Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (HUCM) is a key undergraduate university in Hunan Province, one of the first colleges in China to set up national key disciplines, and one of the first Chinese medicine universities to enroll doctoral students, international students, and students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. HUCM is situated in Changsha, a renowned historical and cultural city. It has two campuses located in Hanpu and Dongtang, covering a total area of 678,667 square meters. It consists of 15 undergraduate teaching colleges, Graduate College，International Education Institute，School of Continuing Education, and Xiangxing College（independent college), one asset management limited company, 15 affiliated hospitals（two directly affiliated hospitals）.The current Party secretary is Dai Aiguo, and the president is Yi Gangqiang.

HUCM was established in 1934, formerly known as Hunan Chinese Medicinal college. In 1957, Hunan Institute of Chinese Medicine was set up. In 1960, it became the undergraduate institution called Hunan College of Chinese Medicine. In 1965, Hunan institute of Chinese Medicine was merged into it as a whole and then restored to its original structure in 1972. It became one of the first colleges nationwide to obtain the qualifications for graduate education of Chinese medicine in 1979. It then merged with the former Hunan University of Science and Technology in 1990, and developed into one of the first Chinese medicine colleges in China to enroll international students in 1994. In 2002, it merged with Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine (Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine resumed its independent organization system in 2022). In 2006, it took on its current name, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, with the approval of the Ministry of Education. Since 2012, it has entered the first-class undergraduate enrollment sequence of Hunan Province. In 2018, it was included in the "Domestic First-Class University Initiative" of Hunan Province. In 2022, it was listed in the "Double First-Class Initiative" of Hunan Province. In 2020, it was set as the “Three All-Round Education” comprehensive reform unit; in 2022, it became the provincial demonstration university for party building work; in 2023, it was awarded the “Hunan Labour Day Medal”.

HUCM has comprehensive educational system. Based on undergraduate education, the university also vigorously develops graduate and long-term education, actively implements the education for students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and international students in China, and moderately offers continuing education. There are 23,124 students (including 19,260 full-time undergraduates, 3,318 master’s students, 499 doctoral students, and 117 international students). The university offers 31 undergraduate majors, covering six disciplines of medicine, science, engineering, management, humanities, and education. Currently, it has three post-doctoral research stations, three doctoral degree authorization sites for first-level disciplines, 23 doctoral degree authorization sites for second-level disciplines, and one doctoral professional degree authorization site; there are also nine master’s degree authorization sites for first-level disciplines, 69 master’s degree authorization sites for second-level disciplines, and seven professional master’s degree authorization sites.

HUCM prominently features Chinese medicine in its development. Taking the construction of new medical disciplines as the driving force, the university promotes the innovative development of medical education. It centers on medical disciplines and perseveres in the characteristics of Chinese medicine and the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, aiming to promote the cross-disciplinary and collaborative development of multiple disciplines. There are currently eight provincial or ministerial teaching teams including National Huang Danian-Style Teaching Teams (named after an esteemed educator); eight national and 19 provincial first-class undergraduate major construction sites; 11 national or provincial characteristic majors; 10 national or provincial quality courses and three national ideological and political demonstration courses; and 13 national first-class courses and 122 provincial first-class courses. There are 10 national or provincial experimental teaching projects for virtual simulation and 25 bases or centers for national and provincial practical education, innovation and entrepreneurship education, etc. In addition, it has won two second prizes of National Teaching Achievement Award of Higher Education.

HUCM has established a three-level discipline system of national, ministerial-provincial, and university levels. Clinical medicine, pharmacology, and toxicology are ranked the top 1% of ESI disciplines globally; TCM ophthalmology, acupuncture and moxibustion, TCM hepatobiliary diseases, TCM diagnosis, and TCM anorectal diseases have been selected as the High-Level Key Discipline of TCM during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine; TCM has been designated as the "14th Five-Year Plan" World-Class Cultivation Discipline in Hunan Province; disciplines of pharmacy and integrated Chinese and Western medicine have been included in the list of Key Discipline for the "14th Five-Year Plan" in Hunan Province; the discipline group of TCM has been approved as one of the first batch of Preponderant and Characteristic Discipline Group list in Hunan Province. Currently, the university has seven "14th Five-Year Plan" university-level key disciplines, six university-level key cultivation disciplines, and four university-level preponderant and featured discipline groups.

