The School of Mechanical Engineering at Yancheng Institute of Technology was initially founded in 1996 through the merger of the Mechanical Engineering Department from Yancheng Industrial College and Yancheng Vocational College. In pursuit of educational innovation, the UGS College was established in 2005. Subsequently, in July 2013, the School of Mechanical Engineering consolidated with the UGS College to form a unified academic entity.\
The School began enrolling college students in mechanical engineering in 1958 and undergraduate students in 1996. Currently, it offers 7 undergraduate programs, including "Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering". Among them, Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation, and Process Equipment and Control Engineering have been approved as state-level first class undergraduate major constructive points. Additionally, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering is recognized as a provincial first-class undergraduate major. Mechanical Engineering stands as a key first-level discipline in Jiangsu Province's “14th Five-Year Plan”, and Engineering Science has entered the global top 1% in ESI. The School is authorized to grant master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, there are approximately 400 graduate students and 2,900 undergraduates.
The discipline of Mechanical Manufacturing and Automation is a key discipline in Jiangsu Province. The Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation program is a state-level characteristic major, a pilot major in the excellence program of the Ministry of Education (MOE), and a provincial brand and characteristic major. The Mechanical Engineering Practice Education Center is designated by MOE, and the Computer Science and Technology program is a pilot major in the Excellence Program of Jiangsu. The school has established various training and research institutions, including the "Jiangsu Product Rapid Design Engineering Research Center", "National Building Materials Machinery Engineers Training Center", "Building Materials Machinery Research Center", and " Intelligent Mold Manufacturing Research Institute". The school has formed research teams in areas including "Building Materials Technology and Equipment", "Air Pollution Control Equipment", "Automotive Parts Design and Manufacturing", "Intelligent Mold Manufacturing", and "Ecological Environmental Materials and Environmental Protection Equipment", developing distinctive research directions in advanced manufacturing technology and equipment integration, design and manufacturing of building materials machinery and environmental protection equipment, new energy vehicle and parts design, and intelligent mold manufacturing technology.
The School adheres to a teaching-centered approach while continuously deepening educational reforms and strengthening the development of discipline and major. It has actively conducted teaching and research activities, undertaking over 70 projects including National Natural Science Foundation projects, National Science and Technology Support projects, ministerial and provincial key projects, and Provincial Natural Science Foundation projects. The School has been awarded over 40 municipal and higher-level science and technology progress awards, initiated more than 300 research projects, and published over 300 papers indexed in SCI, EI, and other prestigious databases, and published more than 50 academic monographs and textbooks. Ten courses have been recognized as provincial first and second-class excellent courses. The School's exploration and practice in educational reform have led to the development of "Capability-Oriented, Multi-dimensional Development - Exploration and Practice of Engineering Education Model in Local Undergraduate Colleges", which received a second-class national teaching achievements award. In recent years, numerous student innovations and designs have participated in provincial and higher-level academic and design competitions. Among these, the “Assistive Mechanical Hand” project won the first prize in the National College Students’ Mechanical Innovation Design Competition. The “Automatic Quick Release Device” project received the first prize and the cross-innovation award in the 13th “Challenge Cup” National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition. The entrepreneurial practice project, “Shanghai Jushang E-commerce Co., Ltd.,” won the gold award in the final round of the “Create the Youth” National College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. The “Environmental Protection Electric Mini-tiller” project won the first prize in the 14th “Challenge Cup” National Competition. The college has established joint postgraduate training programs with 16 universities, including Southeast University, Tongji University, and Jiangsu University. The program features full-process training, with a team that includes 1 doctoral supervisor and 15 master’s supervisors. In the past five years, the college has trained more than 70 graduate students, of whom 40 have obtained master’s degrees.
Guided by "Made in China 2025" initiative, the School will continue to focus on talent cultivation, develop high-quality faculty, strengthen disciplinary research, build distinctive professional programs. It is set to pursue a path of intrinsic development, centered on enhancing quality, with the goal of establishing itself as a premier secondary college by the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan. This establishment will be marked by a solid foundation, distinctive attributes, a leading role in its domain, first-class status within the university, and significant recognition both provincially and nationally. The School aspires to serve as a base for the development of high-level mechanical engineering talent in the coastal regions of Jiangsu.
