It is assigned to consult on some projects, thus, it is involved with the Three Gorges Project. President Zhu Jialin noted that there are 2000 universities in China with Civil Engineering disciplines and there are 25 Universities in Chongqing alone. Chongqing University was founded in 1952. It has the largest Civil Engineering program with a total of 2,500 students in the undergraduate program. Approximately 700 new students enter each year.
Students have to buy their own books.
The university also brings in money to support education costs by faculty conducted research. There is a strong emphasis on professors doing consulting work because in addition to bringing in money, it helps to subsidize low faculty salaries and it provides the faculty with valued practical experiences. As in the US, teaching at the University level is reserved for students with postgraduate experience. One must have a master's degree to teach and a PHD to be promoted. Ten years ago it was not appealing to enter the teaching profession.