Chongqing University was founded in 1929 in the city of Chongqing. After the nationwide adjustment of faculties in 1952 it became an engineering-oriented, multi-disciplinary university, and in 1960 it was designated a key national university.
The university takes part in Project 211 and Project 985, and it belongs to the Double First-Class programme. Its campuses include A, B and C, and a further campus lies at Huxi. It enrols more than 50,000 students and employs more than 5,000 faculty and staff, who teach across a spread of schools that the university describes as covering science, engineering, economics, management, law, literature, history, philosophy, medicine, education and art.
ShanghaiRanking placed Chongqing University in the 151-200 band of its Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2024 and again in 2026. Bands group universities in steps and do not give an exact place. Programme and admission details are published on the university’s English website, english.cqu.edu.cn.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Quality, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong collaborations with industries in Chongqing and Southwest China (automotive, manufacturing, construction).
Research:
Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics, Electrical Power Systems & Smart Grids, Sustainable Architecture & Urban Planning, AI & Big Data.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3000
Current students***:
50000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Leading university in Chongqing, strong in mechanical and electrical engineering, significant regional impact.
Cons
Located in Chongqing (mountainous city), some campuses are spread out.
Best For
Leading university for mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering in Southwest China.
Tongji University, in Shanghai, is the better-known name for civil engineering, architecture and urban planning, and environmental science.
Southeast University in Nanjing joins architecture and civil engineering with electronic engineering.
Central South University, in Changsha, combines materials science and engineering with mining engineering and civil and transport engineering.
Xi'an Jiaotong University offers energy and power, mechanical and electrical engineering.
Southwest Jiaotong University, in Chengdu, focuses on railway transportation engineering, civil engineering and rolling-stock mechanics.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the United States covers engineering, computer science and applied science.
Kyungpook National University in South Korea covers engineering and mechanical engineering.
Université de Mons, in Belgium, lists materials science, engineering and computer science.
In Japan, Kumamoto University has engineering in mechanical, electrical and materials fields.
National Technical University Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute in Ukraine offers mechanical engineering, electrical power engineering and chemical technology.
*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 did Chongqing University begin?
It was founded in 1929. The university treats that year as the start of its history.
How did the 1952 adjustment change it?
After the nationwide adjustment of faculties in 1952, Chongqing University became a multi-disciplinary university with a focus on engineering. In 1960 it was named a key national university.
What national programmes does it belong to?
It is part of Project 211 and Project 985 and takes part in the Double First-Class programme. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education.
How many campuses are there?
The university has campuses A, B and C and a further campus at Huxi, as Wikipedia names them. Its own website also lists a Liangjiang campus.
How big is the university?
It has more than 50,000 students and more than 5,000 faculty and staff. Figures differ slightly between sources and years.
How is it ranked?
It was in the 151-200 band of the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2024 and in 2026. Bands group universities in steps and do not give an exact place.
Where can applicants check admission details?
Degrees, entry rules and fees differ by programme. The university's English website, english.cqu.edu.cn, is the place to confirm them.
*: 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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