Xi’an Jiaotong University, headquartered in Xi’an, Shaanxi province in Northwest China, has created a new major entitled Energy Storage Science and Engineering for its new school term which started on Sept 1.  

It is the first and only such major set up by a university so far in China. A high-end forum on the construction of an energy storage science and engineering specialty, which also explored scientific and technological innovation and the integration of production and education, was held on Sept 19 at the university’s innovation harbor.  

The forum attracted officials and experts from the Ministry of Education, the State Energy Administration, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Education Department of Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Provincial Energy Bureau, Shaanxi Provincial Education Department, Huaneng Group, Huadian Group, the State Grid Corporation, China Southern Power Grid Corporation, the Central Research Institute of State Power Investment, Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Harbin Institute of Technology.  

Wang Shuguo, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University, said at the forum that against the background of the fourth industrial revolution, the process of setting up majors and training talents is a challenging one. In this era of great integration, in addition to professional and subject integration, universities also need to deeply integrate with society and enterprises.

Wang Shuguo, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University, makes a speech at the forum.  

With the current pattern of global development, expertise on energy storage will deeply affect the progress of human society. Xi'an Jiaotong University is taking the lead in targeting national demand to set up the major energy science and engineering specialty, which is to precisely cultivate "high-quality and top-notch" talents in the field of energy storage, and enhance the ability of China's industry to tackle key core technologies and independent innovation, Wang said.

According to Song Yi, inspector of the Higher Education Department at the Ministry of Education, China attaches great importance to the research and development of energy storage technology and the cultivation of energy storage talents. Energy storage technology is the key technology in driving the profound adjustments needed in the global energy system. The national action plan for the development of energy storage technology, released this year, includes creating a national energy storage specialty, establishing an energy storage technology research institute through the integration of science and education, and gradually improving coordination between industry and education.

“I hope that Xi'an Jiaotong University can take this professional construction as an opportunity to carry out continuous and in-depth exploration of the construction of an energy storage specialty, scientific and technological innovation, and integration of production and education, so as to provide demonstrative experience that can be popularized and used for reference, and provide talent support and intellectual support for promoting the high-quality development of China's energy storage industry,” Song said.

The university signs a cooperation agreement with the institutes and enterprises for the construction of the newly created major.