Silk Road Program

About the university

Beijing Jiaotong University, located in Beijing, China, is a key national university directly under the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. It is jointly established by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transport, the Beijing Municipal People's Government, and China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. It is a full-time higher education institution and a key university. It is a member of the national "211 Project" and the "Double First-Class" initiative. It has also been selected for the "985 Engineering Advantage Discipline Innovation Platform," the Innovation Capability Enhancement Program for Higher Education Institutions, the "111 Plan," and the Excellent Engineer Education and Training Program. The predecessor of Beijing Jiaotong University was the Railway Management Training Institute founded by the Qing government. In 1923, it was renamed Beijing Jiaotong University. In 1950, it was officially named Northern Jiaotong University. In 1960, it was designated as a national key university. In 1981, it became one of the first institutions in China authorized to confer doctoral and master's degrees. In 1997, it became a key university under the national "211 Project." In 2003, it resumed the name Beijing Jiaotong University. In 2016, it became one of the first batch of national exemplary universities for innovation and entrepreneurship. In 2017, it was selected as a national "Double First-Class" university. In 2022, it became a base for the transformation and transfer of scientific and technological achievements of the Ministry of Education. As of December 2024, the university has two campuses (East and West), covering a total area of nearly 1,000 mu (approximately 66.7 hectares), with a building area of over 1 million square meters. It has 21 schools and colleges, 17 postdoctoral research stations, 1 workstation, 21 first-level doctoral degree programs, 7 professional doctoral degree categories, 33 first-level master's degree programs, and 19 professional master's degree categories. The university has 3,296 faculty and staff members, 3,489 doctoral students, 10,712 master's students, and 17,105 undergraduate students. As of August 2024, it offers 71 undergraduate programs and has 2 second-level master's degree authorization points. As one of the three origins of Jiaotong University, its history can be traced back to 1896, with its predecessor being the Railway Management Training Institute founded by the Qing government in 1909. It was the first higher education institution in China dedicated to cultivating management talents and is the birthplace of modern railway management and telecommunications education in China. In 1917, it was reorganized into the Railway Management School and the Post and Telecommunications School. In 1921, it merged with Shanghai Industrial College and Tangshan Industrial College to form Jiaotong University. After the reorganization of Jiaotong University in 1923, the school was renamed Beijing Jiaotong University. In 1950, the school was officially named Northern Jiaotong University, with Chairman Mao Zedong writing the school name and the famous bridge expert Mao Yisheng serving as president. In 1952, Northern Jiaotong University was dissolved, and the school was renamed Beijing Railway Institute. In 1960, it was designated as a national key university. In 1970, it resumed the name "Northern Jiaotong University." In 1981, it became one of the first institutions in China authorized to confer doctoral and master's degrees. In 1997, it became a key university under the national "211 Project." In 1999, it was selected as one of the first batch of national university cultural quality education bases. In 2000, it merged with Beijing Electric Power College and was transferred from the Ministry of Railways to the direct management of the Ministry of Education. In 2003, it resumed the name "Beijing Jiaotong University." In 2010, it was selected as one of the first batch of universities under the Ministry of Education's "Excellent Engineer Education and Training Program," and in the same year, it was rated as a "National Innovative Institution for Engineering Master's Education." In April 2012, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Railways, and the Beijing Municipal People's Government signed an agreement to jointly build Beijing Jiaotong University. In April 2013, the "2011 Plan" Collaborative Innovation Center for Rail Transit Safety, independently led by the university, was recognized by the Ministry of Education, becoming one of the first 14 centers recognized at the national level. In 2015, the Weihai Campus of Beijing Jiaotong University was completed. In 2017, it was selected as a national "Double First-Class" university. In 2023, construction began on the Xiong'an Campus of Beijing Jiaotong University, and on May 12, 2024, the main building of the campus complex was topped out. As of August 2024, it offers 71 undergraduate programs. As of December 2024, Beijing Jiaotong University has 21 schools and colleges.