Beijing Institute of Technology

Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is a public university with a traditional focus on science and technology but developing into other areas such as management and humanities. The Institute emphasises ethics in scholarship, discovery of truth, and contribution to mankind through profound academic accomplishments. A university with distinctive programmes and global influence. BIT is dedicated to:

• Developing lofty ideals and sound scholarship, a strong body and a quiet heart
• Evolving a pragmatic and humble spirit, and creating a culture of excellence
• Improving research capabilities, and achieving distinction in defence technology

BIT was founded in 1940 in Yan’an, Shaanxi Province and was relocated to Beijing in 1949. The following year, the main campus and the Departments of Maths, Physics and Chemistry of the Institut Franco-Chinois were merged with BIT.

BIT has always formulated its strategies in light of national strategic needs and global developments in science and technology and education, and in accordance with its own strengths and missions. These strategies include: consolidating its strengths in mechanical and vehicle engineering and automation; leveraging its advantages and distinctive programmes in IT-related disciplines; and developing new strengths in aerospace engineering. BIT will build its strengths in both science and engineering, and simultaneously develop disciplines in management and humanities.

Engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics and mathematics are the five disciplines in BIT that are ranked among the top 1% in Essential Science Indicators (ESI) global ranking. Over the years, BIT is devoted to improving its research capabilities. High-level achievements have been made in navigation control, injury prevention and safety, mechanical and vehicle engineering, materials science, and information systems and warfare. It has developed a clear edge in technologies relating to intelligent and bionic robotics, space adaptive optics, green energy, modern communications and industrial process control.

By taking a global approach to education, BIT is increasingly established as an internationally reputable and influential institution. Currently, it has established inter-university collaboration with more than 200 renowned universities in 58 countries and regions on six continents; it was the lead founder of the Sino-Spanish University Consortium and the Sino-Russian-Belarussian University Consortium and the co-founder of two Confucius Institutes: Confucius Institute of University of Lagos in Nigeria and Confucius Institute of University of Saskatchewan in Canada. BIT is building an international university, and has created a global network for exchange and cooperation.

BIT has entered into student-exchange agreements with more than 60 internationally renowned universities, including Germany’s Institute Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich) and the United States’ University of California Berkeley. Of its 19 specialised colleges, 15 have established double-degree programmes with eight world-class universities, such as the National University of Australia. The colleges regularly organise different forms of international exchanges, such as summer schools, overseas trainings and graduation design projects.

The predecessor of Beijing Institute of Technology is the Academy of Natural Sciences, the first university of science and engineering established by Communist Party of China in Yan'an.

At the beginning of 1940, Academy of Natural Sciences was born during Counter-Japanese War. It was finally settled in Beijing after undergoing trials and hardships throughout North China.

For the past 70 years, the university has kept serving for the main tasks of the Party and the country and stuck to the Yan'an spirit in running the school and educating the students. It has been inheriting and promoting the revolutionary tradition, developing through vigorous efforts and has finally become a domestically first-class and internationally well-known high-level research-oriented university.