The Educational Department of Liaoning Province announced the list of the new round of ‘Double First-Class’ disciplines at universities and colleges of Liaoning Province. Seven first-class disciplines applied by Liaoning University, including Applied Economics, Law, Marxist Theory, Business Administration, Theoretical Economics, Statistics, Environmental Science and Engineering were all selected, showing an increase over the six disciplines selected in the first round. The number of selected disciplines ranked first among the provincial universities.
The round of ‘Double First-Class’ disciplines in Liaoning Province included three levels, namely ‘World First-class Disciplines’, ‘Domestic First-Class Disciplines’ and ‘Provincial Disciplines with Strengths and Speciality’. Applied Economics was rated as a World First-class Discipline, Law and Marxist Theory were rated as Domestic First-Class Disciplines and Business Administration, Theoretical Economics, Statistics, Environmental Science and Engineering were rated as Provincial Disciplines with Strengths and Speciality.
Applied Economics: a World First-class Discipline
Applied Economics was selected into the list of world-class disciplines in 2017 and was selected into the second round of national ‘Double First-Class’ disciplines in 2022 and was selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province. Applied Economics aims to serve the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China and regional cooperation in Northeast Asia. It develops in three directions, namely ‘international trade theory and economic cooperation in Northeast Asia’, ‘theoretical system development of China’s national economics’ and ‘high quality development of regional economy and revitalization of Northeast China’.
Law: a Domestic First-Class Discipline
Liaoning University is the first full-time legal talent training and academic research base in Liaoning Province. It was among the first batch of universities in the province which was able to confer academic Ph.D degrees. In 2024, it was approved as the first and only university in the province to confer professional Ph.D degrees. The Law discipline focuses on the study of economic law, foreign-related rule of law, ecological conservation rule of law and criminal rule of law. After more than 40 years’ development, it now plays a leading role in financial law, fiscal and tax law, resource law and social law.
Marxist Theory: a Domestic First-Class Discipline
Marxist Theory discipline enjoys a long history and it has been selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province. The discipline is special in four distinctive research directions: the historical process and innovation of Marxism in China, the theoretical and practical innovation of ideological and political education, the fundamental principles of Marxism and contemporary social development and the theoretical and practical research of Party building. By taking the fundamental task of training virtuous talents, the discipline works to cultivate more patriotic talents who wish to sacrifice and take the mission of national rejuvenation.
Business Administration: a Provincial Discipline with Strengths and Speciality
Business Administration was selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province. Based in Northeast China, the discipline develops towards Northeast Asia and the world. It is committed to be an important platform for academic exchanges at home and abroad, an important training hub for high-level Business Administration talents needed for the revitalization of Northeast China and an important think tank serving the revitalization of the region. After more than 70 years of development, the discipline represents four research directions: strategic management and corporate governance, organizational behavior and human capital, innovative management and technical and economic evaluation as well as marketing and tourism management.
Theoretical Economics: a Provincial Discipline with Strengths and Speciality
As a traditional dominant discipline at Liaoning University, in 2017, Theoretical economics became an important supporting discipline of the national ‘Double First-Class’ disciplines and was selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era, the discipline aims to serve China’s economic and social development in the new era and carry on theoretical and practical innovation. By focusing on China’s political economy and Chinese modernization, new development of world economy and global political and economic relations, sustainable development of population, resources and environment and Western economic theories and China’s economic development, it offers theoretical support for promoting the high quality economic development of China and promoting Chinese modernization.
Statistics: a Provincial Discipline with Strengths and Speciality
Statistics discipline was selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province. The discipline is among the first batch of national disciplines to confer confer Ph.D degrees. With four research directions in mathematical statistics, economic statistics, big data statistics and intelligent computing and biological health statistics, it is strong in time series analysis, actuarial science and other research directions. At the same time, with the influence of mathematical statistics and the cross-disciplinary advantages of statistics at Liaoning University, the discipline focuses on promoting the cross-disciplinary research of applied economics, data science and artificial intelligence to serve the national strategic needs.
Environmental Science and Engineering: a Provincial Discipline with Strengths and Speciality
Environmental Science and Engineering was selected into the first round of ‘Double First-Class’ A level disciplines in Liaoning Province, which was a major breakthrough in the development of science and engineering discipline at Liaoning University. The discipline enjoys an international leading position in the research fields of mine ecological environment safety technologies and aerobic granular sludge technologies. The discipline serves for green development, pollution reduction and carbon reduction and other national strategies. By adhering to both scientific and technological innovation and institutional innovation, it seeks to build a first-class training and research center to serve the comprehensive revitalization of Liaoning Province.
The Party Committee of Liaoning University has always attached great importance to discipline development by constantly optimizing the discipline layout, continuously strengthening the development of fundamental disciplines, emerging disciplines and interdisciplinary disciplines. By doing so, it is hoped that Liaoning University can become a comprehensive research-based high-level university with internationally recognition and distinctive regional features. The successful selection of the seven disciplines highlights the effectiveness of discipline development of Liaoning University and also injects strong impetus into its development.
