Founded in Yan’an in 1940, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is a national key university, an open, international and research-oriented university of science, engineering and humanities. It is one of the first universities to run a graduate school and receive privileged funding from the central government in the consecutive "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 the "985 Project", 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. Under the administration of Ministry of Information and Industry, BIT ranks among the first-class universities for its high education and research performance, strong faculty, and distinctive academic programs. In 2007, BIT got straight A’s in MOE undergraduate program evaluation.
BIT is organized into 17 academic schools and 43 research centers. There also are Graduate School, School of Continuing Education, School of Distance Learning, College of Higher Vocational Studies, Xishan Branch School, Qianhuangdao Branch School, Zhuhai Autonomous College and Liangxiang Campus in BIT around China.
BIT occupies an area of 2,896,114 square meters (including Zhongguancun Campus of 709,021m2, Xishan Laboratory Campus of 167,417 m2, Lixiang Campus of 2,001,000 m2, and Qinhuangdao Branch School of 18676 m2), with a floor space of over 1,100,000 square meters. Plus, Zhuhai Autonomous College in Guangdong covers an area of 3,330,000 square meters. BIT has now become a multi-disciplinary university of engineering, science, management, humanities, economics, law, and pedagogy. While maintaining its great strength in engineering, it pays great attention to the balanced development of all disciplines.