Undergraduate education is the basis for training professionals of high quality and versatility.Attaching vital importance to undergraduate education,Tongji University champions a competence-oriented and generalist approach that highlights the trinity of “Knowledge, Ability and Personality.” The University also seeks to deepen reform in education and teaching with a view to ensuring teaching excellence.

Over the years, Tongji has transformed its undergraduate programs into a generalist-oriented system in which majors or specialties are organized by the following standard of categorization: generalist education, fundamental education, elementary courses by disciplines and specialized courses. Thus, we aim at increasing the breadth and depth of courses offered to develop student competence for adaptability and staying abreast of the times. Under this guideline,the University started an initiative of generalist education in 2005 by placing newly enrolled students inliberal colleges rather than confining them within specific majors. Being better aware of the broader context for learning, students are subsequently able to make informed choices of their own majors and future academic pursuits.

Creativity has been a vital part of our undergraduate education.A case in point is that all national or subnational key laboratories in Tongji are open toundergraduates.An innovation and entrepreneurship fund of CNY 20 million (roughly USD 3 million) is now available for undergraduate applicants with a view to expanding the scope and scale ofinnovation. Launching a campaign for building creative talents among undergraduates, the University has already established 11 bases for this purpose, three of which being approved as state-level bases. These efforts are instrumental in navigating undergraduate education with a growing emphasis on creativity and innovation. A series of rigid and effective measures under the Quality Guarantee System for Undergraduate Educationare also in place to improve the quality of undergraduate education and reinforce the world wide recognition of our talents which they rightfully deserve.