Southwest University (SWU) originates from the East Sichuan Teachers College since 1906. SWU is a key comprehensive “211 project (top 100 universities in the 21th century gaining preferential support in the construction and development from Chinese government)” university and “985 Project (a constructive project for founding world-class universities in the 21st century conducted by the central government) Innovation Platform” Project university sponsored by China’s Ministry of Education. SWU is located in Beibei District, Chongqing Municipality, in a national scenic area Jinyun Mountain and surrounded by the scenic Jialing River, and covers a total area of 8000 Chinese Mu (about 600 hectares), with buildings nearly 1.8 million square meters. The forest coverage rate reaching 80%, SWU is well-known for her “Garden Campus”.
SWU covers a wide range of majors including philosophy, economics, law, pedagogy, literature, history, science, engineering, agronomy, medicine, arts and management. The university now offers 5 state level key disciplines, 55 provincial/ministry level key disciplines, 22 postdoctoral programs, 68 doctoral programs, 1 professional Doctor’s program, 161 master's programs, 19 professional Master’s programs and 107 bachelor's programs. There are nearly 3000 full time teachers including 1800 professors and full-time researchers. There are a variety of students numbering over 100000, of whom 50000 are full-time undergraduates and postgraduates.
SWU is known nationwide for its teacher education and agricultural researches. Majors in pedagogy, psychology and agriculture enjoy distinguished predominance in China; and the research of Silkworm Genome is top in the world. A great deal of creative research fruits have been achieved in the fields of Zero Tillage Cultivation, Silkworm Genome, Education and Psychology of Southwestern Minorities, and Human Time Cognition, etc.
SWU has a strong research capability. She has built Chongqing Beibei National University Science Park, a national key laboratory, a national engineering research center, one Ministry-Municipality Key Laboratory Breeding Base, 10 key laboratories or Ministry of Agriculture, 3 Engineering Research Centers sponsored by Ministry of Education, 3 “111 Project” innovation talent recruitment bases, 2 national field observation stations, 2 scientific observation experimental stations sponsored by Ministry of Agriculture, 2 field bases sponsored by Ministry of Land and Resources, 1 key research base for humanities and social sciences sponsored by Ministry of Education, 13 key research bases for humanities and social sciences sponsored by Chongqing Municipality. The past five years have seen a substantial growth in the number of research projects and the amount of funding, with the annual growth rate of more than 30%.
SWU is an ideal place for study in China. SWU is committed to international academic exchange and cooperation and has set up international cooperative and exchange programs with more than 200 colleges and scientific institutions in more than 30 countries and regions. Since the 1950’s SWU has been enrolling students from abroad and there are many international students from 60 countries or regions studying for their bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral degrees or for their further studies at SWU every year. Beibei, where SWU is located, is an important component of Liangjiang New Area, the third national development and opening zone in China - and the first in the inland - approved by the State Council. Beibei is also part of Chongqing, the only municipality in the inland, the most strategically important fulcrum and industry hinterland of the latest “Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century Maritime Silk Road” international program, the economic center of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, one of the most competitive potential international metropolis in the world. and it boasts the Three Gorges, Dazu Stone Carvings and Spicy Hotpot which enjoy worldwide fame. The qualified international students at SWU are privileged to get “Chinese Government Scholarship”, “Confucius Institute Scholarship”, “Chongqing Mayor Scholarship”, “SWU President Scholarship”, “New Silk Road Scholarship”, “SWU Excellent International students’ Scholarship” and “SWU International College Scholarship”.
