Founded in 1958, the Department of Chemistry of Nanchang University has a history of more than 60 years. In 1986, the department was approved to authorize master’s degrees in analytical chemistry and physical chemistry. In 2010, it was approved to authorize doctoral degrees in chemistry. In 2014, it was approved to establish a postdoctoral research station in chemistry. The department includes winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, experts from the Ten Thousand Talents Plan, Changjiang Scholars, and National Natural Science Award Winners. There are 96 faculty members in the department. 74.2% of them have doctoral degree, and 51.5% have experience studying abroad. Since 2016, the department has independently cultivated 2 candidates for the National Pacesetter Project, 1 Changjiang Young Scholar and 7 winners of Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by China Association for Science and Technology, and employed flexibly 1 Changjiang Scholar.

Based on existing discipline foundation and advantages, the department is serving the country’s major development strategies and Jiangxi’s regional characteristic economy. Conducting scientific research on Jiangxi and national strategic industries, major livelihood and scientific frontier issues, the department aims at building an industry-university-research collaborative innovation mechanism, promoting achievement transformation, cultivating a group of top innovative talents, and facilitating the output of major landmark achievements. The ultimate goal of the department is to construct a high-level disciplinary system with reasonable structure, distinctive features, outstanding advantages and harmonious development.

According to the demand of national sustainable development strategy and the requirements for the development of key pillar industries of new energy in Jiangxi Province, and relying on local lithium-ion batteries, rare earth resources and organic silicon industry, some major research fields have been developed, including ferroelectric chemistry, new energy chemistry, green catalytic engineering, and rare earth resources. These research fields have distinct characteristics and influence all the secondary chemistry disciplines. Furthermore, the chemistry discipline also intersects with physics, materials, environment, biology, medicine and other disciplines, forming a harmonious research atmosphere and exerting a certain influence at home and abroad.

The chemistry discipline of the Department is one of the first batch of leading disciplines of the Jiangxi University Discipline Alliance. It has entered the world's high-level ranks.

In 2020, it was ranked in the top of 3.76‰ in the latest ESI (Essential Science Indicators) ranking. Global health technology, energy storage materials technology and optics were included in the national first-class disciplines, the ferroelectricity direction entered the world's advanced ranks, and applied chemistry was selected into the first batch of national first-class undergraduate courses in 2020. This subject has 4 provincial key laboratories and a comprehensive experimental platform jointly built by the central and local governments.

Over the past five years, the department has won a number of major projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (the first in Jiangxi Province, with a grant of 19.47 million yuan), 2 national key research projects, 2 key NSFC projects, 2 major cultivation projects of NSFC, 1 project of National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, 1 NSFC project for international (regional) cooperation and exchange, and 102 general projects of NSFC. Professor Xiong Rengen’s research won the “Top Ten Scientific and Technological Progress in Chinese Universities”. More than 700 papers were published in international high-level journals such as AM, Science, PNAS, JACS, Angew. Chem, etc. It has won 7 provincial and ministerial awards and authorized more than 20 patents. The department attaches great importance to school-enterprise cooperation and develops products jointly with enterprises. More than 10 research groups have transformed over 20 scientific and technological achievements, which has driven the development of related industries and achieved good social and economic benefits.

The goal of education is to help students acquire solid professional knowledge, master first-class scientific research capability, understand the development trends in related chemical fields, have the ability to independently engage in basic theory and cutting-edge chemical issues, solve complex engineering problems and develop related products. Our aim is to cultivate students who can make creative achievements in chemistry and become specialized talents with all-round development.

This discipline plans to cultivate students by integrating domestic and foreign education. Over the past five years, the department has cultivated 50 doctoral students and 350 master's students. Many master’s students went to the United States, Germany and other famous foreign universities for further study and joint education. Some won provincial outstanding dissertation awards. Research papers written by graduate students as the first author were published in international high-level journals. Many graduates were admitted to research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and well-known universities at home and abroad. The graduate employment rate of is above 90%. Graduates of the department are generally praised by employers for their solid foundation, high quality, and strong innovation ability. From the follow-up survey of graduates, their career development is very good, and they can actively adapt to the requirements of their employers and society.

The development of the chemistry discipline of Nanchang University will have a big impact on the chemical research and economic development of Jiangxi Province and even the whole country. The Department of Chemistry of Nanchang University seizes the opportunity, focuses on innovation and quality, improves education quality, and strives to cultivate a large number of high-quality, diversified and innovative professionals to produce internationally advanced achievements and to provide more human resources and intellectual support for national economic and social development.