Kunming, Yunnan, March 21 (chinanews.com) - Yunnan Agricultural University (YAU) has announced that its "Coffee Science and Engineering" program has been approved by the Ministry of Education, making it the first undergraduate program in China dedicated to coffee education.
Yunnan is China's largest coffee-growing region, accounting for over 98% of the country's coffee plantation area and production, with a fine bean rate of 22%. The coffee industry is a key component of Yunnan's modern agriculture and is rapidly expanding.
The Coffee Science and Engineering program at YAU is a national specialty program designed to meet the unique demands of the coffee industry. It belongs to the first-level discipline of Food Science and Engineering and awards a Bachelor of Engineering degree after a four-year study period. The program aims to培养复合型人才 with expertise in the research and development of new coffee products, processes, and technologies.
The program will be based at the Tropical Crops College of YAU in Pu'er, known as "China's Coffee Capital." Since 1960, the college has played a leading role in training professionals in the cultivation of natural rubber, coffee, and tea in tropical regions. In 1987, it began research on coffee variety selection and processing, and has since established six provincial-level teaching and research platforms, including the National Technical Innovation Center for Market Supervision (Coffee Quality Foundation and Industry Services), the Yunnan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Coffee Resource Development and Utilization, and the Coffee Engineering Technology Research and Development Radiation Center for South and Southeast Asia.
To achieve its educational goals, the program will offer foundational courses in food science and engineering, as well as specialized courses such as "Coffee Flavor Chemistry," "Coffee Processing," and "Coffee Roasting and Tasting." These courses are designed to enhance students' understanding of the fundamental principles of coffee science and engineering. Additionally, the program includes practical courses such as "Engineering Training" and "Skills Training," alongside practical platforms such as the YAU Tropical Zone Innovation Space and the Pu'er Coffee-Themed Entrepreneurship Park. The program has also established 23 internship bases in collaboration with companies like Nestlé and Starbucks, providing students with ample opportunities to develop their practical and innovation skills.
Currently, the Coffee Science and Engineering program at YAU has 24 full-time faculty members, including 8 professors and 10 doctoral degree holders. The program has also established high-standard teaching and research bases and laboratories both on and off campus, published two textbooks under the 13th Five-Year Plan, and developed an online course titled "Yunnan's Exquisite Coffee."
In the future, YAU plans to focus on teaching, research, and technology transfer in areas such as the formation mechanism of coffee quality, controlled fermentation of coffee, development of new specialty coffee products, innovative utilization of coffee byproducts, integration of coffee production equipment, and exploration of functional components in coffee. This will contribute to the high-quality development of China's coffee industry.
