China Agricultural Inputs Media – University–Enterprise Collaboration, Empowering Agriculture through Talent! Shandong Agricultural University and Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Co., Ltd. are jointly cultivating professional master’s students!

Recently, a progress meeting on the joint training program for professional-degree master’s students in the “Revitalization Elite” class was held at the headquarters of Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. In September, 31 new agricultural‑specialty master’s students are set to enroll. The meeting served to further oversee and evaluate the company’s faculty of enterprise mentors, as well as the academic and research environment and accommodation arrangements provided to students during their studies.

Si Jinggui, a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shandong Agricultural University (right), and Ma Xuewen, Chairman and General Manager of Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. (left), attended the meeting and, on behalf of both sides, jointly unveiled the plaque for the joint graduate training base.

At the meeting, Si Jingui, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shandong Agricultural University, and Ma Xuewen, Chairman and General Manager of Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd., attended and jointly unveiled the joint graduate training base on behalf of both parties. Subsequently, Si Jingui, along with Luo Xin, Director of the Graduate Affairs Office, Hu Xuejian, Deputy Director, and relevant heads from eight colleges—including the College of Agriculture and the College of Plant Protection—conducted an on-site defense and evaluation of the qualifications of 13 corporate mentors from Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. Following the meeting, the delegation made a special visit to inspect the student dormitories.

Si Jinggui stated that, with the nation’s launch of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, the demand for high-level, application-oriented, and multidisciplinary talent in agricultural technology extension and rural development is steadily growing. At present, enrollment quotas for professional-degree graduate programs are continuously expanding, and these programs place particular emphasis on cultivating students’ practical and innovative capabilities. The “Revitalization Elite” program represents a joint initiative between the university and enterprises, aiming to produce high-caliber, specialized professionals who are well‑suited to socio‑economic development—this is the shared goal of both parties. Moving forward, it is hoped that on-campus mentors and industry mentors will collaborate more closely, jointly developing and refining the training curriculum. Industry mentors, in turn, should align their guidance more closely with real‑world production and management practices, fostering students from a hands‑on, practical perspective.

Ma Xuewen, Chairman and General Manager of Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd., stated that after more than two decades of development, the company has grown into a national high-tech enterprise integrating research and development, production, sales, and crop‑cultivation technical services. It boasts a comprehensive “humic acid‑based fertilizer product system” and a state‑of‑the‑art active humic acid fertilizer production base. This joint graduate‑training initiative between the university and the company underscores a commitment to meeting educational needs, demonstrating strong capabilities, advancing agriculture through science and technology, and staying true to its mission of serving farmers. The company will leverage its years of accumulated R&D expertise to ensure the success of this endeavor.

According to reports, Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. places technological innovation at the core of its operations. The company has established five national-level research platforms, including a nationally recognized Enterprise Technology Center, a National Postdoctoral Research Station, the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Key Laboratory for Humic Acid-Based Fertilizers, and the National Agrochemical Service Center. In addition, it operates five provincial‑level and five municipal‑level research platforms. The company has undertaken more than 50 national, provincial, and municipal research projects, participated in the development of four national standards, six industry standards, and over 20 local standards, filed a total of 91 patent applications, been granted 33 invention patents, and received more than ten science and technology awards at the provincial and ministerial levels.

For more than two decades, Nongda Fertilizer has remained steadfast in its commitment. By integrating four core proprietary technologies—humic acid activation, coated‑release control, biocontrol with functional microorganisms, and soil conditioning—it has developed the “Humic Acid+” product line to meet the needs of farmers. Tailored solutions have been crafted for different regions and crops, enabling growers to produce agricultural products with superior quality, improved appearance, earlier market availability, and higher yields.

In the field of agricultural technology extension, Nongda Fertilizer Industry, supported by technical services and leveraging the College of Agricultural Chemistry as its platform, has established a three-tiered training and outreach team comprising an expert panel, an agricultural chemistry lecturer corps, and a grassroots extension group. Adopting a model of demonstration‑based comparison and on‑site observation, the company is deeply rooted at the community level, providing professional technical support to farmers and thereby bridging the gap between the technological sophistication of new products and farmers’ lack of familiarity with them. This ensures that farmers can use fertilizers effectively and appropriately.

Only those with the right tools dare take on delicate tasks. Through school–enterprise collaboration, talent fuels rural revitalization. On March 1 this year, through the joint efforts of both parties, Zhang Xiansheng, President of Shandong Agricultural University, and Ma Xuewen, Chairman and General Manager of Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd., jointly signed an agreement on a joint graduate‑training program and held a solemn signing ceremony, marking the entry of their school–enterprise cooperative education initiative into a phase of comprehensive, in‑depth, and substantive collaboration.