Uncovering China’s Forgotten Computer Science Department Milestones

Ancient and modern history and technological activities value ranking; the Chinese computer industry also seeks top positions in research, universities, and R&D achievements.

On November 24, 1999, the front page of Science and Technology Daily reported: “Twenty years ago, universities had computer departments.” The article claimed that in September 1978 China’s first computer department was established in a higher education institution, an important historical event, noting that before that only Tsinghua University, Beijing Aviation Institute, and Beijing Industrial Institute had trained a small number of computer majors for national defense.

This article unintentionally pushed back the history of China’s computer departments by twenty years because the journalist had never heard of the histories of USTC or Harbin Military Engineering Institute.

From 1956 to 1965, nine key Chinese universities enrolled 6,103 computer majors; after the Cultural Revolution until 1977, seven universities recruited over 2,700. Adding other institutions, the total exceeds ten thousand, which was not a “small amount” in higher education at the time, though most worked on secret projects and were rarely visible to the public.

History is a scientific record of society, not subject to personal wishes. Media often omit facts; the Science Daily article’s claim about the “first” computer department is inaccurate.

Fact: On July 28, 1958, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) established the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computing Technology, offering applied mathematics, electronic computers, and engineering logic. Hua Luogeng was appointed department head; Xia Peisu became the first director of the computer specialty. In 1961 the department split; in 1964 it was renamed “Computer Technology and Devices” and moved to the Radio Electronics Department. In 1966 the electronic computer major was restored, and in 1982 a computer department was re‑established.

On April 1, 1966, Harbin Engineering Institute (formerly Harbin Military Engineering Institute) merged its computer majors and research rooms, forming the Electronic Computer Department (Sixth Department) with over 400 staff, authorized by Nie Rongzhen. Ciyun Gui became China’s first computer‑department head.

On October 15, 1970, the institute moved south and was renamed Changsha Institute of Technology; the Sixth Department became a Computer Research Institute. In March 1972 national admissions resumed; by 1976 the institute recruited four batches of three‑year diploma students. In 1978 it admitted 184 undergraduate students in hardware and software, forming the 77 and 78 classes. From Harbin to Changsha, seven graduating batches produced 525 undergraduates and developed over 100 computer models.

The Harbin Military Engineering Institute’s computer department produced China’s “ace” computers and trained a generation, a history that should not be ignored.

Science Daily’s headline left an important trace: “In 1978 the Ministry of Education decided to establish computer departments in a batch of universities,” a major event, though the listed universities may be incomplete or contain errors.

1975 September – Fudan University established a Computer Science Department, led by Wang Ling.

1976 – Jilin University established a Computer Science Department, director Wang Xianghao.

June 18, 1978 – Nanjing University established a Computer Science Department, director Ye Nanxun.

1978 – Peking University formed a Computer Science and Technology Department, director Zhang Shilong.

September 1978 – Zhejiang University established a Computer Department, director He Zhijun.

September 1978 – Beijing Aviation Institute established a Computer Science and Engineering Department, acting director Hu Xiaoxuan.

May 1979 – Tsinghua University’s Electronic Engineering Department was renamed Computer Engineering and Science Department, director Tang Zesheng.

September 1979 – Chengdu Telecom Engineering College established a Computer Science and Engineering Department, director Zhang Zhihao.

July 1980 – Beijing Industrial College established a Computer Science and Engineering Department, director Cao Lifan.

June 1982 – University of Science and Technology of China established a Computer Science and Technology Department, director Yang Yanming.

December 1984 – Shanghai Jiao Tong University established a Computer Science and Engineering Department, director Xie Zhiliang.

March 1985 – Harbin Institute of Technology established a Computer Science and Engineering Department, director Wang Kaizhu.

News reporting, like computer technology, requires scientific rigor; journalists should be sensitive and scientific. Historical review is essential.

Many universities do not value their own history; their websites lack details about establishment dates, first directors, etc. The author hopes computer department offices will complete their data for ranking, respecting history and founders.

Ranking of historical events follows precise timing, like a race or a war’s “first shot”.

For computer education, establishing a department signifies a certain scale and level, involving Ministry approval, appointment of directors, formal ceremonies. Building a department is more than a name change; it requires teaching, research, curriculum development, faculty training, and tracking international advances.

In February 1960, Harbin Military Engineering Institute’s Naval Engineering Department established a computer teaching and research office (code 306); in August 1961 the Electronic Engineering Department established a military computer office (code 404) and later a computer research office (code 408). The two departments served the navy and the army/air force respectively.

In 1963, Harbin Military Engineering Institute reported to the Defense Science Commission to merge the two computer offices into a “punch” due to the successful development of the 901 and 441‑B computers, prompting larger‑scale education and production.

Principle: all teaching staff involved in computer work should transfer to the computer department; equipment and materials belong to the new department.

In the second half of 1975, Fudan University Deputy Party Secretary Wang Ling, based on international trends, proposed establishing a new Computer Science Department, integrating teams from physics, mathematics, and information theory, becoming China’s first interdisciplinary computer department, with Wang Ling as secretary.

Fudan’s Computer Science Department was the first “Computer Science Department” in China, marking the discipline’s entry into the forefront. Their proposals were reported to the Ministry of Education, which later issued department establishment opinions.

On July 3, 1958, Tsinghua University established the Automatic Control Department, offering automatic control and computer majors. After the Cultural Revolution, in 1970 admissions resumed, offering automatic control, computer, computational mathematics, and radio technology, enrolling 298 students.

In 1978, Tang Zesheng was appointed director of the Electronic Engineering Department. At year end, President Liu Da told him that after ten years of isolation, China lagged behind in computer development and urged a delegation to visit the United States to catch up.

In late February 1979, a delegation of five professors from the Computer Department visited the United States, touring 21 schools including Stanford, Berkeley, Carnegie‑Mellon, MIT, gathering teaching plans, textbooks, research reports, and establishing contacts, laying a foundation for future development.

In December 1984, the Computer Science and Technology Department finalized its name, comprising nine research groups covering hardware, software, artificial intelligence, computer‑aided design, and other areas.

Zhejiang University’s Computer Department, though small, had both hardware and software groups; later mergers and expansion led to rapid growth, with director He Zhijun noting the benefits of combined strengths.

Beijing Aviation Institute’s Computer Department had four research rooms, hardware and software labs, and a computing center. Facing rapid national economic and computer‑technology development, the school recruited faculty nationwide, sent teachers abroad for training, and built a strong core faculty.

Each university’s department building represents a qualitative upgrade, with name changes reflecting leadership intentions. However, there is little evidence of Ministry coordination, which remains a research topic for historians.

Science Daily’s article left an important node: by the end of 1999, there were 350 universities with computer departments, over 400 with computer majors, and more than 20 universities with doctoral programs in computer science.

Key milestones for computer education are 1966, 1978, and 2000; these should be remembered and displayed in a computer museum.

Beyond rankings, remembering each university’s start rank respects founders and motivates current students.