Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has its origins in the Yan'an Research Academy of Natural Sciences (延安自然科学研究院). BIT was established May 1939 in Yan'an, Shaanxi by the Chinese Communist Party with the aim of training science and engineering professionals.[2] In January 1940 when China was undergoing the most difficult phase of the War of Resistance Against Japan the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party reformed the Yan'an Research Academy of Natural Sciences into the Yan'an Academy of Natural Sciences (延安自然科学院). The mission of the academy was to assist industrial development in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region. Opened on 1 September 1940 it was the first science and engineering university founded by the Chinese Communist Party. Li Fuchun, secretary of the CCP Committee for Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region, was appointed as the first president and was succeeded by educationist Xu Teli.[3]
During the founding period the Yan'an Academy of Natural Sciences received support from international organizations and individuals including Rewi Alley.[citation needed]
In March 1943 the Yan'an Academy of Natural Sciences merged with the newly founded University of Yan'an (延安大学) and was named the School of Natural Sciences University of Yan'an (延安大学自然科学院).[citation needed]
At the end of 1945 the University of Yan'an moved to the north of China.[4]
Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region period (1946–1949)
In January 1946 the School of Natural Sciences moved to Zhangjiakou. The Central Bureau of Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region decided to settle the School at Zhangjiakou and merged it with Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region College of Technology (晋察冀边区工科专门学校) to form the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region College (晋察冀边区工业专门学校).[citation needed]
At the end of the same year the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Institute moved to Hebei and merged with the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Academy of Railway (晋察冀边区铁路学院) to form the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region College of Industry and Transportation (晋察冀工业交通学院). One year later the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Institute moved to Jingxing County and was renamed the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Bureau of Industry College of Technology (晋察冀边区工业局工业学校). In August 1948 it merged with the Institute of Technology Northern University (北方大学工学院) to form the Institute of Technology North China University (华北大学工学院).[3][4]
Institute of Technology North China University period (1949–1952)
Gate of Sino-French University
Gate of Institute of Technology, North China University in the 1950s, on the original site of Sino-French University
The home campus of Sino-French University (中法大学) and its Departments of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry were merged into the Institute of Technology North China University in October 1950.[3][4]
During the Cultural Revolution most research at Beijing Institute of Technology came to a halt but quickly resumed after 1976.[3][5]
Zhongguangcun campus has an area of 920,700 square meters, including a floor space of 724,000 square meters.[7] It is the oldest campus of BIT. Since the opening of Liangxiang campus in 2007 Zhongguancun campus is mainly used to host higher year undergraduate students and postgraduate students.[8]
Liangxiang, Beijing
Since 2007 undergraduate students are located on the Liangxiang campus which is based in Liangxiang University Town, Fangshan District of Beijing.[9]
Xishan, Beijing
Xishan Laboratory Research Center is located in Beijing.[10]
Fangshan, Beijing
The BIT Fangshan campus was co-founded by BIT and the Fangshan District government and is located in the Fangshan District of Beijing.[11]
The Zhuhai campus is based in the Guangdong province of China. The speciality of Zhuhai campus lies in providing continuing education, distance learning courses and special courses related to the local economy and industry. It is home to many research institutions including a graduate school and a science park. BITZH- CUHK Optomechatronic Engineering Joint Research Center and BITZH- HKPU City and Public Security Joint Research Center are also located in Zhuhai campus.[13]
Academics
Education
BIT has 16 national key disciplines and 25 ministry-level key disciplines. BIT offers bachelor's degrees in 60 majors, Master's degrees in 144 majors and Doctorate degrees in 62 majors. It also has 17 post-doctorate stations.[7]
BIT has five national key laboratories (research centers), six national defense key laboratories (research centers), two MOST key laboratories (research centers) and four Beijing municipal key laboratories (research centers).[7] It also has a national key science park. The annual research expenditure in 2004 was more than 620 million RMB.[citation needed]
BIT is ranked 201-300th in the WURI Global Top 100 Innovative Universities Ranking of 2021.[30]
According to the China Discipline Ranking conducted by a research center affiliated with the China Ministry of Education, BIT ranks among top 10 nationally in the following ten disciplines:[31][32]
Transportation and Traffic Engineering: ranked ninth.
Instrument Sciences and Technology: ranked tenth.
Automation Science and Engineering: ranked tenth.
Chemical Engineering: ranked tenth.
Note: According to the ranking's classification of academic disciplines, BIT was evaluated in about 20 disciplines.
Library
Renovation of the main library was completed in 2006. The state-of-the-art building has an area of 25,509 square meters and is covered by a wireless network. It has a collection of more than 3 million items, including 1.13 million electronic items.[33]
Press
The BIT Press was established in 1985 and has published more than 3,000 books.[34]
Wang Xiaomo, Winner of The State Preeminent Science and Technology Award of China, and also the only one attended college after 1949 among all winners till 2014, Father of Chinese Airborne early warning and control system.
^ abSullivan, Lawrence (2015). Historical Dictionary of Science and Technology in Modern China. Maryland, United States of America: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 42. ISBN978-0810878549.