Overseas students enjoy their stay at Shandong University. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As a key university with a long history, variety of disciplines and academic strengths, Shandong University will lead in scientific innovation and academic research to become a world-class university with distinctive Chinese characteristics, said its president Fan Liming, who is also a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress.

"We will provide research staff with encouragement and support as they are devoted to scientific achievement and bear hardship over decades," Fan said.

In 2018, Shandong University invested 2.3 billion yuan ($343 million) in scientific research and development, up 32 percent year-on-year.

The university's funds for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements reached nearly 100 million yuan. Around 30 contracts were signed.

In 2017, Shandong University joined the list of world-class universities. Sixteen of its research fields have entered the top 1 percent globally.

The rankings were set by the Essential Science Indicators, an authoritative evaluation tool for measuring scientific research performance.

Fan said that Shandong University has used its advantages in academic fields and focused on technological innovation in areas such as advanced materials, intelligent manufacturing and healthcare. The university will continue to build its brand and improve innovation and achievement conversion capabilities.

Over the past decades, Shandong University cultivated many renowned experts in China's scientific history.

They include embryologist Tong Dizhou who initiated China's first research in cloning fish; Shu Xingbei, renowned as "the father of Chinese radar"; and the famous marine biologist Zeng Chengkui.

The number of the university's papers included in databases for Science Citation Index Expanded almost ranks in the top 10 among all universities in China.

"We will aim at strengthening research on basic theories and center on the latest technological frontiers to carry out key scientific projects and help the nation become stronger in fields such as aviation, internet, transport, digital technology and smart society," said Fan.

She added that Shandong University has created research teams with both domestic and international influences in sectors including angiocardiopathy, geotechnical engineering, reproductive medicine, finance and mathematics.

Shandong University gained four national awards at the National Science and Technology Award Conference on Jan 8.

Zhang Cheng, professor of the Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, won second prize of the State Natural Science Awards.

Zhang's research team on angiocardiopathy has more than 350 national and provincial subjects under the national 973 Plan, the 863 Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, with a total fund of some 270 million yuan.

It has referred the pathogenesis, testing method and intervention target for worldwide cardiovascular care to be restructured for the first time. The team has also won eight national science and technology awards and more than 70 provincial awards.

Also, the university's geotechnical engineering team has worked hard in preventing and researching water and mud disasters of underground projects.

They developed advanced detection technology and instruments and built a warning system for the drilling and blasting sector, which has been installed in more than 200 tunnels.

It has won second prize of the National Scientific and Technological Progress Awards four times.

To further improve the university's scientific and innovative abilities, it founded a research institute on advanced technologies in November last year.

Fan said that the institute is aiming to cultivate a batch of top scientific elites who will help Shandong become a new hub for international cooperation in academic fields.

The institute will conduct basic and applied research on frontier physics and cutting-edge technologies.

Shandong University has also set up 12 high-level innovative teams and strives to be a base for leading experts.