At the end of the 20th century, a nationwide campaign of "recovering the right to education" was launched. Hujiang University reorganized its board of directors and added eight China people. 1927 theological seminary was separated. 1928 65438+ 10 In October, the reorganized board of directors of Hujiang University hired Dr. Liu Zhanen, who graduated from the philosophy department of Columbia University in the United States and was only in his early thirties, as the president. This is the first Chinese president in the history of Hujiang University.

Liu Zhanen was born in a poor peasant family in the mountainous area of Yangxin County, Hubei Province. After he became president, he immediately carried out a series of rectification and reform on this religious university founded by American Christian Baptist Church, which made Hujiang University famous for its simple style of study, less churches, more China, commitment to innovative school affairs, and emphasis on unity between teachers and students and academic freedom. He once said that the spirit of Hujiang is positive, constructive and sacrificial. He never harsh words to students, but affable and persuasive. With his efforts, Hujiang University was officially registered in the Ministry of Education on 1929. A series of adjustments have been made to the establishment of the school, and departments such as the College of Arts, the College of Science and the College of Education have been established one after another, with China people as the dean to the head of the department. The curriculum focuses on laying a good foundation and emphasizing the communication between arts and sciences, and students' English level is generally high. Students' extracurricular life is very rich, including calligraphy research society, bodybuilding club, harmonica club, British and American literature club, English drama club, tennis team, volleyball team, football team, men's and women's basketball team, track and field team, women's sports promotion association and so on. Among them, Zhang Banglun of the football team later became a famous football player in Shanghai.

Liu Zhanen had personal experience of part-time and part-time jobs in his early years, so he took care of poor and studious students, set up scholarships and grants, and gave them the opportunity to work while studying. President Liu Zhanen is not only a famous educator, but also a staunch patriot. He once said: "I have been educating students all my life. They should devote themselves to the motherland and set an example." 1937 after the full-scale outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, he was elected as the director of Shanghai People's Salvation Association from all walks of life, the head of anti-Japanese federations of various universities in Shanghai, the chairman of China Christian Refugee Relief Committee, and one of the founders of Pacific International Society and International Club. He did a lot of work to publicize the war of resistance, support the front, relieve refugees and appease exiled students. Under his influence, Hujiang University students also actively participated in the anti-Japanese national salvation movement.

At the beginning of 1938, the Japanese puppet government tried to lure him to be the puppet minister of education, but he flatly refused. At 8: 30 am on April 7 of the same year, Liu Zhanen took his son out and waited for the bus at the bus stop of Jing 'ansi Road and Dahua Road (now Nanhui Road, Nanjing West Road) to go to Yuanmingyuan Road School. Suddenly, he was attacked by thugs bought by the Japanese puppet government and died at the age of 43. At that time, all the newspapers in Shanghai reported the sad news. The bad news shocked the whole city, and the teachers and students of Hujiang University and the affiliated middle school were so sad that they immediately suspended classes to mourn. After learning the news of Liu Zhanen's assassination, Premier Kong Xiangxi of the National Government ordered a state funeral for Liu Zhanen and paid the expenses of Liu Zhanen's family. On the afternoon of April 9th, a grand funeral was held for President Liu Zhanen at the American Chapel in hengshan road. In Shanghai, the group's "sacrifice for the country" hangs in the middle, and the left and right elegiac couplets are "ten years old school, painstaking efforts" and "one death is the same for China and foreign countries". Celebrities and groups at home and abroad have also called to express their condolences. More than 3,000 people attended the mourning activities, including representatives from all walks of life and schools in Shanghai, as well as all the teachers and students of Hujiang University. The long funeral procession went to Hongqiao cemetery, which became a large-scale demonstration to protest against Japanese and puppet atrocities.

After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Hujiang University was located in the war zone, and its campus was severely damaged, so the headquarters moved to the business school in the downtown area. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Hujiang University officially resumed its studies on June 1945+ 10/day, and moved back to the original site of Simon Road in Yangshupu on February 1 946.

1in the autumn of 952, the departments of colleges and universities in China were adjusted, and the departments of Hujiang University were merged into Fudan University, East China Normal University and other related institutions, and the school site was moved to Shanghai Institute of Machinery (now Shanghai University of Technology).

April 7th, 2008 marks the 70th anniversary of the martyrdom of Liu Zhanen, the first president of Hujiang University, the predecessor of Shanghai University for Science and Technology (Liu Zhanen was the only university president killed by Japanese puppet traitors in the eight-year war of resistance). The University of Shanghai for Science and Technology has carried out a series of commemorative activities, among which the Archives held a photo exhibition of Liu Zhanen's life, and assisted the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee to set up a commemorative website for teachers and students to mourn online. On April 7th 13: 30, the unveiling ceremony of President Liu Zhanen's former residence and the photo exhibition of President Liu Zhanen's life were held in the former residence of President Liu Zhanen. Present at the event were Xu Xiaoming, President of Shanghai University of Science and Technology; Su Shidi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Executive Vice President; He Jianzhong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; Liu Zhanen's second son and daughter Liu, honorary president of Hujiang University Alumni Association; Zhang Yaozhong, president; Vice President Zheng; Representatives of alumni of Hujiang University; Responsible comrades of relevant departments and colleges; And student representatives from Shanghai University of Science and Technology and its affiliated primary and secondary schools.