Preface

The College of Tobacco Science and Engineering traces its origins to China's first undergraduate program in Tobacco engineering. From 1981 to 1983, commissioned by China National Tobacco Corporation, the college organized three sessions of the Tobacco Technical management personnel Training Program, training a number of urgently needed management and technical professionals for the tobacco industry. In 1984, the Tobacco Engineering program was set up and began enrolling students nationwide. A master's degree program in Tobacco Engineering was offered in 2002, followed by a master's degree program in Flavor and Fragrance Technology and Engineering in 2006. In 2010, the College of Tobacco Science and Engineering was founded, co-located with the College of Food and Biological Engineering. A strategic cooperation agreement was signed in 2011 between the People's Government of Henan Province and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration to co-construct Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI). In 2013, the Tobacco Science was an approved discipline opened for nationwide students as an undergraduate program, and the Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Tobacco Industry was also approved that year. In 2022, the College of Tobacco Science and Engineering was selected as the special industrial college in Henan Province, and the college started admitting doctor's degree candidates in the same year. Thus far, the college has established a complete higher education personnel training system encompassing bachelor's degree, master's degree and doctoral degree. In 2023, the College of Tobacco Science and Engineering was officially established as an independent entity.

Majors

The College of Tobacco Science and Engineering has developed a comprehensive higher education personnel training system. Currently, the college offers a doctoral program in Food Science and Engineering (Tobacco Science and Engineering field).  It also offers two academic master's degree programs in Tobacco Science and Engineering, Light Industry Technology and Engineering. Additionally, the college provides three professional master's degree programs in Food Engineering, Intelligent Manufacturing Technology, and Biotechnology and Engineering. At the undergraduate level, the college offers three programs: Food Science and Engineering (Tobacco Science and Engineering field), Tobacco Science and Flavor and Fragrance Technology and Engineering.

Education achievements

The Food Science and Engineering (Tobacco Science and Engineering field) has been appraised as a pilot program of the Ministry of Education's Excellence Engineer Education and Cultivation Plan (2012), and it has also been selected as National Characteristic Specialty Construction Point, within one national-level excellent course and three provincial-level first-class courses. The Tobacco Science and Engineering Teaching Team is one of the first batch of teaching team of higher education institutions in Henan Province, and the Department of Tobacco Science and Engineering has been recognized as the provincial-level excellent grassroots teaching organization. The college has established two education bases for nurturing outstanding agricultural and forestry talents in Henan Province.

Research platform

The College of Tobacco Science and Engineering has established six provincial-level scientific research and education platforms, which include the Key Laboratory of Tobacco Industrial Biotechnology in the Tobacco Industry of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, the Henan Provincial Tobacco Flavors and Fragrances Technical Research Center, the Henan Provincial International Joint Laboratory for the Utilization of Plant Functional Components, and one of the first batch of National Engineering Practice Education Centers. Additionally, the college hosts the Henan Provincial Tobacco Processing Engineering and Technology Research Center and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration's Tobacco Flavoring Talent Training Base. The college has also been approved to establish two Henan Provincial University Science and Technology Innovation Teams.

Faculty

The College of Tobacco Science and Engineering features a distinguished faculty profile, characterized by exceptional academic prowess and professional accomplishments. An impressive 96.4% of full-time lecturers hold doctoral degrees, while nearly half—around 46.4%—have attained senior professional titles. The college is further strengthened by a team of teaching and research scholars, including recognized figures such as Central Plains Scholars, Teaching Masters and Leading Talents in Basic Research, alongside experts acknowledged within the industry. This exceptional faculty group serves as the driving force behind various academic disciplines within the college, fostering excellence in education and research.

Alumnus

The college has trained more than 3,000 advanced technical professionals for the tobacco industry, nurturing a number of key technical experts and leadership personnel. It is renowned as the Whampoa Military Academy of the tobacco industry.

Achievements

In recent years, the faculty members of the college have taken the lead or participated in more than 100 national, provincial, and ministerial level scientific research projects and enterprise-commissioned projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) project, the National Tobacco Monopoly Administration Major Science and Technology Special Project, and Henan Provincial Major Science and Technology Special Project. 

The college adheres to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era, keeping in mind the original mission of educating people for the Party and developing talents for the country. It upholds the school motto, Nothing is too difficult for the willing mind, and the school spirit of being plain, pragmatic and solid. The college endeavors to build a high-level research college with distinctive characteristics of the industry by proactively serving the national, industrial, and local development strategies, with a focus on building a high-level human resource team and strengthening the capacity of scientific and technological innovation and talent cultivation.