 Academics 

Postgraduates Innovative Center of Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) is one of the first graduate innovative centers established by the Ministry of Education and the State Council in China. By setting stages, creating atmosphere, enriching the carriers, and effectively motivating, our center is trying to guide graduate students to turn passive study into active exploration, stimulate vitality and sense of fun learning, cultivate innovative spirit and improve ability of creatively starting up business. With the care of leaders at all levels, after more than ten years of continuous construction, we have established a high-level open experiment system with public course experiment, academic competitions, production of science and technology, business incubation and other functions as one of the distinctive characteristics, which has significant influence on campus and off.

NPU is one of the first universities in China to set up graduate school. In 2002, NPU set up a “Postgraduates Innovative Center”, and it is one of the first 11 universities approved by graduate education innovation project. In 2003, our center was accepted by the expert group of the Ministry of Education and put into use officially in the same year.

In 2004, our center achieved the project “Graduate Innovative Educational Base of Science and Technology Industry for National Defense”, mainly sponsored by the State Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense Industry. And we also achieved the project “Undergraduate Innovation Base”, given by Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2009.

During the construction of the 12th Five-year-plan in 2010, our university initiated a project named “Construction of Cultivation Platform for Outstanding Innovative Personnel”, implementing the project of improving graduates’ innovative ability, which fully strengthened and improved our graduate innovation platform.

In 2012, NPU Postgraduate Innovative Center successfully applied for a project to construct “Graduate Innovation Base of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology”, named “Aoxiang Project”.

Our center adopts the construction mode and operation network in the form of experiment center plus subject labs, virtual labs, and contests, and always adheres to the concept of overall opening and free for all. Now we have established 17 innovation bases such as Micro-satellite Innovation Base, Future Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Innovation Lab, and have built 68 virtual labs relying on national and provincial key laboratories, national and provincial engineering center, various professional labs in 985 and 211 universities. The establishment of innovation bases and virtual labs guides the development direction of advanced subject in university and provides superior scientific research innovation environment and platform for many teachers and students.

Over a decade, through continuous development and improvement, NPU Postgraduates Innovative Center has formed a perfect service system, integrating innovative practical project, innovative practical base, innovative business communication, innovative business contests and innovative entrepreneurial fund as a whole. The model of “Five in one” makes five parts mutually infiltrate and sets up a good platform, environment, culture and atmosphere for cultivating postgraduates’ innovative ability effectively.

In 2014, under the vigorous promotion of university, the first Graduate Innovative Products Exhibition and Innovative Products Fair in Shaanxi province was successfully held in our university. There were 143 products from 23 units shown in the pavilion for engineering. During the exhibition, more than 3000 people visited the pavilion for engineering, and 15 protocols about talent training and scientific research cooperation have been signed. This exhibition organized by our university was spoken highly by officials in Shaanxi province and different sectors of the society. Furthermore, China Education Daily conducted a comprehensive and in-depth special report about innovative practice education of graduate students on the topic of “why the flower of innovation is so red”.

NPU Postgraduates Innovative Center has tremendous influence at home and abroad, and the effect of radiation and demonstration is obvious. Therefore, many universities have spoken highly of our center.

In recent years, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), Glasgow Caledonian University, SUPELEC, Delft University of Technology, Antwerp University and many other universities have came here to visit our center, and have expressed keen interest and gave high marks.

In 2009, the project “Construction and Practice of Platform for Cultivating Graduate Innovative Ability” of NPU Postgraduates Innovative Center was awarded the first prize for national excellent teaching achievements and NPU is the only university in China that possesses this honor in terms of cultivating graduate innovative ability.

Up to now, the center has built five university bases and twelve academy bases. Besides, the center is fruitful in the discipline competition, public experiment course construction, science and technology production, patents, entrepreneurial team, paper- publishing, and academic communication, etc.

University Base

Robotics innovation practice base: the base is mainly engaged in the research of intelligent robot. Since 2012, the base has received two international championship, an international runner-up, three international awards and five national awards, as well as two national patents, more than 10 computer software copyrights, and published more than 10 papers. More than one hundred graduate students benefit from the base.

Graduate Micro-satellite Innovation Practice Base: the base is a comprehensive graduate innovation base completed by ministerial key laboratory of Northwestern Polytechnical University-Precision Guidance and Control Research Institute. The base mainly carries out innovation technology research, like micro-satellite orbit dynamics and attitude control and satellite applications. Micro-satellite Innovation Base is the official member of the International Astronautical Federation, also the sponsor and overall coordination unit of the European Union’s Seventh Framework agreement flagship project QB50 plan in Asia.

The future of unmanned aircraft innovation base: the base is mainly to carry out the exploration research and scientific production for future unmanned aircraft. It has accomplished roll-wing aircraft stable flight for the first time in human history. The base has obtained UAV Innovation Grand Prix International Award of AVIC Cup, the international micro Ludo special innovation prize issued by the Airbus Industries and so on. At present, the base has formed a well-equipped UAV development and testing environment.

The NPU-INNOVATION base: the base was established on Sept, 2014. The team dedicates to design and research of new conceptual UAVs, as well as taking part in high level international UAV design competitions. In 2015, the box-wing aircraft X-DIAMOND designed by the team won the first prize of single item in Air Cargo Challenge, and the application program based on the aircraft won INNOVATION STAR award in UAVGP2015. In 2016, the new conceptual transport UAV designed by the team won the champion as well as special award from Airbus in New Flying Competition in Europe. In 2017, the team won champion of UMSIC and second prize of Air Cargo Challenge 2017.

Academy Base

The Aviation Training Base for graduates’ innovative ability: the base now includes “The new aircraft design innovation laboratory”, “composite wing laboratory” and “small aircraft topic laboratory”. In the first AVIC Cup UAV Innovation Grand Prix, the “Linglong” team won the Grand Prize in innovation group, “Hot Wheels” won international prize in creative class.

The School of Marine Science and Technology Graduate Innovation base: this base is relying on two disciplines, of which is weapons science and technology and the other is ship and marine engineering, and it mainly engaged in the research of the underwater vehicle. In addition, we have graduate intelligent mechatronics system innovation base of School of Mechanical and Engineering, etc. a total of twelve academy level innovation base. The construction of platforms provides a superior environment for innovation and research platform for teachers and students.

Academic Competition

Not only does Northwestern Polytechnical University encourage graduate students to make science and technology works, but actively encourage graduate students to participate in high level academic competitions.

Innovation Funds

In order to meet the innovative and entrepreneurial requirements of postgraduates, the innovation center set up Innovation Experiment Center Foundation, the Seed Foundation of Innovation and Creation, Innovation Foundation for Doctor Dissertation and Excellent Doctorate Foundation.

Business Incubators

Innovation and entrepreneurship are always inseparable. The postgraduates innovation center also supports postgraduate students to begin their own business. Through the innovation center’s funding, we have a group of career-creating talents who have graduated or still study at our university, such as the founder of Shenzhen Makeblock technology co. LTD Wang Jianjun, the founder of Shenzhen VxFLY Intelligent Information Technology co. LTD He Wei and so on. We have hatched a batch of outstanding entrepreneurial teams, such as the Guada (NPU) network technology co. LTD , extraordinary culture team ,Shanxi ouka electronic smart technology co., LTD and so on. We have cooperation with the Communist Youth League of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and the Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Department and other administrative departments.