Located in the historic city of Xi'an, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) is a national Double First-Class University under the affiliation of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), characterized by the cultivation of talent and scientific research in the fields of aeronautics, astronautics, and marine technology engineering. NPU traces its origins to three prominent academic streams: the National Northwestern Institute of Engineering, the East China Institute of Aeronautics, and the Air Force Engineering Department of the Harbin Military Academy of Engineering. In 1960, it was designated as a national key university by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. It was listed among the national key construction universities by the State Council during the 7th and 8th Five-Year Plan periods. NPU was among the first universities to be admitted into the 211 Project in 1995 and the 985 Project in 2001. In 2017, it was selected into the Double First-Class University Plan (Category A). NPU is a member of Excellence 9 and a founding member of the Belt and Road Aerospace Innovation Alliance.

NPU fully implements the Party's education policy, adheres to NPU motto "Loyalty, Integrity, Courage, and Perseverance", and carries forward NPU spirit of being "Strong Preparation, Diligent Effort, Practical Attitude, and Creative Innovation" . Upholding the development strategy that takes engineering as the foundation, aeronautics, astronautics, and marine technology engineering as the core, empowers with information technology, and pursues strength through integration, NPU is deeply rooted in western China and dedicated to national defense. It has made significant contributions to the development of the Party and the country's cause by cultivating talents for the Party and forging powerful tools for the nation, writing many of the PRC's historical "firsts". NPU has provided strong support for the development of weaponry and equipment, the autonomy and security of core and critical technologies in the national defense sector, and the construction of the national economy. NPU is the only university that has been twice jointly awarded the "Major Contribution Award" by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission. NPU has also received numerous honorary titles and commendations, including "National Civilized Unit", "National Civilized Campus", "National Typical Experience of college graduates employment", "National Model Collective for Ethnic Unity and Progress", "National Advanced Primary-level Party Organization in Innovation and Excellence Drive", and "National Demonstration University for Party Building".

NPU boasts abundant educational resources and distinctive academic strengths.It currently enrolls over 40,000 students and employs more than 4,100 faculty and staff members, covering a total area of over 4,700 mu (approximately 313 hectares). NPU comprises 23 professional schools and colleges, including those of Aeronautics, Astronautics, Marine Science and Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, as well as the College of Future, the National Elite Institute of Engineering, the International College, the Queen Mary University of London Engineering School, NPU, and the NPU Moscow Aviation Institute. It offers 73 undergraduate programs, 39 first-level master's degree authorization disciplines, and 31 first-level doctoral degree authorization disciplines. NPU has formed a coordinated disciplinary system led by the "Three A (Aeronautics, Astronautics, Marine Technology)" disciplinary cluster, complemented by the "3M (Materials, Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering)" cluster, the "3C (Computer Science, Communication, Control)" cluster, the basic sciences cluster, the humanities and social sciences cluster, and interdisciplinary fields. Three disciplines—Aeronautical and Astronautical Science and Technology, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering—are national "Double First-Class" construction disciplines. Thirteen disciplines have entered the top 1% of the ESI International Rankings: Engineering, Materials Science, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Mathematics, Clinical Medicine, Biology & Biochemistry, Environment/Ecology, Agricultural Science, General Social Science, and Pharmacology & Toxicology. Among these, Engineering ranks in the top 0.01%, and Materials Science, Computer Science, and Chemistry rank in the top 1‰, laying a solid foundation for building world-class disciplines.

