INTRODUCTION

Nanjing Forestry University lies east of Nanjing at the foothill of Purple Mountain and west of Xuanhu Lake. Nanjing Forestry University(NFU), ranked as one of the key higher- learning forestry institutions, is directly under the Ministry of Forestry of the People's Republic of China. Formerly called Nanjing Institute of Forestry, NFU was founded in 1952, grounded on the departments of forestry of Nanjing University (Formerly the Centre University), Jinling University, Wuhan University, Nanchang University and Hubei Agriculture College.NFU was also called Nanjing Technological College of Forest Products from 1972 to 1983. Nanjing Forestry University had its beginnings in 1985 and has now become a comprehensive forestry university with complete curricula an qualified teachers.

NFU is composed of six departments, Forestry, Chemical Engineering of Forest Products, Wood Science and echnology, Mechanical Engineering, Forest Engineering, Forest Economics and Management; three divisions of Basic Courses, Social Sciences, Graduate Studies, and a College of Adult Education. NFU at present provides eleven specialties for four- year Bachelor degree programs and fourteen specialties for two-year professional training programs.The university has 57 teaching and research groups, 61 laboratories and experimental workshops including a forest experiment station and an arboretum.In addition, there are other facilities such as a gymnasium, a swimming pool and a library containing a collection of 500,000 volumes and 2,000 periodicals in both Chinese and foreign languages.On campus there are a number of very advanced instruments and equipment like Computer Centre, Electron Microscope Centre, Physical and Chemical Analysing Centre.

In addition to confering bachelor degrees,NFU has been authorized to confer master degrees in fourteen disciplines and specialties,and doctoral degrees in seven disciplines and specialties.The three key disciplines of the state as determined by the evaluation of the National Education Commission are Ecology, Timber Processing and Wood-based Panel, and Chemical Processing of Forest Products. NFU has now been authorized to examine and approve associate professors and also has the right to examine and approve professors in Forestry, Chemical Processing of Forest Products and Forestry Engineering. At present, NFU has approximately 1,600 teaching and adminstrative staff, which includes 750 teachers, among whom are 50 professors,and 260 associate professors. THe present student enrollment at the university is 3000. In 40 years since its founding, NFU has fostered 13,000 graduates and postgraduates as well as foreign students from both our country and the other nations, 1,000 graduates from the College of Adult Education, and 3,000 from various kinds of technical training classes, most of whom have now become the backbone of the forestry construction of China.

NFU pays particular attention to scientific research programs. The university has established 19 research centres, institutions, divisions and Design Institute of Forest Products Industry. Directly under the Ministry of Forestry are Southern Region Tree Seeds Inspection Centre, Energy-saving Technology Service Centre, Wood-based Panel Quality Supervision and inspection Station. Since 1985, more than 150 research projects have been carried out each year, about 60 projects have borne fruitful achievements and got awards from the state, the Ministry of Forestry and the provincial administration. These include 2 first-prizes, 2 second-prizes and 3 third-prizes of State Advancement in Sciences and Technology. NFU issues academic publications: Journal of Nanjing Forestry University, Interior Design and Development of Forestry Science and Technology.

NFU attaches great importance to international academic exchanges and has established intercollegiate ties with forestry universities and institutions in the United States of America, Japan and other 14 countries. The university has its share in the promotion of international academic exchanges through inviting a number of foreign experts and professors annually and sending its own faculty members abroad for further studies, lecturing, carring out jiont research projects and attending international conferences.

Today, NFU is further deepening its own educational reform, trying its best to enhance the quality of education, to raise academic levels, and striving to make great contributions to vigorous forestry development of China.