Southwest Forestry University

Southwest Forestry University (SWFU) is located in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, which was initially established as the Department of Forestry of Yunnan University in 1939. Mainly based on forestry related disciplines, it has become an unique multidisciplinary forestry university in the west part of China, characterized with bio-environmental sciences holding 8 first grade and 41 second grade master degree programs, 4 professional master degree programs, 56 undergraduate majors comprising agronomy, science, engineering, laws and management disciplines with sound facilities and pleasant learning environment.

SWFU campus covers 80 hectares in area. It consists of 18 colleges, namely, Forestry College, College of Life Sciences, College of Landscape Architecture, College of Transportation and Machinery, College of Material Engineering, College of Ecotourism, College of Economics and Management, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, College of Arts, College of Computer Science and Information, College of Humanities, College of Sciences, College of Foreign Languages, International School, College of Continuing Education (Vocational School), College of Physical Education, College of Political and Ideological Courses Teaching.

Up to now, there are about 13,000 students in the university, including about 1,500 postgraduate and international students. With 755 full-time teaching staff members, including 400 full professors and associate professors. Among which, there are a number of locally or nationally well-known scholars for their significant contribution to education and scientific research.

SWFU has insisted on the development orientation, i.e., “Being based in Yunnan, focusing on southwest China, serving the whole nation, and radiating to southeast Asia”, persisted in the motto of “nurture trees and talents, pursue truth and excellence”, and has trained over 30,000 students with bachelor or master degrees who worked or are still working in the sectors of forestry, eco-environmental conservation and rural development.

SWFU may keep to be highly ranked among equivalent universities in biodiversity and nature reserve conservation, silviculture, forest protection, researches on rattan and bamboo, wood science and technology, forest management, and plateau wetland conservation. SWFU also strives to possess regional features in the fields of landscape architecture, environmental design, and ecotourism, to be outstanding in the studies on ants, birds and fish. This university has acquired remarkable ecological, economic and social benefits by developing ecological civilization and forestry industries and by pushing forward the regional and local development of economy and society.

SWFU has paid great attention to international cooperation and exchange. Communication and exchange ties have been set up with universities and research institutes around the world, especially in the Southeast Asia, and variety of joint education programs have been set up and conducted. Cooperative research programs have been completed or being conducted with a number of international organizations.

Starting from the new historic scratch, SWFU is trying hard to build the university as a comprehensive forestry education center with prominent local characteristics in west China and to be of great influence in the south and Southeast Asia.