HUCM has vigorously developed itself by talent. It adheres to the whole-chain collaborative work mechanism of "attracting, cultivating, retaining, and evaluating talent". Currently, there are 1511 full-time teachers, including 738 with associate senior titles or above, 153 doctoral supervisors, and 892 master's supervisors. Over 100 national high-level talent have been independently cultivated by the university including national TCM masters, candidates for national "Millions of Talent Program", Qihuang Academics, Furong Academics, and Provincial Leading Technology Talent. Moreover, it has more than 170 renowned teachers and doctors recognized as Teaching Masters of the National "Ten Thousand Talent Program", experts enjoying special allowances from the State Council or the provincial government, National Outstanding Teachers, National Famous TCM Practitioners, the world’s top 2% scientists, and Hunan Furong Teaching Masters. In addition, there are a large number of young and middle-aged reserve forces who are excellent talent of National TCM Inheritance and Innovation "Hundred, Thousand, and Ten Thousand Talent Project", provincial candidates for "121" Innovative Talent Project, candidates for Hunan Provincial “Hundred Talent Project”, and provincial distinguished young academics.
HUCM has rejuvenated itself by quality. With the goal of cultivating versatile talent with moral integrity and professional competence, as well as unity of knowledge and practice, it is fully committed to fostering outstanding top-notch talent and high-quality compound talent integrated with multidisciplinary backgrounds who can meet the needs of economic and social development, as well as lead and support the advancement of TCM. So far, the university has cultivated more than 200,000 elite talent at home and abroad, bringing up a group of talented individuals who contribute to society, serve as pillars for national governance, and are renowned experts in the field of medicine. In the past three years, the students have won 86 national-level awards and 218 provincial-level awards in various academic competitions, including first prize for the team in the National TCM Clinical Skills Competition, first prize for the team in the National Clinical Skills Competition for College Students of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, first prize in the National College Students' Life Science Competition, gold award in the Medical Technology Skills Competition for China College Students, and first prize in the National Universities' Acupuncture and Massage Clinical Skills Competition. Additionally, they have won 95 awards in various national and provincial competitions such as China International "Internet+" College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, "Challenge Cup" National Undergraduate Extracurricular Academic Scientific and Technological Works Competition, and "Creating Youth"-China Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

HUCM has strong capabilities in scientific and technological innovation. Since the "13th Five-Year Plan", a new research building and a laboratory animal center, and new research laboratories have been built, occupying 24,000 square meters. It boasts 93 scientific research platforms, including the Provincial and Ministerial Co-Constructed National Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Chinese Medicinal Powder in Hunan Province, National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Key Technology and Equipment of Chinese Medicinal Powder, the National Engineering Research Center for Individualized Diagnosis and Treatment Technology, the Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Prevention and Treatment Research and Transformation of Major TCM Internal Diseases, the Ministry of Education of Engineering Research Center for Medicinal Powder Technology, and the TCM Precision Medicine Research Department in Furong Laboratory of Hunan. Over 1,700 research projects have been approved at all levels, with a total vertical research funding of approximately 170 million yuan. Breakthroughs have been achieved in state-level projects such as Major New Drug Development Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Key Project of Regional Joint National Natural Science Foundation. HUCM has been granted 613 patents and it has also received a total of 606 scientific research awards, including three second prizes for the National Science and Technology Progress Award, nine first prizes for Provincial-level Science and Technology Achievements Award, and 97 prizes for national first-grade academic awards. The publication of high-level papers has shown a continuous upward trend, with the number of SCI papers growing by more than two folds since 2020. Academician Atta-ur-Rahman’s only workstation in China, the Belt and Road Traditional Medicine Academician Workstation, has settled in HUCM. Academician Liu Liang’s Workstation has been set up here to promote the construction of highland for TCM in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. HUCM also publishes Digital Chinese Medicine (DCM), an English journal with a high starting point, and it is the first journal newly published by national colleges and universities of TCM that is approved and supported by the "International Influence Enhancement Program of Chinese Science and Technology Journals". In addition, DCM has been indexed in the CSCD core database and Scopus database. The Journal of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine has been selected as the T2 level journal. Oriental Medicated Diet is China’s only popular science journal on medicated diet and dietotherapy. Current traditional Medicine, co-published with Bentham Science and Technology Publishing Group of the Netherlands, has been recruited in SCI-E.

