Overview
The College of Bee Science and Biomedicine at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University was established on January 16, 2024. The college serves to advance agricultural sustainability and contribute to national health initiatives through focused research in the biopharmaceutical sector. By promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between bee science and biomedicine, the institution addresses critical technological challenges while training professionals for the biopharmaceutical industry. The college aspires to become a leading institution in bee science and biopharmaceutical education in China.
Academic Programs
The college offers comprehensive degree programs through collaborative partnerships with other academic units. At the doctoral level, the college partners with the College of Animal Science to provide veterinary medicine programs and collaborates with the College of Life Sciences to establish a secondary doctoral program in bee science within the biology discipline. Master's degree programs include Biology and Medicine (in partnership with the Colleges of Life Sciences and Food Sciences) and Special Economic Animal Breeding under Animal Husbandry (with the College of Animal Sciences), along with professional master's programs in animal husbandry.
Four undergraduate majors are available: bee science, biopharmaceuticals, traditional Chinese medicine resources and development, and pharmaceutical engineering. The college currently enrolls over 850 students, including 114 graduate students.
Faculty and staff
The college employs more than 70 staff members, with 56 serving as full-time faculty. Among the teaching staff, 60% hold senior professional titles, and 91% possess doctoral degrees. Distinguished faculty members include 2 recipients of State Council special allowances, 3 scientists within the National Bee Industry Technology System, 2 participants in Fujian Province's Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand Talent Project, 2 Minjiang Scholars, 9 high-level talents (2 Class B and 7 Class C) from Fujian Province, 1 high-level entrepreneurial talent from the province's fourth batch, 1 outstanding teacher from Fujian Province's second selection, and 1 provincial ethics model. Many faculty members hold leadership positions in national and provincial bee-related academic organizations.
The college has recruited distinguished visiting scholars, including Professor Martin Giurfa from the German Academy of Sciences and the University of Toulouse III. Appointed visiting professors include Academicians Wu Changxin and Chen Runsheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician Pang Guofang from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Huang Zhiyong from Michigan State University, Professor Zhang Shaowu from the Australian National University, Dr. Chen Yanping (USDA bee virus research specialist), Researcher Wu Jie (chief scientist of the National Bee Industry Technology System), Professor Chen Shenglu from Zhejiang University, and Professor He Kaiguang from Taiwan University.
Research and Teaching Infrastructure
The college maintains extensive research and educational facilities, including one National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Natural Biological Toxins, one Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Bee Product Processing and Application, one Ministry of Agriculture Fujian Scientific Observation and Experimental Station for Honey Bee Biology, one Fujian Provincial Engineering Technology Center for Bee Product Processing, and one Fujian Provincial Academician Expert Cooperation Workstation. Additional facilities include a Bee Science Research Institute with two research institutes, one teaching experimental center, one teaching practice apiary, one Chinese herbal medicine specimen hall, and one medicinal plant garden. The college has established over 30 off-campus practical teaching bases through partnerships with the bee industry and pharmaceutical enterprises.
Academic Achievements
The college has received significant recognition for educational excellence, including one National Teaching Achievement Second Prize, one Provincial Teaching Achievement Special Prize, one First Prize, one Second Prize, and one University Teaching Achievement Special Prize. Faculty members have compiled 9 nationally standardized textbooks for bee science undergraduate programs and authored multiple bee science monographs. The Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Project for High-Quality Bee Venom Collection was designated as a national first-class virtual simulation experimental teaching course.
Over the past five years, the college has secured more than 30 research projects, including National and Provincial Natural Science Foundation grants, with total research funding exceeding 20 million yuan. Research outcomes include one National Invention Fourth Prize, three Provincial Science and Technology Progress Awards, nine invention patents, 15 utility model patents, and over 500 published academic papers.
Industry Collaboration and International Exchange
The college maintains strong industry partnerships through college-enterprise cooperation and production-education integration. Faculty have completed over 230 collaborative projects with industry partners, addressing more than 380 technical challenges. Industry-academia-research partnerships have been established with Fujian Shenfeng Technology Development Co., Ltd., Fujian Xianzhi Building Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Weiming Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and other bee industry and biopharmaceutical companies.
Collaborative product developments include the bee venom external application Shenfeng Jing, the beauty and liver-protecting product Jiangnan Spring, the anti-cancer preparation Baoyuanling, and the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory J9311 Propolis Capsule.
The college plays a leading role in cross-strait bee science academic exchanges. Since co-hosting the first Cross-Strait Honey Bee Biology Academic Seminar with Taiwan University in 2001, the college has organized annual activities and established the Cross-Strait Bee Therapy Summit Forum. The 6·18 project, representing successful technical cooperation with Taiwan enterprises, was recognized as an outstanding cooperation project.
Academic collaboration extends to domestic institutions, including Zhejiang University, China Agricultural University, and the Bee Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, as well as international partnerships with universities and research institutes in France, Germany, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Israel, and Denmark.
