Xinjiang University

Xinjiang University

Xinjiang University is located at the foot of the majestic Tianshan Mountains in Urumqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is currently the largest comprehensive university in Xinjiang in terms of scale, with the longest history, the most comprehensive range of disciplines, and the highest level of scientific research. It is the only national key university in Xinjiang, one of the 100 universities under the national "211 Project" for the 21st century, and a jointly built institution by the Ministry of Education and the autonomous region. The campus features numerous buildings, lush trees, green lawns, serene waters, and a beautiful, fresh environment rich in cultural heritage—making it an ideal place for study and academic pursuit.

The predecessor of Xinjiang University was the Xinjiang Russian Law and Politics Specialized School, founded in 1924. In August 1928, it was renamed the Xinjiang Provincial Russian Law and Politics School, and in September 1930, it became the Xinjiang Russian Law and Politics College. In January 1935, it was restructured into Xinjiang College, and in 1941, the Agricultural School under the provincial Department of Construction was merged into Xinjiang College. Between 1938 and 1941, a group of educators, artists, and progressive figures—including Lin Jilu, Du Chongyuan, Mao Dun, Qi Tianmin, Zhang Zhongshi, Sa Kongle, Shi Mei, Gao Tao, Jiang Hao, Tu Ye, Zhao Dan, and Guo Chunze—served as leaders, teachers, or lecturers at the school, making it a true bastion for spreading revolutionary truth and a cradle for nurturing progressive youth of all ethnicities in Xinjiang.

After the liberation, in 1950, the Xinjiang Language School and the Ili Aheymaiti Specialized School were merged into Xinjiang College. On October 1, 1950, it was renamed the Xinjiang Nationalities College. In June 1951, the Second Normal School of Xinjiang was merged into the Xinjiang Nationalities College. In November 1953, the Veterinary Class of the Animal Husbandry Department from the Northwest Nationalities College was incorporated. In 1954, it reverted to the name Xinjiang College. On October 1, 1960, Xinjiang University was officially established. In 1962, Xinjiang University merged with Xinjiang Teachers College. In July 1962, three engineering programs—mechanical, electrical, and industrial electricity—from Xinjiang University were transferred to Xinjiang Mining and Metallurgy College.

In 1978, the university was designated by the State Council as the only national key university in Xinjiang. In April 1979, the Teachers Training Department and the Sanping Branch were separated from Xinjiang University to form Xinjiang Normal University. In 1997, it was included in the national "211 Project" as a key construction university. In 2000, it was designated as a key university for the national Western Development initiative.

The predecessor of Xinjiang Institute of Technology was the Sino-Soviet Nonferrous Metals Company Mining Technical School, established in January 1953. In January 1955, it was renamed the Urumqi Mining School under the Ministry of Heavy Industry. In September 1956, it became the Urumqi Mining School under the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry. In July 1958, it was renamed Xinjiang Mining and Metallurgy College. In July 1962, three engineering programs—mechanical, electrical, and industrial electricity—from Xinjiang University were merged into Xinjiang Mining and Metallurgy College. In May 1966, it was renamed Xinjiang Institute of Technology.

On December 30, 2000, Xinjiang University and Xinjiang Institute of Technology merged to form the new Xinjiang University. In 2004, it was officially included by the Ministry of Education as a "province-ministry jointly built" university with the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Government.

Party and state leaders have shown great concern for the construction and development of Xinjiang University. - the Premier gave important instructions on running Xinjiang College well. - and - and other leaders visited the university. - led the People’s Liberation Army stationed in Xinjiang to build school buildings for the university multiple times during his tenure as Secretary of the Xinjiang Branch. Yang Xiufeng, Minister of the Central Ministry of Education, personally selected the university site and allocated substantial funds for its construction. Prominent local leaders such as Bao Erhan and Saifuddin served as presidents of Xinjiang College and Xinjiang University, respectively.

In 1995, -, Li Peng, - and other leaders inscribed words of encouragement for Xinjiang University. In 1994 and 2000, - visited the university twice, emphasizing the need for Xinjiang to focus its efforts on developing Xinjiang University. Ismail Amat, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, once served as the honorary president of Xinjiang University. The current regional chairman, Simayi Tileywadi, also serves as the honorary president.

　Xinjiang University currently has 21 colleges, 1 graduate school (under planning), 1 teaching and research department, 4 teaching and practice centers, 8 research institutes, and 1 International Research Center for Sustainable Development in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions. It offers 70 undergraduate majors across 8 disciplines: humanities, science, engineering, law, economics, management, history, and philosophy. There are 12 doctoral programs, 3 postdoctoral research stations, and 2 professional postdoctoral enrollment units. The university has 6 first-level master's degree disciplines, 77 second-level master's degree disciplines, and 2 professional master's degree programs: Master of Engineering and Master of Public Administration (MPA). It also has 2 national key disciplines, 7 autonomous region-level key disciplines, 1 national key research base for philosophy and social sciences, 3 province-ministry jointly built key laboratories, and 1 national key research base for humanities and social sciences.

The university currently has over 43,000 students, including more than 23,000 undergraduate and college students, over 1,100 graduate students, and around 19,000 other students.

As a high-level scientific research base in the autonomous region, since the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, Xinjiang University has accounted for 40% of the approved national natural science fund projects and 50% of the funding among all scientific research institutions and colleges in the region. The university also secures 50% of both vertical and horizontal scientific research projects and their corresponding funding within the autonomous region.

Xinjiang University has three campuses: the main campus, the North Campus, and the South Campus, covering a total area of 2,464 mu (approximately 1,642 acres) with a building area of nearly 800,000 square meters. It boasts the top-tier digital library, teaching and research facilities, as well as learning and academic environments in Xinjiang.

The "Overall Development Strategic Plan of Xinjiang University" outlines a "three-step" development goal: ① By around 2010, to establish Xinjiang University as a comprehensive university with advanced overall strength among its peers nationwide and significant influence in Central Asia; ② By 2024, to become a top-tier university among its national counterparts, with several disciplines reaching advanced domestic levels; ③ By the middle of this century, to develop into an open, research-oriented teaching university that is advanced domestically and internationally renowned, with several disciplines leading nationally and holding significant international influence, striving to rank among China’s prestigious universities.