with rich academic activities such as the "National University Student Materials Design Invitational Competition," "Lingfeng Forum for Graduate Students of Materials Science in Universities," and "Doctoral Research Team for Material Industry Investigation" which have become branded events. The college's "2+8" Freshman Guidance Program has been featured prominently in media reports by outlets such as Guangming Daily. The student innovation teams have won the gold prize (top 10) in the 3rd China University Student "Internet Plus" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, the gold prize (runner-up) in the 4th China University Student "Internet Plus" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, and the gold prize in the 2018 "Chuang Qing Chun" National College Student Entrepreneurship Competition.
The college adheres to aligning with national strategies and local needs, integrating into the local economic and social development. At present, there are 13 provincial and ministerial-level key scientific research platforms, including the Key Laboratory of High-Performance Ceramic Fibers of the Ministry of Education, the Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Engineering and High-Performance Materials in Fujian Province, the Key Laboratory of Special Advanced Materials in Fujian Province, the Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials in Fujian Province, and the Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering in Fujian Province. Over the past five years, the college has undertaken over 450 research projects, including national key research and development programs and key projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation. The overall research funding has exceeded 450 million yuan. In additions, the faculty members of the college have published 962 SCI papers, received 9 provincial and ministerial-level science and technology awards, obtained 306 authorized patents (including 11 international patents) with 41 of them successfully transferred.
Over the past five years, the college has undertaken over 240 commissioned development projects and technical services, with a total amount of nearly 100 million yuan. Products developed through research have been applied to various related engineering projects. The college has participated in the formulation of 7 national standards, 2 industry standards, 6 local standards, and 5 group standards. It has also hosted several provincial and municipal new materials industry technology matchmaking conferences to boost industrial development. The college continuously sends science and technology experts to local enterprises, in order to provide technical support for solving the problems from the production process. Some of the experts earned the honorary title of "Most Beautiful Science and Technology Delegate" in Fujian Province.
Dreaming of a new era and embarking on a new journey of endeavor, the College of Materials consistently adheres to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. With the goal of constructing a first-class discipline in materials rooting in the land of China, the college is committed to the mission of serving our country through education, strengthening our country through materials research, as well as cultivating virtue and nurturing talents, eventually providing high-quality talents to contribute to the comprehensive construction of a socialist modern country.
(Data aforementioned are as of April 2024)