Address: 28 Xianning West Road, Beilin District, 710049 Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
Energy & Power Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Founded in 1896 in Shanghai and relocated to Xi’an in 1956, XJTU is a comprehensive research university with strong programs in engineering, particularly energy, power, and mechanical engineering.
Xi’an Jiaotong University has about 40,000 students and 3,200 staff, and its main campus on Xianning West Road lies in the city of Xi’an, in Shaanxi province, close to the ancient city walls. It shares its origin with Shanghai Jiao Tong University: both come from the Nanyang Public School of 1896. In 1956 the central government decided to move the main part of the school to the north-west, to develop higher education away from the coast.
The move shaped the identity of the university. Staff and students crossed the country to Xi’an, and engineering faculties were rebuilt in the new city. Energy and power engineering became the signature field, with thermal power, electrical power systems and mechanical engineering as the largest departments. The university also has a large medical school and a growing school of management, and its Innovation Harbour campus in the Xixian New Area is intended for research and industry cooperation.
Research covers advanced energy systems, electrical power engineering, intelligent manufacturing, materials science, and artificial intelligence and big data. The university belongs to the C9 League of leading Chinese universities, and it launched the University Alliance of the Silk Road in 2015 to link institutions along the old trade routes. Partnerships with energy and manufacturing companies provide funding and placements, and the joint institution Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University operates in Suzhou with the University of Liverpool.
Teaching is mainly in Chinese, with English-taught programmes at graduate level and in some international programmes. Chinese students are admitted through the gaokao, and international students apply directly and may need HSK certificates. Tuition for international students is higher than for Chinese citizens, and scholarships include Silk Road scholarships for students from partner countries.
Xi’an is a large and relatively affordable city, famous for its terracotta army and food culture, with a growing technology sector. About 200,000 people have graduated from XJTU, and its engineers hold key positions in the Chinese power industry.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of C9 League. University Alliance of the Silk Road. Collaborations with major energy and manufacturing companies.
Research:
Advanced Energy Systems, Electrical Power Engineering, Intelligent Manufacturing, Materials Science, AI & Big Data.
Famous Alumnis:
Qian Xuesen (studied at predecessor in Shanghai), Wu Wenjun
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3200
Current students***:
40000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
200000
Pros
Top engineering university, strong in energy and power systems, significant research contributions, historical institution.
Cons
Located in Xi’an (inland city), traditional academic environment.
Best For
Leading university for energy, power, and mechanical engineering.
Tianjin University of Technology shares the core fields of this institution, namely transportations, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics; it covers quality as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 26,000 students against roughly 40,000 here.
For students who like the transportations, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Shanghai University fits well: it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Huazhong University of Science and Technology works in much the same fields, chiefly aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
A good alternative in the same country is Chongqing University, which likewise covers transportations, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers quality and geotechnics as well.
Think of Harbin Institute of Technology when aerospace, transportations and nanotechnologies is the priority: it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Abroad, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (Germany) covers aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics in a comparable way, and it covers logistics and geotechnics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 47,000 students against roughly 40,000 here.
Wrocław University of Science and Technology brings a Poland setting to the same core fields, aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 26,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Universität Duisburg-Essen in Germany shares the aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics orientation of this university, and it covers logistics and geotechnics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 42,000 students.
Abroad, Warsaw University of Technology (Poland) covers aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics in a comparable way, and it is slightly smaller, at about 32,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Osaka University, in Japan, takes a similar route through aerospace, transportations and bioinformatics; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers astroscience and marine science as well.
*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
Where is Xi'an Jiaotong University?
The main campus is at 28 Xianning West Road in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.
How large is XJTU?
About 40,000 students and 3,200 staff.
How is XJTU related to Shanghai Jiao Tong University?
Both come from the Nanyang Public School of 1896. In 1956 the main part of the school was moved from Shanghai to Xi'an.
What is XJTU best known for?
Energy and power engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, medicine and management.
What is the C9 League?
It is an alliance of nine leading Chinese universities, and XJTU is a member.
What is the University Alliance of the Silk Road?
It is a network of universities along the old Silk Road routes, launched by XJTU in 2015.
What language is used for teaching?
Mainly Chinese, with English-taught programmes at graduate level.
How do foreign students apply?
They apply directly to the university and may need HSK certificates for Chinese-taught programmes. Fees are higher than for Chinese citizens.
What is Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University?
It is a joint university in Suzhou run by Xi'an Jiaotong University and the University of Liverpool.
Is Xi'an affordable for students?
Yes. Living costs are lower than in Beijing or Shanghai, and the city has a rich historical and food culture.
*: 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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