Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) was founded in 1896 and is one of China’s oldest higher education institutions. Known as the cradle of China’s railway engineers and “the Cornell of the East”, SWJTU is the birthplace of China’s modern education in transportation, mining & metallurgy and civil engineering. Through its history, the university has adopted different names such as “Imperial Chinese Railway College at Shanhaiguan by Beiyang Railway Bureau”, “Tangshan Jiaotong University” and “Tangshan Institute of Railway”.

   Since its establishment over 100 years ago, SWJTU has weathered storms amongst China’s warring past. It has undergone 18 relocations and despite the difficulties has sustained its belief in educating the young for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It upholds the mission of focused education in culture and transport, spreads the spirit of educating talents to breathe new life into the Chinese nation and of unremitting self-improvement, and maintains the tradition of academic excellence and meticulous planning and research. Thus far, the number of graduates from the university has reached nearly 300,000.