• In 1956, evening university and correspondence education were established in South China University of Technology (SCUT) with the authorization of State Ministry of Education.
• In 1957, the correspondence department was established.
• In 1984, the adult education department was established.
• In December 1987, school of adult education was established.
• In July 2001, the school name was changed to “School of Continuing Education”.

Up to the present, School of Continuing Education at SCUT has cultivated over 20,000 graduates of undergraduates and junior college students. School of Continuing Education is made up of 7 major fields, including more than 30 majors. At present, it has 8,286 students in degree education programs and 1,752 students in non-degree education programs, which have form a multiform, multilevel, multi-standard, multi-type and multi-channel adult education system. The school gives priority to the school running input and its teaching quality. Six buildings, with a total cover area of 20,000 square meters, are built for adult education, in which there are computer laboratories, phonetic rooms and e-classrooms. For the moment, the continuing education training building, with a total cover area of 12,000 square meters, has been built up and put into use.

• In 1985 and 1987, the school received the first prize for twice which is awarded by Guangdong province.
• In July1996, the school passed the evaluation of State Education Committee. Its correspondence education was awarded excellent prize.
• In December 1998, the school was warranted as provincial continuing educational training station for professional technical staff by Guangdong Ministry of Personnel.
• In September 2000, the school won first prize for excellent teaching achievement in the university.
• In June 2001, the school was awarded the first prize for excellent teaching achievement among universities in Guangdong province.
• The school gives priority to full development of students in their mind, their intellect and their physical condition, and insists on strict management, strict requirement and strict assessment.

With the reformation and opening as well as economic development of the society, adult higher education at SCUT has been serving modern construction actively and effectively, which presents high spirit and energy and is named as a cradle that “cultivates talents for rural and small town enterprises”. Its serving targets have changed from planned economy to market economy, which aim at cultivating professional and practical talents, so as to meet the needs of economic construction. Its school running orientation has developed from unitary degree education to technical education, occupational education and continuing education after college. Its school running channels have been enlarged from cooperative school running of government office to school running of society, universities, industries and enterprises. Its major organizations have been enlarged and the major structures have been reformed, so as to meet the need of talents for market economy. School of Continuing Education has developed a multiform and multi-level adult higher education system, including of-the-job training, short-term advanced study, continuing higher education, high-level research training, etc. Since 1986, on the base of adult education theory research, some magazines, such as “Correspondence Communication”, “Brief News of Adult Education” and “Adult Higher education”, have been originated, some memoirs such as “Continuing Education Guidebook”, “Elite Forums” and “Reformation and Management of Adult Higher education”, have been published, and some research projects have been awarded for many times. In the aspect of teaching material construction, the school has compiled teaching materials for more than twenty self-educated examination courses of various majors, such as industrial & civil architecture, electronic technology, industrial management, etc. The school has edited and published some teaching materials and CAI courseware for all adult students in the university, such as “Higher Mathematics Exercises”, “Deng Xiaoping Theory”, and so on. Besides, being entrusted by adult education office of Guangdong province, the school has compiled some teaching materials and multimedia teaching software for the whole province, such as “Higher Mathematics” and “Junior Tutorial of Microcomputer Application”.


Adult higher education at SCUT consistently takes teaching quality as its lifeline. The Teaching Guidance Committee has been established. Full scale planning has been conducted to adult education. The instructive groups of English, higher mathematics and computer base have been set up. The Supervisor Group of Adult Education has been established to guard the quality press of admission, teaching and graduation, so as to ensure the adult education brand of SCUT.


Being regarded and supported by the Party Committee of the university, School of Continuing Education of SCUT actively explores a new way for the reformation and development of adult higher education at SCUT in the new century with the guidance of the spirit of 16th CPC National Congress. During the developing practice of “steady scale, standardized management, quality improvement, character formation and brand setting”, the whole faculty and staff maintain carrying forward the school spirit, i.e. “solidarity, service, factualism, dedication and innovation”, making great efforts to step into the first 100 adult higher education schools, cultivating much more outstanding talents for the full-scale construction of a well-to-do society, and stepping into a more brilliant developmental period. School of Continuing Education at SCUT welcomes all individuals that are longing for further education. Let’s keep abreast of the times together and face the challenges of the 21st century.