Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) was founded in Yan’an in 1940. BIT is a national key university, an open, international and research-oriented university of science, engineering and humanities with science and engineering as the focus. It is one of the first universities to run a graduate school and receive privileged fund from the central government in the 7th, 8th and 9th “Five Year Plan.” BIT is also one of the national "Project 211” universities receiving preferential support from the state.
In 2000, BIT was listed in “985 Project”, which gives priority for development by Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Beijing Municipal Government. In 1999, BIT passed the evaluation for “Outstanding in Undergraduate Program” sponsored by MOE.
BIT ranks among the first-class universities for its high educational and research quality, strong faculty teams, and academic programs with distinctive characteristics. The university attaches great importance to developing international and domestic exchange and cooperation, paying great effort in all kinds of joint programs. It has established collaborative ties with over 40 local government and industries in more than 10 provinces and cities. It also built cooperative relations with 82 universities from 21 countries and conduct joint programs with more than 100 enterprises and institutions worldwide.
International Student Center (ISC) is responsible for international student education, enrolment, administration and service. BIT is authorized by Beijing Educational Committee to accept foreign students of all sorts, such as Bachelor, Master, Doctor, Visiting Scholar and Researcher, Chinese Language student and Short-term program student. ISC has established whole service and administrative system for international students and provided good learning conditions.
BIT is also authorized by the CSC, Chinese Scholarship Council of the Ministry of Education, P. R. C to admit state scholarship students. BIT actively takes part in international educational cooperative and exchange program between governments. Since the reform and opening up to the outside world, there have been thousand students from 36 countries studied at BIT. At present the number of foreign students who are studying for bachelor, Master and doctoral degree has reached more than 60% of the total. With the capacity of fostering doctoral students from abroad in various specialties totally taught in English, there are more than hundred professors of great learning engaged in international students’ education at BIT.
Teaching Chinese language for foreigners has been developed for many years at BIT. Every semester ISC runs Chinese language classes in 8 levels. More than 30 profound professors and lecturers are teaching Chinese and cultural courses here and their excellent teaching is highly appreciated by the international students. BIT has set up educational cooperative relations with 100 foreign universities and institutions. Many students come to BIT through long-term or short-term programs every year.
With the principle of “facing modernization, facing the world, facing the future”, BIT is sparing no effort to broaden its opening and deepen its reform to turn itself into a first-class world-renowned research university.