Upholding the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, NPU has achieved remarkable success in talent cultivation. NPU vigorously promotes the "Chief-Designer Education Culture" characterized by "remaining low-profile and pragmatic, being inclusive and accumulative, and forging powerful tools for the nation". It strives to cultivate leading talents with profound patriotism, the pursuit of excellence, and the ability to shape the future. NPU has supplied over 350,000 talents to the national defense science and technology industry and the national economic development. Among them, it has cultivated the nation's first Ph.D. graduates in seven disciplines: Foundry Engineering, Aeronautical and Astronautical Manufacturing Engineering, Flight Mechanics, Aero-engine, Underwater Weapon, Rocket Engine, and Unmanned System. Nearly 60 alumni have risen to leadership positions at or above the provincial or ministerial level, and over 140 alumni have become generals or academicians of the Chinese Academies of Sciences and Engineering. A large number of outstanding talents have emerged in the fields of aeronautics, astronautics, and marine technology engineering, including numerous chief designers of major models, industry elites, and pioneers of innovation and entrepreneurship. More than half of the chief and deputy chief designers of major aeronautical models are NPU alumni, forming a unique "NPU Phenomenon" in talent cultivation. NPU is hailed by society as the "Cradle of Chief Designers". NPU is home to 4 national-level experimental teaching demonstration centers, 2 national-level virtual simulation experimental teaching centers, and 3 national-level talent cultivation model innovation zones. It was also selected as one of the pioneering leading universities for the National Elite Institute of Engineering. In 2023, NPU won 14 National Teaching Achievement Awards, ranking 7th among universities nationwide. In 2025, NPU secured the first place nationally in the number of gold awards at the China International College Students' Innovation Competition.

Adhering to the strategy of "cultivating internally and introducing externally", NPU has assembled a distinguished faculty. Deeply implementing the talent strategy for a new era, NPU emphasizes the leading role of high-level talents. It strives to cultivate strategic scientists, leading sci-tech innovators and innovation teams by reinforcing the development of top domestic talents while attracting outstanding young scholars globally. NPU continuously deepens its evaluation system reform, fully implements the tenure-track system, highlights the orientation towards innovation capability, quality, effectiveness and contribution, and refines the salary incentive and restraint mechanism to facilitate the categorized development of all faculty members. NPU has now brought together a high-caliber faculty of more than 560 national-level high-end talents, including 11 full-time academicians of the Chinese Academies of Sciences and Engineering, 12 National Teaching Masters, 216 national leading talents, and 339 national young talents, along with a host of national-level experts such as industrial professionals and chief designers of major models. NPU is home to 38 national-level innovation teams.

Strengthening scientific innovation, NPU has made outstanding contributions to technology advancement. Following the strategic direction of "Four Orientations", NPU has refined the "Direction-Team-Platform-Project-Achievement" innovation chain, coordinating efforts to strengthen breakthroughs in core technologies. NPU promotes the two-way synergy of "0 to 1" breakthroughs in basic sciences and "1 to 0" applications in engineering technology, providing robust support for accelerating self-reliance and self-strengthening in high-level science and technology. NPU is the birthplace of China's first small unmanned aerial vehicle, the first 50 kg-class underwater unmanned intelligent vehicle, the first airborne computer, the first airborne dipping sonar, and the world's first 12U CubeSat "Aoxiang-1". NPU has deeply participated in the construction of six national laboratories, leading the establishment of nine national-level platforms including National Key Laboratories, National Engineering Laboratories, and Belt and Road Joint Laboratories. It has co-established 19 national-level platforms including National Key Laboratories, National Technology Innovation Centers, and National Engineering Research Centers. NPU has been deeply involved in major national sci-tech projects such as the large aircraft program, aero-engine and gas turbine program, and manned spaceflight program. It is one of only two universities honored as "Contributing Units to China's First Manned Spaceflight Mission". In recent years, NPU has continuously strengthened its capacity to serve national strategies. The scaled-down test aircraft of the blended-wing-body large passenger jet successfully completed its maiden flight. The "Feitian-1" and "Feitian-2" rocket-based combined cycle power systems successively succeeded in test flights. The "Macao Science-1" satellite B-star was successfully launched and put into operation. A certain high-maneuverability target drone filled domestic gaps. New types of underwater unmanned systems, such as the manta ray-inspired vehicle, were successfully developed. Significant progress was made in a certain underwater unmanned system led by NPU, making new contributions to forging powerful tools for the nation. As a pioneer in China's UAV development, NPU achieved the country's first comprehensive export of UAV systems, technologies, and production lines. It holds the first National Key Laboratory and National Engineering Research Center in China's UAV field, and boasts the only specialized UAV flight test base among Chinese universities, comprehensively advancing UAV research and industrial development. During the military parades marking the 60th National Day and the 90th Anniversary of the PLA's Founding, the entire UAV formation was independently developed and produced by NPU, receiving the review of the Party and the people. In the 70th National Day parade, NPU's UAVs once again passed through Tian'anmen Square for review. During the military parade commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, nearly 40 NPU research teams deeply participated in the development of national strategic equipment in the fields of aviation, aerospace, marine technology, weaponry, and unmanned systems. Notably, all equipment models in the reviewed air echelon incorporated technological contributions from NPU. NPU strengthens basic research and promotes interdisciplinary integration, continuously publishing original achievements in top-tier journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period, NPU has won 28 National Three Major Awards. In 2023, it led the way in winning 6 national awards, ranking 5th among Chinese universities. NPU has secured over 360 projects with funding exceeding 10 million yuan each, with total scientific research funding surpassing 47 billion yuan. In 2025 alone, the research funding exceeded 7 billion yuan.

