The predecessor of East China University of Technology is East China Institute of Chemical Technology, which was formed in 1952 by the merger of chemical engineering departments of Jiaotong University, Sinian University, Datong University, Soochow University, Jiangnan University and other universities. It is the first institution of higher learning with famous chemical characteristics in the People's Republic of China. After many professional and department adjustments, it was named East China University of Technology in 1993. East China University of Science and Technology is now a university directly under the Ministry of Education and a national key university jointly established by the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Municipal People's Government and China Petrochemical Corporation.