Honghe University in Mengzi City

Honghe University (红河学院), abbreviated as HU, is located in Mengzi (蒙自), the capital of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州) in Yunnan Province (云南省). It is a full-time public university managed by the Yunnan Provincial Government. The university follows a “provincial and prefectural co-construction, with provincial leadership” management system.

History

Founded in 1978 as Mengzi Normal College (蒙自师范专科学校), it was renamed Mengzi Normal Higher Vocational College (蒙自师范高等专科学校) in 1992. In April 2003, the university was formed through the merger of Mengzi Normal Higher Vocational College and Honghe Branch of Yunnan Radio and Television University (云南广播电视大学红河分校), with the official name of Honghe University.

Campus and Academic Information

Campuses: The university has two campuses: Liren Campus (里仁校区) and Mingde Campus (明德校区).

Faculty: As of March 2025, the university has 903 staff members.

Students: There are 12,989 full-time undergraduate students enrolled.

Departments: The university includes 14 secondary colleges with 46 undergraduate majors and 3 professional master’s degree categories.

Master’s Programs: There are 4 provincial-level discipline master’s programs and 7 professional master’s programs.

Campus and Facilities

Area: The university covers an area of 1,190 acres.

Main Awards: In 2021, it was named as one of the First Batch of Ethnic Traditional Sports Bases in Yunnan Province.

Website: http://www.uoh.edu.cn

Leadership

Party Secretary: Hong Bo (洪波)

President: Yang Shengchao (杨生超)

School Motto

“Broaden your horizons and enhance your ambition” (博远有鸣，开阔弘毅).

Historical Development

Early History

In August 1977, the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee decided to establish an ordinary class at Honghe Normal School (红河州师范学校) in Honghe Prefecture to train middle school teachers. In 1978, Mengzi Normal College was officially approved and opened by the State Council. It initially offered programs in Chinese Language Education and Chemistry Education, enrolling 143 students. The main mission was to train qualified middle school teachers for Honghe Prefecture and surrounding areas.

Expansion and Development

By 1980, the college added Mathematics and Physics as new disciplines. In 1992, it was renamed Mengzi Normal Higher Vocational College, and in 2003, the school merged with the Honghe Branch of Yunnan Radio and Television University, officially becoming Honghe University.

Key Milestones

2012: The university passed the National Undergraduate Teaching Evaluation.

2014: It became one of the first universities in Yunnan Province to undergo a full transformation.

2016: Honghe University was selected as a National “13th Five-Year Plan” Applied Undergraduate Development Project.

2019: It was approved for the Smart Teaching Pilot Project by the Ministry of Education.

2024: The Keenstone Purple Pottery Industry College was established in Jianshui County (建水县).

2025: The university received approval to award master’s degrees, with initial programs in International Business, Materials and Chemical Engineering, and Agriculture.

Department Structure

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) offers 46 full-time undergraduate programs across 14 faculties.

Undergraduate Programs Offered

Academic Development

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) has 2 provincial-level disciplines under key development, 3 master’s programs for professional degree training, and 4 provincial-level master’s disciplines. Additionally, the university has 7 new master’s degree programs in development.

Key Academic Categories

Faculty Strength

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) employs 903 faculty members, including 704 full-time professors. The faculty includes 110 professors, 270 associate professors, and 270 PhD holders. Notable titles include 2 members supported by the National High-level Talent Special Support Program (国家高层次人才特殊支持计划), 1 Yunling Scholar (云岭学者), and 44 provincial and above-level experts.

Notable Faculty Members

Liu Wei (刘卫), recipient of the State Council Special Allowance (国务院特殊津贴)

Zhang Canbang (张灿邦), Luo Yongguang (罗永光), Liu Wei (刘卫), He Bin (何斌), provincial experts

Yang Shengchao (杨生超), Zhang Canbang (张灿邦), He Bin (何斌), Shao Jianping (邵建平), Lu Peng (卢鹏), Zhang Defei (张德飞), Yang Guangming (杨光明), Liu Guiyang (刘贵阳), Zhang Wei (张薇), Fang Xingxiang (范兴祥): Provincial Young and Middle-aged Academic and Technical Leaders

Teaching and Technical Honors

Xu Shaokun (徐绍坤), He Bin (何斌), Zhang Pinghai (张平海), Zhang Canbang (张灿邦), Liu Wei (刘卫), Chen Can (陈灿): Provincial-level Teaching Masters

Wang Shaolong (王少龙), Lu Bingyue (卢丙越), Lu Peng (卢鹏), Shao Jianping (邵建平): Expert Scholars under State and Provincial Programs

Teaching Development

Quality Engineering

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) has been recognized for its academic achievements in several areas, including the establishment of 1 national-level first-class undergraduate program, 1 national-level characteristic program, 3 provincial-level key programs, and 4 provincial-level characteristic programs. The university also supports two key professional groups for industry upgrades. Additionally, Honghe University (红河学院) has 15 provincial-level first-class undergraduate programs, with majors like Metallurgical Engineering, Agronomy, and Mathematics & Applied Mathematics included in the province’s list of first-class undergraduate programs.

