Lanzhou University () is a major

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...

Lanzhou Lanzhou (, ; ) is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. Located on the banks of the Yellow River, it is a key regional transportation hub, connecting areas further west by rail to the eastern half of the country. H ...

Gansu Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...

, China. Founded in 1909, it is one of the key universities under China's Ministry of Education (Double First Class University Plan, former

Project 985 Project 985 () was a terminated project that was first announced by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Jiang Zemin at the 100th anniversary of Peking University on May 4, 1998, to promote the development and reputation of the Ch ...

and

Project 211 Project 211 () was an abolished project of developing comprehensive universities and colleges initiated in 1995 by the Ministry of Education of China, with the intent of raising the research standards of comprehensive universities and cultivat ...

). It is a Chinese state Class A Double First Class University identified by the Ministry of Education of China. It provides programs for undergraduate, graduate students on four campuses—three in

city centre and one in

Yuzhong County Yuzhong County () is a county of Gansu Province, China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu, one of 58 counties of Gansu. Its postal code is 730100, and its population in 2019 was 560,000 ...

, about 30 miles away from the main campus. Total enrolment compromises of approximately 20,000 undergraduates, 10,572 graduates, 2,559 doctoral students, and about 700 registered international students from 64 countries and regions across 5 continents. Undergraduate students study at the Yuzhong campus. There are 6 National Bases for the Training of Researching and Teaching personnel for Fundamental Disciplines. The University operates an additional 35 institutes along with 1 national key Laboratory of the Applied Organic and 3 key laboratories of Arid and Grassland Ecology, West China Environment, Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, a key laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystem of the Ministry of Agriculture. Lanzhou University was one of the first universities entitled to enroll Bachelor Master’s and Doctoral degree candidates in 1981. Lanzhou University is one of the top ten universities in contributions to academic publications in international journals frequently cited by ongoing research from around the world, ranking the 26th among all

Chinese Universities This article is a non-comprehensive list of universities in China, which is defined as the People's Republic of China (PRC) in mainland China, as well as the Hong Kong and Macau SARs. By September 2021, there were 3,012 colleges and universit ...

in number of citations per paper.

History

Lanzhou University's history traces back to 1909 when its predecessor, the Gansu School of Law and Politics, was founded. The School of Law and Politics became the

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...

University of Lanzhou in 1928 and from 1945, the National Lanzhou University. After 1949, it went by the name Lanzhou University. It was designated one of China's 14 key universities. In 1932 the Lanzhou Medical College and its affiliated hospital were founded. In 2002 the Gansu Grassland Ecology Research Institute, and in 2004 the Lanzhou Medical College were incorporated into Lanzhou University. Lanzhou University is noted for being one of China's premier institutions of higher learning with its position as the best university in

Northwestern China Northwest China () is a statistical region of China which includes the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Ningxia and the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai. It has an area of 3,107,900 km2. The region is characterized by a (semi-)arid cont ...

. In 2017, Lanzhou University was designated as a class A university in the

Double First Class University Plan The World First Class University and First Class Academic Discipline Construction (), together known as Double First Class (), is a tertiary education development initiative designed by the People's Republic of China central government in 2015 ...

. Lanzhou University maintains one of China's top ten

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

programs in

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

atmospheric sciences Atmospheric science is the study of the Earth's atmosphere and its various inner-working physical processes. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather forecasting. Climatology is the study of ...

and

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

and highly ranked programs in

information science Information science (also known as information studies) is an academic field which is primarily concerned with analysis, collection, Categorization, classification, manipulation, storage, information retrieval, retrieval, movement, dissemin ...

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

and Chinese literature. It is especially noted in

fundamental science Basic research, also called pure research or fundamental research, is a type of scientific research with the aim of improving scientific theories for better understanding and prediction of natural or other phenomena. In contrast, applied researc ...

, ranked in the top 1% of the Essential Science Indicators index. The landing system of China's

Chang'e 4 Chang'e 4 (; ) is a robotic spacecraft mission, part of the second phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. China achieved humanity's first soft landing on the far side of the Moon, on 3 January 2019. A communication relay satellite, ...

lunar lander was thanks to a Lanzhou University developed gamma shutdown sensor. Lanzhou University Staff Housing

Primary laboratories

Lanzhou University has three primary laboratories and analytical testing facility sanctioned by the Chinese Ministry of Education and deemed as high importance to the state.

Laboratory of Arid Agroecology

The laboratory was founded in 1991 under ratification of the Planning Commission of China and engaged in arid agriculture ecology research. The Laboratory of Arid Agroecology is the only lab engaged in arid agriculture ecology research under the Chinese Ministry of Education. The lab has been highly developed on the basis of the authorization to confer bachelor, masters, doctorate and post-doctoral degrees through the financial aid of the World Bank loan.

Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry

The Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry was one of the first state key laboratories ratified by Planning Commission of China. It was founded in December 1987, open to visiting scholars and scientists from both within China and abroad. It is one primary laboratories to cultivate talents for organic chemistry. The researches of the laboratory focus on organic molecular chemistry of special function, especially in the field of basic research on active organic molecules.

Open Laboratory of Applied Magnetism

Created in 1993 by the Chinese Ministry of Education, this is an open laboratory conducting research in the field of Applied Magnetism. The lab is chiefly engaged in studies on applications of perpendicular magnetic recording. The laboratory also conducts research and development on new applied magnetic materials which can be used for commercial applications. Mossbauer spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resource spin echo spectroscopy and general magnetic testing media are used to study magnetic materials' microscopic structure and general magnetic behavior. The laboratory is equipped with major facilities including a vibrating sample magnetometer, high pressure mossbauer spectroscope and magnetron sputtering system, along with many others. The lab also serves as a key resource for research in materials science and condensed matter physics. The laboratory has 24 professional researchers and technicians, among who are 4 doctoral advisers.

Analytical Testing Center

Financed by the first loan issued by the World Bank to develop universities, construction on this center began in 1982. It contains more than 20 major instruments and devices including a High-Resolution Mass Spectrometer, Infrared Spectrometer, X-Ray Quadrupole Diffractometer, Laser Raman Spectrometer, FT-IR Spectrometer, and others. The center is primarily engaged in the determination and analysis of the structure of matter. It also conducts graduate students' experiments which leads to the conferring of Master's and Ph.D. degrees. A testing service is available to the public. Established by the State Technology Superintendency in 1992, it is the approved lab for the inspection of imported and exported chemical and mining products.

Campus

Lanzhou University has two campuses, and one new campus under construction as well as three affiliated hospitals. The oldest campus is located in the center of Lanzhou, whereas the main campus is located in

. The One Belt and One Road campus, north of Lanzhou is under construction.

Rankings and reputation

In 2021, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) ranked Lanzhou University at 301-400th globally. From the same rankings by subjects, "Chemistry" and "Atmospheric Science" subjects were ranked in the global top 100. The U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking 2021 ranked Lanzhou as 595th in the world, 114th in Asia and 48th in China. It also ranks globally at 188th in "Agricultural Science", at 123rd in "Chemical Engineering", at 150th in "Chemistry", at 157th in "Energy and Fuels", at 403rd in "Engineering", at 304th in "Environment/Ecology", at 167th in "Geoscience", at 150th in "Material Science", 164th in "Mathematics", at 131st in "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology", at 404th in "Physics", and at 244th in "Plant and Animal Science" according to the same ranking. In 2020, the

QS World University Ranking ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...

ranked the university within the 751-800th band globally. The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) ranked Lanzhou University at 401-500th globally.

Schools and Colleges of Lanzhou University

*School of Earth Sciences *School of Network Education *Sports Teaching and Research Department *School of Arts *School of Management *Second Clinical School *First Clinical School *School of Pharmacy *School of Basic Medical Sciences *School of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology *School of Earth and Environmental Sciences *School of Atmospheric Sciences *School of Life Sciences *School of Nuclear Science and Technology *School of Physical Science and Technology *School of Philosophy and Sociology *School of Foreign Languages and Literature *School of International Cultural Exchange *School of Law *School of Economics *School of Marxism *School of History and Culture *School of Journalism and Communication *Ethnology Institute *School of Chinese Language and Literature *School of Mathematics and Statistics *School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering *Research School of Arid Environment and Climate Change *School of Information Science and Engineering *School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics *School of Public Health *School of Dental Medicine *School of Continuing Education
Cuiying Honors College

Notable faculty and alumni

*Zhou Qilin - Professor, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Elemento-organic Chemistry,

Nankai University Nankai University (NKU or Nankai; ) is a national public research university located in Tianjin, China. It is a prestigious Chinese state Class A Double First Class University approved by the central government of China, and a member of the fo ...

. Academician of

Chinese Academy of Science The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republic ...

, B.S. of LZU *Zheng Xiaojing - Professor of School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Chair of Graduate School, Lanzhou University, Academician of

, Ph.D. of LZU *Tu Yongqiang - Professor of College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Academian of

, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. of LZU *Niu Yaoling - Professor of Earth Sciences,

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

, UK, Graduated from LZU Geology in 1981 *Hu Qing - Professor of Electrical Engineering,

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

, Graduated from LZU Physics *Qin Dahe - Chairman of China Meteorology Administration, Academian of

, Graduated from LZU geography *Liu Renhuai - President of

Jinan University Jinan University (JNU, ) is a public research university based in Guangzhou, China. "Jinan" literally means "reaching southward", indicating the university's original mission to disseminate Chinese learning and culture from North to South when i ...

