The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Southeast University traces its origins to the Department of Chemistry, established in 1920 by the former National Southeast University and Central University, and the Department of Chemical Engineering founded in 1928. Over the years, it has cultivated a distinguished group of scientists, chemical engineering professionals, and management talents, including more than 20 academicians, making significant contributions to the development and construction of New China. In 1952, during the nationwide reorganization of higher education institutions, the liberal arts and sciences were relocated to establish the new Nanjing University, while the engineering disciplines remained on the original site to form Nanjing Institute of Technology. In 1958, based on the Department of Chemical Engineering of our university, Nanjing Institute of Chemical Technology (now Nanjing Tech University) was founded. In May 1988, the institution was renamed Southeast University, and in December of the same year, the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering was reestablished. In 2006, to meet the demands of discipline development and societal needs, the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering was officially established. Over the past three decades of rapid growth, the school has continuously optimized its disciplinary structure and talent cultivation models. It now offers doctoral and master's programs in the first-level disciplines of "Chemical Engineering and Technology" and "Chemistry," as well as second-level doctoral and master's programs in "Materials Physics and Chemistry," and professional doctoral and master's programs in "Materials and Chemical Engineering." The "Chemistry" discipline ranks among the top 1‰ globally in the ESI rankings, and the school hosts postdoctoral research stations in both "Chemistry" and "Chemical Engineering and Technology." The school currently comprises three departments: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Chemical Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering. It houses several key research platforms, including the Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Ferroelectric Science and Applications, the Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical High-Tech Research, the Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Optoelectronic Functional Materials, the Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Carbon-Rich Materials and Devices, and the Institute of Intelligent Materials at Southeast University. The school also operates the Jiangsu Provincial Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center and shares equipment resources with the university-wide Analytical Testing Center, providing excellent experimental conditions and facilities for teaching and research.

The faculty team is well-structured and highly innovative. The school currently employs 141 staff members, including 105 full-time professors, 99% of whom hold doctoral degrees. Among them are 57 professors (researchers), 41 associate professors (associate researchers), 70 doctoral supervisors, and 107 master’s supervisors. The faculty includes one academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one academician of the European Academy of Sciences, five recipients of the National Outstanding Youth Science Fund, two leaders in science and technology under the "Ten Thousand Talents Program," two recipients of the National Excellent Young Scientists Fund, seven young experts selected under national talent programs, two outstanding young talents under the "Ten Thousand Talents Program," and over 20 other scholars recognized in provincial or ministerial-level talent programs.

Guided by the "four questions" philosophy and focused on cultivating students' "four capabilities," the school firmly upholds Southeast University's mission of nurturing virtue and talent and actively implements the university's action principle of "students first." At the same time, the school aligns with national strategic needs, emphasizes interdisciplinary integration between science and engineering, and balances fundamental and applied research, conducting organized scientific research. In recent years, it has achieved remarkable success in scientific research and talent development. The school has undertaken more than 300 research projects from various sources, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key R&D Program, major national initiatives, provincial high-tech programs, and industry-funded projects. The project "Fundamental Research on Novel Molecular-Based Ferroelectrics" won the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award. On average, over 300 papers are published annually in internationally influential journals. Notably, Professor Xiong Rengen's research team has published four groundbreaking studies in the prestigious journal Science, generating significant international impact. The school is committed to building a talent development system aligned with international evaluation standards and expanding international educational exchanges at the school level. It maintains collaborative relationships and academic exchanges with 3–4 renowned or specialized overseas universities, including Georgia Institute of Technology and Kent State University in the United States. Students have multiple opportunities to participate in international exchange programs such as student exchanges, short-term study visits, and overseas study tours. The school places strong emphasis on fostering innovation among students, who have won numerous awards in national and provincial competitions. In recent years, the college has consecutively won multiple awards—including the Grand Prize, First Prize, and Second Prize—at the National College Students Extracurricular Academic and Scientific Technology Competition "Challenge Cup" for three consecutive terms. It also secured a gold medal in the China University Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition "Challenge Cup." The college enrolls approximately 90 undergraduate students annually and offers a comprehensive training system covering postdoctoral, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs. Outstanding undergraduates may be admitted directly to graduate programs without taking entrance exams, either into related master's programs or directly into doctoral studies. While emphasizing fundamental theoretical learning, the college strengthens experimental and engineering practice training as well as innovation education, enabling students to develop broad foundational knowledge, solid professional expertise, strong engineering practical skills, and wide adaptability. After graduation, students are well-prepared to work in research institutes, high-tech companies, universities, and various enterprises and public institutions, engaging in scientific research, development, teaching, production, management, and marketing in fields such as chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, environmental protection, and materials science. Graduates have earned high praise and recognition from employers. In recent years, the employment rate has consistently reached 100%, with about 50% pursuing postgraduate studies and around 10% going abroad (or overseas). Graduates enjoy broad options when applying for postgraduate programs, often choosing interdisciplinary fields including materials science, environmental science, life sciences, electronics, and transportation.