In 1981, the Institution of Chinese Agricultural Civilization was approved by the State Council as an authorized center for conferring Master’s degrees in Agricultural History, and was approved in 1986 as China’s only authorized center for conferring PhD degrees in Agricultural History. It was approved as an agricultural history station for agronomy postdoctoral research in 1992, and was assessed to be a key discipline of the Ministry of Agriculture in 1993. After the discipline adjustment by the Ministry of Education1997, Agricultural History was categorized as a first-level discipline in Science and Technology History and was authorized to confer science or agriculture degrees as well as doctoral degrees in this first-level discipline of Science and Technology History. In 1998, it was assessed to be a science and technology research station for science postdoctoral research station, and was again assessed to be a key discipline of the Ministry of Agriculture. Today it is a key first-level discipline in Jiangsu Province and a key discipline cultivation center in China.
      As a leading center for cultivating talents in Chinese agricultural history, this discipline center has a group of knowledgeable and well-published experts and scholars. Presently, there are 10 full-time professors and doctoral supervisors, 8 associate professors and master student supervisors, and 5 research management staff, forming a properly-structured academic echelon. Since 1981, it has nurtured many graduate students, including over 100 doctoral students. Graduates usually undertake works such as scientific research and education, and many of them have become scientific leaders and made significant contributions to the study of agricultural history and culture.