, Academian of Chinese Academy of Science, Graduated from LZU mechanics * Shui Junyi - top 10 Distinguished young people, Celebrated TV program host, Graduated from LZU foreign language * Li Yang - founder of

Crazy English ''Crazy English'' () is a brand name A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for re ...

, Graduated from LZU mechanics * Lu Hao - Governor of

Gansu Province Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibeta ...

, Graduated from LZU Chemistry *Yang Liming - Vice Secretary of

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its border includes most of the length of China's border with the country of Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also accounts for a ...

, Graduated from LZU Philosophy * Zhang Xuezhong - Vice Secretary of

Sichuan Province Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

, Graduated from LZU Chinese Language *Liu Hongxiu - Vice Governor of

Guizhou Province Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the ...

, Graduated from LZU Chinese Language *Shen Yu - President of

Beijing University of Industry and Business } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

, Graduated from LZU Mathematics *Dong Wenjie - Director of The National Meteorology Center, Graduated from LZU Atmosphere *Sun Zhaolin - President of Liaoning Petrochemical University, LZU Chemistry *Lin Xiping - President of Jiangsu Institute of Technology, LZU Chemistry *

Cang Hui Cang Hui () is a mathematical ecologist at Stellenbosch University. His research interests are proposing models and theories for explaining emerging patterns of biodiversity, networks and adaptive traits in ecology and evolution. Background ...

- Theoretical ecologist,

Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch University ( af, Universiteit Stellenbosch) is a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Stellenbosch is the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest extant ...

, SARChI Chair in Mathematical and Theoretical Physical Biosciences *Huang Bo - CEO at CHINAEDU CORP, a NASDAQ listed company, Class of 1985, Biology, LZU *Chen Miao, Science Leader in surface modification at the molecular scale, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of Australia, Ph.D at LZU Chemistry *Luke Huang, President at Radlink, Inc., www.radlink.com, Dept. of Physics, LZU *Ma Jiong, Principal at

Braemar Energy Ventures Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an elevation of . The Gaelic ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' pro ...

, a venture capital firm devoted to financing companies developing new technologies for conventional and alternative energy markets, Dept. of Physics, LZU *Myles J. Gao, COO at

Silvercorp Metals Silvercorp Metals Inc. (Silvercorp) is a Canadian-based, China-focused precious metals company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of silver-containing properties. It is China's largest primary silver producer. The company is ...

, Dept. of Geology, Class of 1978, LZU *Dr. George Yang, Chief Economist at the ZGC Shiner Investment and Management Co. Ltd, Class of 1983, Dept. of Mathematics, LZU *Dr. Jerome Z. Liang, VP at Viatronix, Inc., www.viatronix.com, Class of 1978, Dept. of Physics, LZU *Yi Gang Shen, CTO at China Information Security Technology, Incorporated, a NASDAQ listed company, Dept. of Electronics and Information Science, LZU *He Guosen, Senior Investment Manager, Shenzhen Capital Group Co., Ltd, China, Dept. of Chemistry, LZU *Wang Yong, Executive Director,

Beijing Development (Hong Kong) Ltd. } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

, Dept. of Chinese Studies, LZU *Xin Weirong (William Xin), Founder, Managing Partner at Golden Leaf Investment Group, Inc. Class of 1985, Dept. of Modern Physics, LZU * Wu Yundong, theoretical organic chemist *

Shu Hongbing Shu Hongbing (; born January 1967) is a Chinese cytologist and immunologist. He became a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011 and TWAS in 2012. Shu is mainly known for his work on cell signal transduction related to immunity. Life ...

, biologist, academician of

, B.S. of LZU * Ren Jianxin, entrepreneur , founding president of

ChemChina China National Chemical Corporation, commonly known as ChemChina, is a Chinese state-owned chemical company in the product segments of agrochemicals, rubber products, chemical materials and specialty chemicals, industrial equipment, and petrochem ...

, M.S. of LZU *

Zhang Dongju Zhang Dongju () is a Chinese archeologist and an associate professor at the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Lanzhou University. Zhang's research determined that the Xiahe mandible found in the Baishiya Karst Cave on the Tibetan Pl ...

, PhD 2010, faculty *

Zhang ChunYuan Zhang Chunyuan () was a student of history at Lanzhou University where he was labeled as a rightist during the Hundred Flowers Campaign and subsequent Anti-Rightist Campaign. He was sent for Reform through Labor during the Great Leap Forward. He w ...

Student, Rightist, founder of the Lanzhou University Rightist Counter-Revolutionary Clique

References

External links

Official Lanzhou University Website

Official Lanzhou University Website
{{authority control Universities and colleges in Gansu Educational institutions established in 1909 Medical schools in China Universities in China with English-medium medical schools 1909 establishments in China Vice-ministerial universities in China