History

The School of Electrical Engineering (SEE), Chongqing University dates back to the Department of Electrical Machinery, or the Department of Electrical Engineering, which was established in 1935. At that time, Department of Electrical Machinery, together with Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Mining and Milling Engineering , Department of Chemical Engineering, belongs to Faculty of Engineering, and Professor Shui Xiheng, an graduate of the University of Berlin, Germany, and former chief engineer of Chongqing Waterworks engineer, served as both director of the Faculty and the first Dean of the Department of Electrical Machinery.

In 1937, Mr. Feng Jian, a famous radio communications expert, came to Chongqing to construct a 35 kilowatts shortwave radio station with the highest power in the Far East and he also serves as dean of the Department of Electrical Machinery. Under his leadership, we hired a number of well-known professors to teach in the Department of Electrical Machinery, such as Pro. Jin Xiru, Pro. Wang Jiqiang, Pro. Liu Yilun, Pro. Mao Henian, Pro. Zhang Zhongjun, Pro. Zhang Xu, Pro. Wu Darong, etc. In 1940, the Department of Electrical Engineering is divided into Department of Mechanics and Department of Electrical Machinery. Then, Pro. Feng Jian serves as director of Faculty of Engineering, Pro. Min Qijie serves as the dean of Department of Electrical Machinery and Pro. Jin Xiru serves as the dean of Department of Mechanics. After the Anti-Japanese War, Pro. Min Qijie left Chongqing to the east and then Pro. Wu Darong served as the dean from 1946 to 1947 and Pro. Liu Yilun from 1948 to 1949.

Mr. Wang Jiqiang, graduated from Department of Electrical Engineering, Northeastern University, got his master degree from Purdue University together with Mr. Jin Xiru, which was supported by Mr. Zhang Xueliang. Invited by Pro. Feng Jian, Pro. Wang Jiqiang came to the Department of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University at the beginning of 1949 to, and succeed Pro. Liu Yilun to serve as the dean. After the liberation of Chongqing, Chongqing University set up the Council, and Pro. Wang Jiqiang served as the director of Faculty of Engineering. In January 1951, Pro. Wang Jiqiang was approved by the Ministry of Culture and Education, Southwest Military Commission to resign from the Department of Electrical Engineering, and was succeeded by Pro. Jiang Zejia.

In 1952, with teaching reform based on Soviet model, the Department of Electrical Engineering set two majors as electrical engineering plants, and power grids and electrical systems telegraph and telephone communications. In 1953, the university decided to cancel the Department of Electrical Engineering and establish the Department of Telecommunications, and Pro. Jiang Zejia was appointed as the dean. In 1955, most of the specialized teachers and all the students of the Department of Telecommunications transferred to Beijing, together with the Department of Radio, Tianjin University, merged to form the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. Then, Chongqing University reestablished Department of Electrical Engineering and added the major Electric Machines and Electric Apparatus in addition to electrical engineering plants, and power grids and electrical systems telegraph and telephone communications. Pro. Jiang Zejia served as the dean until December, 1982. 

Mr. Jiang Zejia got his Bachelor degree of Engineering with honors from Department of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University in 1943, got his Master degree of Engineering from McGill University, Canada in 1949. He was approved as the first batch of doctoral tutor in 1981. Pro. Jiang Zejia is a distinguished scholar in electrical theories in China, and bears high prestige in the field of Electrical Engineering. His attitude of doing scholarly research and style of being strict with himself and being scrupulous about every detail have formed excellent tradition of the School of Electrical Engineering. A large number of well-known academics like Pro. Shui Xiheng, Pro. Feng Jian, Pro. Min Qijie, Pro. Wu Darong, Pro. Liu Yilun, Pro. Wang Jiqiang, Pro. Jiang Zejia, laid a solid academic foundation for School of Electrical Engineering and SEE formed a rigorous academic tradition from then on.