Accelerating the commercialization of research findings, NPU has strengthened its capacity to serve society. Opening up the government-Industry-University-Research-Application chain, NPU continuously promotes the transformation of scientific and technological innovations into practical applications, supporting the cultivation of emerging and future industries. NPU pioneered the "Three Reforms" in the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. Among these, the experience of managing the state-owned assets of job-related scientific and technological achievements separately was incorporated into the "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. More than 20 key core technologies from NPU's spin-off enterprises have filled domestic gaps, supporting over 100 national major missions. NPU was honored by the State Council with the "Supervision and Incentive for Genuine Efforts and Solid Work" award. NPU has been highly integrated into the development of Xi'an Regional Science and Technology Innovation Center and the Qinchuangyuan innovation platform. Spin-off enterprises such as Bright Laser Technologies and Huaqin Technology have been successfully listed. Nine spin-off enterprises have been recognized as national "Little Giant" firms specialized in new technologies. A proven "NPU Model" for commercializing scientific and technological achievements has gradually taken shape. NPU actively engages in major regional development strategies, including those for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Chengdu-Chongqing area, and the revitalization of Northeast China. NPU has signed strategic cooperation agreements with leading industrial players such as Aviation Industry Corporation of China, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Aero Engine Corporation of China, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, China North Industries Group Corporation, and Aluminum Corporation of China, contributing to the development of a strong manufacturing nation.

NPU has deepened its global outreach and rapidly enhanced its international reputation. It has fully implemented the strategy of opening up education to the outside world, expanded global cooperation, and established close partnerships with over 300 overseas universities, enterprises, and research institutes, including 80 universities ranked among the world's top 200, which has significantly boosted its international standing. NPU has coordinated efforts to "go global" in education: it has set up a campus in Kazakhstan and the China-Kazakhstan Institute for Outstanding Engineers. In May 2023, the presidents of China and Kazakhstan witnessed the signing of the agreement to jointly build the Kazakhstan Campus of NPU. In July 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his signed article that we should "jointly run the Kazakhstan Campus of NPU well and cultivate more successors to the cause of China-Kazakhstan friendship." It has actively introduced high-quality education resources from world-class foreign universities of science and engineering, establishing the Queen Mary University of London Engineering School, NPU, and the Moscow Aviation Institute School, NPU. It has also undertaken the construction of the China Branch of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. NPU hosts 14 national-level international science and technology cooperation platforms. Over the past five years, it has invited more than 5,000 foreign experts, including winners of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, and Fields Medal, to conduct academic exchanges. A total of 16 foreign experts have been awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award, ranking among the top universities nationwide. NPU has deeply participated in the international governance of higher education and science and technology, and expanded cooperation with international organizations. It has initiated and established four multilateral international exchange and cooperation platforms, including the Belt and Road Aerospace Innovation Alliance. It has collaborated with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) to set up an Aerospace Innovation Talent Training Base, and with the Federation of Asia-Pacific Engineering Organizations to establish the Belt and Road Engineering Education and Training Center. It also leads to the preparation for the establishment of the International Green Aviation Association (IAGA).

A thousand sails surge on the rising tide; row hard and a hundred rivers will open wide. The university will continue to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, anchor its mid-term goal of "One, Ten, Hundred, Thousand" and its long-term vision of "Global NPU, World-class in Aviation, Aerospace, and Navigation", build on its achievements while pursuing innovative development, act with dedication and strive for excellence, and strive to write a new chapter in building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics, making greater contributions to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of human civilization.

(Data as of January 26, 2026)