The first university horticulture skills competition was held in HZAU with 63 contestants from 21 agriculture-related universities. It consists of three sessions in fruit trees, vegetables and ornamental horticulture, with the first two in HZAU and the last in Hebei Agricultural University. Initiated and promoted by the relevant colleges and universities, the invitational competition is sponsored by Branch Steering Committee for Horticultural Teaching of Ministry of Education.

On the evening of Oct. 25, the opening ceremony started in the College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences. Prof. Cheng Yunjiang, Dean of the College presided over the ceremony, attracting Vice-president Yang Shaobo of HZAU, and Prof. Chen Xueping, Secretary-general of Branch Steering Commission for Horticultural Teaching. Moreover, Professor Chen Sumei from Nanjing Agricultural University was also present along with other judges.

Vice-president Yang first extended a welcome address to all the judges, coaches and contestants. He continued to say: “for a long time, HZAU has committed to pooling all resources to develop all-rounded talents of social responsibility, self-learning and innovative capacity”. He then stressed that the students should take advantage of this competition with distinctive characteristics to strengthen their knowledge and enthusiasm for agriculture, and to improve their practical skills.

Prof. Chen said that the competition is also important for talent cultivation. Furthermore, he hoped that it can serve as a platform for exchanges among the teachers and students in the horticultural field. A model of education reform can be offered in the discipline. All the efforts thus can contribute to the improvement of talents cultivation in China's higher professional education.