The College of Earth Sciences, Jilin University (ES-JLU) was firstly established in 1952. At the beginning, College of Earth Sciences was named as the Department of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Northeast College of Geology. During the next fifty years, it was renamed as the Department of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Changchun College of Geology Exploration in 1957, the Department of Geology, Changchun College of Geology in 1958, the Department of Earth Sciences, Changchun College of Geology in 1992. Since 2000, Changchun University of Science and Technology was merged into Jilin University, and the College of Earth Sciences was kept.

There are 120 professional teachers in our college, including 48 professors, 46 associate professors and 26 lecturers. More than 95% of teachers have Ph.D. degrees, and 40% have over one year overseas study and work experience. There are 5 double employed academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 3 winners of Special Government Allowances of the State Council, 2 winners of Outstanding Youth Science Foundation, 1 winner of New Century Excellent Talents of the Ministry of Education, 3 High-level Innovative Scientific and Technological Talents of the Ministry of Natural Resources, 1 distinguished ChangBai Mountain Scholar of Jilin Province, 4 Top-Notch Innovative Talents of Jilin Province, 2 Young and Middle-aged Experts with Outstanding Contributions of Jilin Province, 1 Leading Professor of Discipline in Colleges and University of Jilin Province, 1 Gold Hammer Award and 3 Silver Hammer Award winners of Young Geological Science and Technology Award of Geological Society of China, as well as 1 winner of Huang Jiqing (Huang T.K.) Science and Technology Price to Young Geological Workers currently employed.

ES-JLU has 4 departments which are Department of Geology, Department of Resource Engineering, Department of Energy Sciences, and Department of Land and Resources. It also owns 4 Provincial and Ministerial Key Laboratories (or Innovation Center), including a) Key Laboratory for Evolution of Past Life and Environment in Northeast Asia, Ministry of Education, b) Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Evaluation in Northeast Asia, Ministry of Natural Resources, c) Technology Innovation Center for Analysis and Application of Geoscience Big Data, Ministry of Natural Resources, and d) Key Laboratory of Oil Shale and Coexistent Energy Minerals of Jilin Province. Other than that, the Research Center of Palaeontology & Stratigraphy and the Dinosaur Evolution Research Center and Geological Museum are also affiliated to our college.

ES-JLU offers 3 undergraduate majors: Geology, Resource Exploration (including two research interests: solid mineral exploration, and oil & gas exploration), and Land Resource Management. The college now has 1 doctorate discipline (Geology) and 2 sub-doctorate disciplines (Mineral Prospecting and Exploration and Land Resource Management). It also has 3 Postdoctoral Programmes (Geology, Geological Resources and Geological Engineering, and Public Administration).

During the past 70 years, ES-JLU has already formed a complete and distinctive Bachelor-Master-Doctor training system, which involves advanced practice teaching concept. Our college conducts an integrated practical teaching system which combining both in-house laboratory investigation and field trip practices. With the construction of laboratory, the development of field trip teaching, and the encouragement of students' independent practice, a scientific practical teaching system has been constructed which strengthens the cultivation of students' practical ability, innovative consciousness and social service ability.

ES-JLU aims at the frontier scientific issues on international geoscience and national emergency resources, and gives full play to geoscience characteristics and long-term research accumulation. ES-JLU has formed a leading research area and scientific research team in the field of geoscience which has made remarkable achievements, including 1 First Class Prize for Scientific and Technology Progress, 1 Second Class Prize of National Natural Science Awards, 31 Prizes for Ministerial and Provincial-Level Science and Technology Awards (11 First Class Prizes, 17 Second Class Prizes, and 3 Third Class Prizes). ES-JLU plays an important role in meeting the national resource demand and national resource strategy. Meanwhile, ES-JLU builds academic exchanges and research cooperation with more than 60 world-known universities and research institutes in approximately 20 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and so on.

Advanced teaching concept, abundant teachers’ strength and rich teaching resources provide guarantee for the cultivation of high-quality geoscience students in different periods. Since its establishment, JLU-ES has cultivated about 18,000 undergraduates, 4,500 postgraduates and 158 international students, with outstanding talents emerging constantly. Among these graduates, 6 have become academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 has become an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 23 have won the “The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars”, and 5 have won the “Excellent Young Scientists Fund”.

The College of Earth Sciences of Jilin University will take the opportunity of building a characteristic college, and vigorously implement the strategy of strengthening college with talents at this time. We sincerely and warmly welcome the ideal and talented teenagers and scholars from all over the world to join this big family. Our motto, “Assiduity and Practicality, Unity and Creativity” will inspire generations of geoscience students to achieve their dreams and goals.