| 1932 |
The Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University was established, with the Course of Internal Combustion Engine being one of the compulsory courses for the third grade of the department, marking the start of talent training of vehicle engineering in China. |
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| 1952 |
With the adjustment of schools and departments in institutes of higher education nationwide, the schools of technology in Peking University and Yenching University were merged into Tsinghua University. The Department of Machinery Manufacturing and the Department of Power Machinery were set up in Tsinghua University. Within the Department of Power Machinery, an automobile major was set up, and the automobile teaching and research group was organized. |
| 1958 |
In collaboration with Beijing No.2 Automobile Maintenance Factory, a stepless speed change mini-vehicle with a rear air-cooled engine was developed as the first attempt to design stepless speed change vehicles in China. The development of the mini-vehicle drew the attention and encouragement from Premier Zhou Enlai, who also personally tested the mini-vehicle. |
| 1959 |
Started to recruit graduate students from undergraduates. In early 1964, the first class of graduate students graduated. |
| 1980 |
The Department of Automotive Engineering was officially established, including two majors: Automobile and Internal Combustion Engine. The Automobile Bureau of the First Ministry of Machinery Industry allocated RMB 1 million yuan to support the department. Professor Zhu Zhiwu was the first dean of the department. From 1980 to 1990, the Department of Automotive Engineering and the Department of Thermal Engineering shared the same office. |
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| 1988 |
The construction of the research building and laboratory of the Automotive Research Institute started, which was completed in April 1993. |
| 1995 |
The State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy based on the Department of Automotive Engineering of Tsinghua University was officially put into operation and open to the public as the first state key laboratory in the field of automotive engineering in China. |
| 2011 |
The Suzhou Automotive Research Institute of Tsinghua University (Wujiang) and the Suzhou Automotive Research Institute of Tsinghua University (Xianghceng) were established successively, symbolizing the official founding of a result transformation and industrialization incubation base based on the Department of Automotive Engineering. The Tsinghua Automobile Industry Alumni Association was officially established for the purpose of “building a platform to strengthen contacts and serve alumni and alma mater” |
| 2015 |
The main office and laboratory were relocated in the Lee Shau Kee Science and Technology Building. |
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| 2016 |
“China-US International Joint Research Center for Clean Vehicle Technology” was recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a national base of international technology collaboration; the first lab at the ministerial level, the “Internet of Vehicles” Joint Laboratory of the Ministry of Education and China Mobile, was established; pilot broad based student admission of students of mechanical engineering was conducted for the first time in Tsinghua. |
| 2017 |
Broad based undergraduate admission of electronic information major was added. Undergraduates were admitted in two broad categories, namely, mechanical aviation and power and electronic information, so as to continuously deepen broad base training. |
| 2019 |
The School of Vehicle and Mobility (SVM), Tsinghua University, was officially established. |
