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 "Plan 985", 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.

In order to improve the strength of the faculty, BIT attaches great importance on the import of talents. BIT appointed 174 visiting professors, 38 advisory professors and 6 honorary professors in China, plus, 45 overseas visiting professors and 12 honorary professors and conferred 2 honorary doctoral degree to Mr. Shaper from Germany and Mr. Sheffield from the USA.

Teaching

BIT has 11 academic schools and 43 research institutes (or research centers)
Education program: Undergraduate, Master, Continuous, Distant Vocational and Overseas students programs.

BIT has 11 state key disciplines, 25 ministerial disciplines. In 10 disciplines of the 1st level BIT is authorized to confer doctor and master degrees. It also has 14 post-doctorate stations, 57 disciplines authorized to confer doctor degrees, 89 disciplines authorized to confer master degrees and 2 major disciplines authorized to confer degrees, and 55 undergraduate majors.

Research

BIT has 3 State Key Labs, 4 Labs for State Key Discipline, 1 open Lab of State Education Ministry, 4 Key Labs of Beijing city. 

The annual fund for research researched 620 million RMB. 33 awards for research at ministerial level or above; 2217 thesis, 577 thesis collected by Sci, Ei and ISR, 97 patents, 13 letters pattern.

Libraries

Total Collection: more than 1,150,000 items
Electronic journals and books: 350,000 items