Introduction

The discipline of environmental engineering at Tsinghua University can be traced back to the Department of Municipal Engineering established in 1928 under the former National Tsinghua University. In 1977, the first undergraduate program of Environmental Engineering in China was established at Tsinghua University. In 1984, the Department of Environmental Engineering was approved by Tsinghua University to be an independent department, and it evolved into the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering in 1997. In 2011, it finally developed into the School of Environment.

In 1988, it was awarded the only Key Discipline of Environ-mental Engineering in China; in 2002 and 2007, it was awarded National Key Discipline of Environmental Engineering consecutively. In China Discipline Ranking by the Ministry of Education, it was ranked number one in the discipline of Environmental Science and Engineering in 2009 and 2013, and it was rated A+ in the discipline of Environmental Science and Engineering in 2017 and 2022. In 2023, it was ranked 9th in the QS World University Rankings by the Subject of Environmental Sciences.

By the unremitting practices and endeavors of generations of SOE people, we have gradually clarified our own development mission: developing high-quality environmental education to cultivate leadership talents with an innovative mindset, compound skills and global perspective for the building of ecological civilization; engaging in cutting-edge interdisciplinary and applied basic research to promote the advancement in theories and practice of environmental sciences, environmental engineering, environmental management and relevant disciplines; providing professional technical services to help industries, society and the government to formulate key environmental strategies and to solve pressing environmental challenges; and thus contributing to global sustainable development and the construction of a beautiful China.

We have established a comprehensive and interdisciplinary discipline system including Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, and Environmental Management. Led by CAE Member Qian Yi, CAE Member Hao Jiming, CAE Member Qu Jiuhui and CAE Member He Kebin, our prominent faculty members have achieved remarkable breakthroughs and pioneering progress, forming a unique cultural ambiance, management style and academic pursuit. We have cultivated a great number of top-notch talents in the environmental sector for the world. SOE has served as the director of the Education Steering Committee of the Environmental Science and Engineering under the Ministry of Education and the convener of the Assessment Team of Environ-mental Science and Engineering Discipline of the Academic Degrees Committee under the State Council. So far, seven national-level teaching and research institutions have been set up, including the National Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, the Basel Convention Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific, as well as the commercialization platform for research findings based on the Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, hence providing important theoretical support, technological solutions and management advice for addressing key environmental challenges and implementing sustainable development strategy in China.

In the future, we’ll attach more importance to the leading role of talent cultivating and discipline development, prioritize the task of serving national strategies, and establish a discipline system adapting to future challenges. In addition, we’ll make great efforts to cultivate talents with compound skills and innovative spirit, enhance an optimal academic ecosystem of free exploration, and promote the innovation capability featuring multi-discipline integration. Furthermore, we strive to constantly generate new knowledge, new technologies, and new methodologies with significant global influence to contribute to addressing regional and global environ-mental issues. We strive to gain momentum on the journey towards global leadership in environmental discipline excellence.

Passion for Our Environment, Ambition for Our Cause!