China University of Geosciences (Beijing), often abbreviated CUGB, was founded in 1952 as a geology college in the Chinese capital. In 1987 the Wuhan College of Geology was renamed China University of Geosciences; in 2005 the Wuhan campus and the Beijing graduate campus separated and began operating independently, so the Beijing school is today a separate institution from China University of Geosciences in Wuhan.
The campus stands on Xueyuan Road in Haidian District, Beijing. The university concentrates on geology, natural resources, environmental science and geological engineering, and it takes part in the Double First-Class initiative, with its disciplines built around the geosciences. Two of its schools named on the university website are the School of Earth Sciences and Resources and the School of Materials Science and Technology, and the university hosts a State Key Laboratory among its research facilities.
Enrolment is roughly 17,000 full-time students, according to 2021 figures. Among its best-known graduates are Wen Jiabao, who later served as Premier of China, and Ouyang Ziyuan, a chief scientist of China’s lunar exploration programme. Prospective students and researchers should consult the university’s own pages for current programmes, scholarships and admission rules.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong collaborations with geological survey agencies, mining and resource companies, and environmental protection departments.
Research:
Earth System Science, Mineral Resource Exploration & Evaluation, Geotechnical Engineering & Hazard Prevention, Environmental Geochemistry & Pollution Control.
Famous Alumnis:
Wen Jiabao
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1000
Current students***:
18000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
80000
Pros
Leading university for geosciences in China, strong research in geology and environmental science.
Cons
Highly specialized in geosciences and related fields.
Best For
Leading university for geology, geophysics, and environmental geoscience.
China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing shares the capital and covers mining engineering, safety science and geotechnical engineering, the resource-engineering side of earth science.
CUPB, the petroleum-focused university in Beijing, concentrates on petroleum and natural gas engineering and chemical engineering, which connects to energy geology.
Shandong University of Science and Technology in Qingdao teaches mining engineering and surveying and geomatics, close to the Beijing university's geoscience and mapping disciplines.
Xi'an University of Science and Technology offers mining and safety engineering together with surveying and geomatics, a comparable resource-oriented profile.
Anhui University of Science and Technology in Huainan is a public university specialised in mining and safety engineering, another earth-resources counterpart.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (France) works on geophysics and seismology, geochemistry and volcanology, and marine geosciences, a very close match for the Beijing university's research themes.
Saint Petersburg Mining University (Russia) combines mining engineering, geology and oil and gas engineering, mirroring the Beijing university's resource-geology orientation.
University of Nevada, Reno (United States) lists earthquake and mining engineering and environmental science, linking geoscience with applied engineering.
Universität Potsdam (Germany) is a public university with a focus on earth and environmental sciences alongside physics and chemistry.
Silesian University of Technology (Poland), in Gliwice, includes mining and geoengineering within its technical programmes, a parallel to the Beijing university's resource engineering.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was CUGB established?
It was founded in 1952 as a geology college in Beijing. In 1987 the Wuhan institution took the name China University of Geosciences, and since 2005 the Beijing institution has run independently.
How does CUGB differ from China University of Geosciences in Wuhan?
Both trace their roots to the same geology college tradition. In 2005 the Wuhan campus and the Beijing graduate campus separated and began operating independently, so they are now distinct universities.
Where is the CUGB campus?
It is on Xueyuan Road in Haidian District, Beijing. The location puts it in the same district as many other Beijing universities.
What does the university specialise in?
Its focus is geology, natural resources, environmental science and geological engineering. The university website names schools such as Earth Sciences and Resources and Materials Science and Technology.
How many students study there?
Published 2021 figures give roughly 17,000 full-time students. The mix includes undergraduate, master's and doctoral students, so the university's statistics pages should be checked for the latest split.
Does CUGB have national-level research recognition?
It hosts a State Key Laboratory and takes part in the Double First-Class initiative, under which it is building disciplines to meet the programme's goals. These designations come from Chinese national policy rather than from an international ranking.
Which notable people studied at CUGB?
Wen Jiabao, a former Premier of China, and Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of the Chinese lunar programme, are among its alumni. The university website is the place to look for the current list of distinguished graduates.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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