Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), as one of the higher education institutions which enjoy a long history and a world-renowned reputation in China, is a key university directly under the administration of the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the People’s Republic of China and co-constructed by MOE and Shanghai Municipal Government. Through 121 years’ unremitting efforts, SJTU has become a comprehensive, research-oriented, and internationalized top university in China.
In the late 19th Century, Sheng Xuanhuai, a famous industrialist and educator in modern China, realized the importance of education for the country’s prosperity, so he founded the Nanyang University, the predecessor of Jiaotong University in Shanghai in 1896. At beginning, the school aims at training the first class talents, in 1920s and 30s, it has become a famous higher education institution in China. In the Early Years of New China, in order to meet the needs of the national economic construction, the school has adjusted a considerable number of advantage majors, specialized teachers and equipment to support the development of other universities in China. In the mid-1950s, the school responded to the call of the country to build the Northwest, according to the State Council, part of the university decided to move to Xi’an. Two parts were listed as national key universities in March 1959, Jiao Tong University Shanghai part started using the name of “Shanghai Jiao Tong University”.
In recent years, through the construction of the national “985 Project” and “211 Project”, the high level talents of schools have been gathering day by day, and the scientific research strength has been improved rapidly, and the transformation to the research university has been realized. At the same time, through the cooperation with the United States University of Michigan and other world-class universities, the implementation of international strategy has made important breakthroughs. Since 1985, the construction of Minhang campus has been completed for more than 30 years. It has basically built a modern university campus with perfect facilities and beautiful environment, and has completed the transfer of the focus of education to the Minhang campus.
The school has Xuhui, Minhang, Huangpu, Changning, Qibao, Pudong and other campuses, with a total area of more than 300 square meters. Through a series of reform and construction, the school’s education indexes have been greatly increased, achieved great leap forward development, and the overall strength has increased significantly. It has laid a solid foundation for the construction of Global Tier-1 Universities.
With profound cultural background, an age-old tradition on education, strenuous development history, and great achievements made since the reform and opening up, SJTU has attracted wide attention both inside and outside China. Carrying the mission of preserving cultural heritage, and seeking for the truth, bearing the responsibility of invigorating the Chinese nation and developing for the benefits of mankind, today this centennial university is sailing for the aim of becoming a comprehensive, research-oriented and internationalized world-class university.