From August 21 to 23, the 2026 Shandong Education Expo was held at the Shandong International Convention and Exhibition Center. Zaozhuang University featured a dedicated booth to showcase its achievements in education and university development. Gao Feng, Secretary of the CPC Zaozhuang University Committee, and An Tao, Member of the CPC Zaozhuang University Committee and vice president of Zaozhuang University, attended the opening ceremony and toured the exhibition.

At the Expo, the university’s exhibition area showcased its landmark achievements in advancing the development of an application-oriented university since the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), centering on seven core areas: discipline development, talent development, scientific and technological innovation, industry-education integration, local engagement and services, cultural heritage, and support for education in Xinjiang. Through a diverse mix of graphical panels, physical displays, and video presentations, the exhibition highlighted the university’s commitment to its overall positioning as a “locally rooted, application-oriented, open, and engineering-focused” university and its “1+7” institutional positioning framework. With the goal of becoming a leading application-oriented university in China, Zaozhuang University has achieved significant breakthroughs in academic offerings, discipline development, talent cultivation, and university-local collaboration, markedly enhancing its overall institutional strength and capacity to serve regional development.

During the Expo, the university delegation engaged in in-depth exchanges with education experts from across the province, representatives of peer institutions, and corporate partners. Discussions focused on reforms in talent development models, innovation in digital and intelligent education, industry-education integration, and university-local collaboration, facilitating experience sharing and resource matching. These interactions further expanded the university’s external exchange and cooperation networks, effectively enhancing the university’s institutional influence and social reputation.

Looking ahead, Zaozhuang University remains committed to the fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education. Focusing on the “Double Excellence” initiative for application-oriented universities, the university will continue deepening its substantive development and vigorously advancing the key priorities of the “Two Upgrades and One Initiative,” thereby contributing to high-quality regional development.

Relevant university officials, including representatives from the Academic Affairs Office, Graduate School Office, Science and Technology Office, Social Sciences Office, Logistics Service Office, Campus Construction and Management Office, and the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, participated in the observation and exchange activities at the Expo.

Text and photos: Academic Affairs Office

Editor: Ge Xiaoxia

Reviewer: Yan Xin