Key Academic Programs

Selected Courses (Partial List)

Teaching Achievements

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) has earned the following awards:

1 second-place national teaching achievement award

3 first-place provincial teaching achievement awards

7 second-place provincial teaching achievement awards

Notable Award-Winning Projects

International Collaboration

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) has established several international collaborations, including:

Confucius Institute at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, witnessed and signed by President Xi Jinping.

Confucius Institute at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh, successfully approved in April 2025.

Confucius Classroom in Lumbini, Sri Lanka, and Shantou Maria University-Red River Confucius Classroom in Bangladesh.

The overseas teaching site at Thaiyuan University, Vietnam, is the first overseas site set up by a Yunnan Province (云南省) institution in Vietnam.

The university has partnerships with 40 universities and institutions in countries across South and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Since 2004, Honghe University (红河学院) has enrolled over 3,000 international students from 21 countries.

Domestic Collaboration

As of March 2025, Honghe University (红河学院) has engaged in multiple domestic collaborations, including:

Cooperation with Honghe Prefecture (红河州) local government and organizations to establish platforms such as the Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Border Areas and Party Building Research Institute and the Border Finance and Economic Research Center.

Cooperation with multiple cities, including Mengzi (蒙自), Jinping (金平), Jianshui (建水), Hekou (河口), Lüchun (绿春), and Pingbian (屏边), to carry out multi-level cooperation and support regional development.

Partnering with Mengzi City (蒙自市) to jointly establish an affiliated school of Honghe University (红河学院), as well as with Jianshui County (建水县) to establish the Jianshui Purple Pottery Industry College.

Campus Culture

School Emblem

The Honghe University (红河学院) emblem is a circular, closed badge featuring a design inspired by the “Gate of Science” and Youmingtan (有鸣潭). The year “1978” at the bottom represents the founding year of the university. The upper arc of the outer ring displays the school name in Chinese, “红河学院” (Honghe University), and the lower arc shows the English name. The Gate of Science is located at the end of Renhe Avenue, connecting the Liren (里仁) and Mingde (明德) campuses. The design symbolizes the pursuit of truth and learning, with the S-shaped curve representing the Honghe River (红河), emphasizing the university’s commitment to “locality, ethnicity, and internationalization.” This gate’s backdrop, Youmingtan, signifies the university’s educational philosophy of “transcendence, creation, and harmony.”

Spiritual Culture

School Motto: “博远有鸣，开阔弘毅” (“Broad vision and expansive strength, a spirit of openness and perseverance”).

• “开阔弘毅” is derived from Zhu Xi, a prominent scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, meaning to broaden one’s vision and strengthen one’s resolve.

• It emphasizes the university’s international approach and its values of ambition and perseverance, as quoted from Confucius’s Analects: “A scholar must be broad-minded and persistent in their goals.”

School Culture: “道不虚谈，学贵实效” (“The Way is not for idle talk; learning should aim for practical results”).

• This is a reflection of the pragmatic and result-oriented approach in the pursuit of knowledge and education.

Teaching Style: “严谨至诚，乐教善导” (“Rigorous and sincere, passionate in teaching and guidance”).

• The phrase stresses the importance of sincerity and rigor in both teaching and learning, inspired by traditional values that emphasize sincerity, integrity, and the pursuit of wisdom.

Student Spirit: “慎思明辨，好学乐群” (“Think carefully, discern clearly, love learning, and enjoy collaboration”).

• This phrase encourages students to engage in critical thinking, strive for clarity, and work together as a community in their learning journey.

School Anniversary

Honghe University (红河学院) celebrates its anniversary every year on October 18th.

Campus Activities and Social Responsibility

The university organizes various campus activities that celebrate minority festivals and honor exemplary individuals within the school. These cultural initiatives are designed to cultivate a sense of social responsibility among students and promote their overall development. Additionally, the university conducts outreach programs focused on promoting the core socialist values among minority groups.

Campuses

Liren Campus: Located in Xin’ansuo Town (新安所镇), Mengzi City (蒙自市), Honghe Prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州), on Honghe Avenue (红河大道).

Mingde Campus: Located in the eastern suburbs of Mengzi City (蒙自市), Honghe Prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州).

Administrative Leadership

Current Leadership (as of August 2025)

Former Leadership

Notable Alumni

Campus Environment

Yishao Lake (一勺湖): The name is inspired by a passage from The Doctrine of the Mean (中庸): “Even a small amount of water, when accumulated, can grow into a great entity like a tortoise or dragon.”

Gate of Science (科学门): One of the university’s iconic sculptures, based on Marx’s quote: “At the entrance of science, as at the entrance of hell, all hesitation must be eradicated; any cowardice is of no use.”

Honors and Achievements

In 2023, Honghe University (红河学院) was awarded the title of “Advanced School in Building Civilized Campuses of Yunnan Province” (创建云南省高校文明校园先进学校).