YNU's School of Information: Hub for technological innovation, education

Founded in April 1998, the National Pilot School of Information at Yunnan University (YNU) is one of the university's largest and most prominent schools.

Group photos of the school's faculty. [Photo/WeChat account of Yunnan University]

The school is focused on reforming undergraduate teaching to cultivate top-tier talent in information technology and lead the new technological and industrial revolutions. It aspires to be a hub for innovation and talent development, supporting West China and serving South and Southeast Asia.

With 148 dedicated faculty members, including 29 professors, 49 associate professors (86 of which hold doctorates), and 34 PhD advisors, the school boasts significant academic influence. Over 20 faculty members have key roles in Yunnan provincial educational committees and academic societies. The school offers five undergraduate programs: Computer Science and Technology, Communication Engineering, Electronic Information Engineering, Internet of Things Engineering, and Intelligent Science and Technology. The first four programs are recognized as national-level top-tier programs, while the fifth holds provincial recognition. The school is home to over 1,100 undergraduates and more than 900 graduate students, making it the university's most populous academic unit.

The school and Huawei have established the Yunnan University Huawei Cloud Developer Innovation Center. [Photo/WeChat account of Yunnan University]

The school offers PhD programs in Information and Communication Engineering and Computer Science and Technology and several master's programs. Its research involves prestigious facilities like national and provincial key laboratories and collaborative innovation platforms. Key research areas include big data, multimedia processing, distributed computing, and biomedical engineering, with the Computer Science discipline ranking in the top 1 percent globally by ESI.

Committed to practice-based learning, the school partners with leading tech firms, such as Huawei and Baidu, to establish industry-integrated labs. Its innovative curriculum development approach ensures students gain theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. This educational philosophy is reflected in its impressive track record. Students have won over 120 national and provincial awards in the past three years, and graduates are highly sought after, achieving strong employment and postgraduate placement rates.

School students win prizes at national professional competitions. [Photo/WeChat account of Yunnan University]