Northwest University, located in the world-famous ancient Chinese capital Xi'an, is one of nation's leading comprehensive universities. Founded in 1902, it is one of the oldest institutions of learning in Northwest China. Presently, the university has 11 colleges, 33 departments, 63 Bachelor's and Associate's programs. It's staff totals more than 2,300, of which more than 1,100 belong to the faculty including more than 600 full and associate professors. The faculty is distinguished by 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 63 Ph.D. student advisors, 32 National Experts with Outstanding Contributions and Provincial Experts with Outstanding Contributions. Its student population amounts to 18,000 including about 2000 Ph.D. and master students, and about 100 international students.

The university is one of the first institutions empowered to set up Ph.D. programs, Master's programs and post-doctoral programs, to approve the promotion to professership and to select Ph.D. advisors. So far, it has established 19 Ph.D. programs, 65 Master's programs and 6 post-doctoral programs.

The university focuses on both teaching and researches. In the field of teaching, it has drastically restructured, updated and expanded its programs to meet the needs of the nation's modenization drive started in 1978. As a result, it has achieved a rational balance between arts and sicences and a coordinated development of basic and applied disciplines while its teaching quality has kept rising steadily. In recent years, it has won 1 Special National Award for Excellent Teaching Result, 4 National Award for Excellent Teaching Result and 39 Provincial Award for Excellent Teaching Result. In the field of researches, the university attaches high importance to the development of both basic sciences and new technology. During the past dozen years, it has kept contractingfor about 100 national or provincial research projects of key importance annually, including such national projects as the Summit (Scaling Project, Project 863 and the Breaking) Through Project in the field of natural sciences and high technology and many major projects in the field of arts and social sciences. Since 1978, its teaching and research staff have won 20 national awards,more than 200 provincial and ministerial wards and about 700 other awards, and published 1000 books and textbooks and more than 13,000 papers at home and abroad.

To its credit, Northwest University is listed in Encyclopaedia Britannica as one of the world-famous Chinese universities.