The University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) was founded in 1952 following the amalgamation of the best departments in related fields of the six eminent universities as a result of a nationwide reorganization of the higher education system. Over half a century of remarkable growth, it has developed into one of the most influential national key universities under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education of China. USTB is extremely famous for its study of metallurgy and materials science. While engineering is the focus, it maintains a balanced program of science, management, humanities, economics and law. In 1997, USTB became one of the first 33 universities in China that are entitled to establish state-approved graduate schools. In the same year it was listed in the first group of universities chosen to be part of China’s “211 Project”, which is designed to develop a hundred first-rate universities in the 21st century. In 2006, USTB was selected as one of the few pilot universities for the “Platform for National Advanced Disciplines Innovation” program.
USTB comprises 13 schools. Among its teaching staff of 1791 there are 441 professors and 730 associate professors, including 6 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 3 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. With a total enrolment of 24,000 students, it offers 48 undergraduate programs, 128 master’s programs, 73 doctoral programs and 16 post-doctoral research fields. Besides 12 key national disciplines in the fields of metallurgy, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and mining, it is also home to 1 national Science Center, 2 key national laboratories, 2 national engineering research center and 31 key ministerial laboratories and research centers.
USTB is keen on international cooperation in research, academic and educational exchanges. It has so far entered into partnership with nearly 80 foreign universities and institutes from different countries and regions, and invited more than 500 world-renowned academics such as Professor Akihisa INOUE, President of Tohoku University, as its honorary professors.
USTB is engaged in the Chinese Government Scholarship Program and has been accepting international students since 1954. More than 6000 students from 150 countries and regions have been studying and doing research in USTB. As of the fall of 2016, there are 895 international students enrolled, including exchange students, national scholarship and self-financed students.
Now USTB is working hard towards its goal of becoming one of the top-ranking research-based universities in China and an internationally renowned higher education institute with its own distinguishing features. While retaining its current leading position in metallurgy and materials sciences, it is making great effort to develop other areas and to achieve a balanced disciplinary structure of engineering and technology, science, management, economics, social sciences, humanities and law.
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