HNCM has engaged in social services. HUCM actively serves the local economic and social development, and has successively signed strategic cooperation agreements with 35 cities and counties in Hunan Province, transforming the " Three-In-One " advantage into economic development momentum. Located in Xiangjiang New District of Hunan Province, the Science and Technology Park of HUCM has been established, which focuses on the core functions of “research & development + transformation + incubation + industrialization” of TCM industry, and builds the national science and technology park of the university with TCM characteristics by integrating “government, industry, research, medicine, application, and integration”. In addition, over 70 new Chinese medicines have been developed, with 63 scientific and technological achievements transferred. The revenue from scientific and technological development and new drugs transfers has reached 145 million yuan. There are totally 157 hospital preparations developed by the directly affiliated hospitals, and the sales volume in the past three years has exceeded 330 million yuan. The university has led or participated in the development of new Chinese medicines, such as Guhan Yangsheng Essence, Yiganning Granule, Ganfule Tablet, Zhengqing Fengtongning Sustained-release Tablet, Lvjiao Buxue Granule, Fuke Qianjin Tablet, Simo Decoction, Daiwenjiu Plaster, Tianma Shouwu Tablet, and Yiling Essence. In addition, it has prepared various ultramicro Decoction-ready medicines and medicinal granules. These new medicines have a cumulative output value of more than 20 billion yuan. Among them, Zhengqing Fengtongning Sustained-release Tablet is the first sustained-release preparation of Chinese medicines in China; Ganfule Tablet is the first anti-cancer Class II drug of Chinese medicines; project research results of "Research and Industrialization of Key Technology for Ultra-fine Powder of Chinese Medicines", which won first prize of Hunan Patent Award and second prize of National Progress in Science and Technology, have been promoted and applied in major TCM hospitals in Hunan Province. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Tablet, independently developed by HUCM as the registered application unit, is the first clinical tested drug of Chinese medicines to be approved, and its technology transfer has been accomplished. Moreover, the annual sales volume of “Qingqingbao”, a medicine food homologous product jointly developed with enterprises, reached 200 million.

HUCM has 2 directly affiliated hospitals and 13 non-directly ones. The First Affiliated Hospital of HUCM is the National TCM Clinical Research Base and the construction unit of the National TCM Inheritance and Innovation Project. In 2022, it was selected as a reservoir project for the National TCM Inheritance and Innovation Center and the National Characteristic Service Export Base (TCM). In 2023, it was further selected as the National TCM Clinical Teaching and Training Demonstration Center, a construction unit for High-Quality Development Demonstration Public Hospitals in Hunan Province, and a National TCM International Cooperation Base. Additionally, the three specialties (gynecology, ophthalmology, and acupuncture and moxibustion) were selected into the Construction Project of National Regional TCM Diagnosis and Treatment Center. The Second Affiliated Hospital of HUCM is the National TCM Epidemic Prevention and Treatment Base, the National Drug Clinical Research and Testing Institution, the Medical Device Clinical Testing Institution of China Food and Drug Administration, the National Training Base for General Practitioners, the National Standardized Training Base for TCM Residents, and the National TCM Characteristic Orthopedic Treatment Capacity Building Base. The three specialties (proctology, orthopedics, and dermatology) have been designated as the construction projects of Hunan Regional TCM Specialty Diagnosis and Treatment Center. Nine national key clinical specialties, 20 key specialties of the National Administration of TCM, and 10 key disciplines of the National Administration of TCM have been constructed by its directly affiliated hospitals.

HUCM has given full play to the advantages of TCM, demonstrating its commitment to epidemic prevention and control, and has been honored with five national or provincial team awards and 25 individual awards for its anti-epidemic work.

HUCM has accelerated the pace of international exchanges. It has a stable source of students from more than 20 countries and regions ranking among the top universities in Hunan Province in terms of the scale of international students. It has also established the world's first research-oriented Confucius Institute for TCM at Wonkwang University in South Korea. Additionally, it is home to the only National TCM Service Export Base in Hunan Province. With the platform construction as the leading role, it has established TCM centers in Pakistan, Cambodia, Dubai, and Zimbabwe, among which the International Laboratory for Innovative Development of Chinese Medicine and Ethnic Drugs has been jointly built with the University of Karachi in Pakistan and currently possesses five research bases. The university has promoted and completed the clinical trials of three Chinese patent medicines in Pakistan, namely Yinhuang Qingfei Capsule, Houtou Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablet, and Fuke Qianjin Tablet. The university has signed a number of cooperation agreements with the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) to cooperate in doctoral and post-doctoral joint cultivation and short-term training programs. Its Traditional Exercises Tour Program has been included in the Global Confucius Institute Tour Program for three years in succession and has been invited to dozens of countries in northern Europe, southeast Asia, and Africa to carry out the tour activities. It has built the "Ten Thousand People Plan: Teacher and Student Exchange Program between Mainland and Hong Kong-Macao" by the Ministry of Education, the key Taiwan exchange program of "Hunan Chinese Medicine Cultural Journey" by Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and other brand-name programs, and it has been awarded the title of "National Key University for Hong Kong Education Exchange Program" and "National Key University for Taiwan Exchange Program".

In the future, HUCM will continue to hold the essence of the motto "civilization, truth-seeking, inheritance, and innovation", keep the spirit of "people-orientation, benevolence, and sincerity", and it has always followed the idea of "quality-oriented, distinctive and open education". HUCM has taken the mission to promote the TCM inheritance and innovation and serve human health and socio-economic development. Located in Hunan and rooted in China, taking a global perspective, it will accelerate the construction of a highly-competent university in education, science and technology, talent, culture, quality, and industry. Through deepening comprehensive reform, enhancing connotation construction, and setting high-quality development goals, it is striving to build a first-class and internationally renowned high-level teaching and research university with distinctive TCM characteristics.