Shanxi University is located in Taiyuan, which is the capital of Shanxi Province and boasts a history of 2,500 years. Shanxi University’s predecessor was the Shanxi Grand School founded in 1902. Since the policy of opening up and reform was introduced, Shanxi University has grasped the precious opportunities of invigorating our country through science and education, and the improvement of facilities of higher education.
It has developed into a comprehensive university featuring the interaction of arts and natural sciences, clearly focused on administration and introducing a brilliant perspective for development. In 1998, Shanxi University became a key university sponsored by the People's Government of Shanxi Province. In 2005, Shanxi University attained the opportunity of co-developed by the State Ministry of Education and the People's Government of Shanxi Province. In 2012, the university was listed as one of the universities in the national program under the name of "Promoting the comprehensive strength of colleges and universities in the mid-west regions of China", thus embarking on a new state-funded platform to develop a high-level university of distinctive characteristics.
The campus, covering a geographic area of 2,450 mu and a floor space of 1,100,000 square meters, has been awarded the titles of Green and Gardenlike University by the provincial government. With a collection of 3.23 million books and 2510 GB e-books in its library, Shanxi University provides teaching and research instruments with a total value of more than 400 million yuan RMB.
Shanxi University hosts a full range of disciplines. Eleven academic fields cover 83 undergraduate specialties and 17 undergraduate specialties for double-majors. At present, there are 3 academician workstations, 14 post-doctoral mobile research stations, 15 first grade doctoral degree conferring disciplines, 37 first grade master degree conferring disciplines and 16 professional master degree conferring disciplines.
In addition, the university has 5 second grade doctoral degree conferring disciplines, 13 second grade master degree conferring disciplines. Meanwhile, Shanxi University has independently set up 2 doctoral degree conferring cross disciplines and 2 master degree conferring cross disciplines. It has also set up 3 second grade doctoral degree conferring disciplines and 3 second grade master degree conferring disciplines which are not included in the discipline catalogue issued by the Ministry of Education. Moreover, Shanxi University has state key disciplines, state key laboratories, key laboratories designated by the Ministry of Education, key research bases in humanities and social sciences under the Ministry of Education and an engineering research center approved by the Ministry of Education, which have all laid a profound academic and scientific research foundation for the university.
Shanxi University is staffed by high-quality academic lecturers and has attained remarkable achievements in cultivating talents. At present, Shanxi University has 1,907 full-time lecturers, among whom 1,194 have obtained advanced academic titles. Also the university has academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, national outstanding talents on expertise, "Cheung Kong Scholars Program" Special appointed professors and visiting professors, state-level middle-aged experts with the title of "Prominent contributors", winners of the national projects of the science foundation for eminent youths, state-level model teachers, leading teachers approved by the Ministry of Education, and nearly 100 experts with a special state-sponsored allowance. Moreover, the university hosts state-level innovation and research groups, the state-level teaching team, and the ministerial innovation group.
Of the courses for the students, three were selected as state-level fine courses. Seven textbooks compiled by the academic staff from Shanxi University were selected as state-level materials of the "Eleventh Five-Year" plan. Nine doctors were awarded the National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award or won the honor of being nominated. At present, 20,156 undergraduate and 6,382 graduates are studying in this university. In recent years, the students won 28 first prizes, including the National Mathematical Contest in Modeling, "Challenge Cup" Competition of Extracurricular Science and Technology, Electronic Design Competition, Advertising and Art Contest.
Shanxi University has increasingly enlarged its international exchanges. It has established intercollegiate relationship with over 50 universities and institutions from the United States, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and other countries. In addition, Shanxi University collaborates with the Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. "Briusov" of Armenia and the Pfeiffer University of the United States respectively to set up two Confucius Institutes. The establishments of these two Confucius Institutes have provided more opportunities for both Chinese students to join in tertiary education abroad, and international students to study in China.
Having inherited 100-year-old glorious tradition and facing up to new opportunities and challenges, Shanxi University is now sparing no effort to overcome difficulties and upgrade its comprehensive strength in the hope of developing itself into an exemplary research-oriented university with remarkable regional characteristics.
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