Lanzhou Jiaotong University

What Lanzhou Jiaotong University does

Lanzhou Jiaotong University is a public higher education institution founded in 1958 in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China, jointly supported by China Railway Corporation, National Railway Administration, and Gansu Provincial Government. It is the third railway university established in China, with roots tracing to the Imperial Chinese Railway College (1896) and Beijing Railway Management Institute (1909). The university specializes in rail transit education and research across 66 undergraduate specialties, 28 first-level master's disciplines, and 7 first-level doctoral disciplines covering engineering, science, economics, management, and other fields.

The university operates 3 national-level scientific research platforms, 14 provincial and ministerial-level key laboratories, and 78 provincial/ministerial research platforms. Core proprietary technologies include intelligent panoramic simulation training systems deployed across 1,500+ railway stations in China and exported to Laos, railway ventilation technology for challenging African railway tunnels, and train operation safety assurance systems. The institution serves 31,000+ full-time students including international students from over 60 Belt and Road countries and has cultivated 200,000+ graduates since founding.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining government joint funding (China Railway Corporation, National Railway Administration, Gansu Provincial Government), tuition and fees (Chinese Government Scholarship holders, Silk Road Scholarship holders, and self-supported students), and scientific research services totaling 430 million yuan with 22% average annual growth. Distribution occurs through 67+ international university partnerships, Confucius Institute collaboration with University of Seville, joint education programs (notably the first Sino-foreign cooperative program with Széchenyi István University in Hungary approved 2025), and direct enrollment from 31 Chinese provinces.

Name

Lanzhou Jiaotong University

Legal name

Lanzhou Jiaotong University

Website

https://en.lzjtu.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lanzhou Jiaotong University is a Chinese public higher education institution founded in 1958, specializing in rail transit engineering and serving 31,000+ students across undergraduate and graduate programs, with deep collaboration from China Railway Corporation and expanding international student recruitment from 60+ Belt and Road countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Rail Transit Engineering

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Railway engineering programs
• Rail transit research
• International student education
• Scientific research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lanzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The university is jointly supported by China Railway Corporation, National Railway Administration, and Gansu Provincial Government. This forms the core institutional funding.
2. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from domestic and international students including Chinese Government Scholarship holders, Silk Road Scholarship holders, and self-supported students.
3. Scientific Research Services: Science and technology service projects with total funding of 430 million yuan. Conducted 48 industry-university-research cooperation agreements with local governments and enterprises. Science and Technology Park incubated 56 start-up enterprises with 320 million yuan total output value in 2023.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lanzhou Jiaotong University is a public higher education institution that provides comprehensive degree programs (undergraduate, master's, doctoral, postdoctoral) in railway engineering, transportation, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and related disciplines. It serves as the "cradle of railway engineers in China" with 31,000+ full-time students, 66 undergraduate specialties, and international programs for Belt and Road countries. The university also delivers scientific research services and industry-university cooperation projects with 430 million yuan in service contracts.

Product overview

Lanzhou Jiaotong University offers a comprehensive educational platform comprising undergraduate and graduate degree programs across multiple disciplines (66 undergraduate specialties, 28 first-level master's disciplines, 7 doctoral disciplines), international student programs with over 2,000 graduates from 60+ countries, a joint Sino-foreign cooperative education program in Logistics Management with Széchenyi István University (Hungary), a Confucius Institute partnership with University of Seville (Spain), extensive research institutes and centers (3 national-level, 14 provincial-level, 78 ministerial-level platforms), and international academic journals. The university serves as a specialized institution for rail transit education, contributing to China's Belt and Road Initiative through talent cultivation and research in transportation, infrastructure, and related engineering fields.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs Comprehensive degree programs spanning undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels across 66 undergraduate specialties, 28 first-level disciplines for master's degrees, and 7 first-level disciplines authorized to confer doctoral degrees, covering eight discipline categories including Engineering, Science, Economics, Management, Literature, Law, Art and Pedagogy.
• International Student Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of graduates sign contracts with rail transit industry
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (UAdeC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026LZJTU and UAdeC signed cooperation agreement at LZJTU administrative building. Initial cooperation to focus on engineering. Areas include faculty and student exchanges, joint research, and curriculum development. Signed by Nie Lei (Executive Deputy President of LZJTU) and Lourdes Lodes (Vice President of UAdeC).
• Xiamen University Malaysia CampusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026LZJTU sent 13 students to participate in 2026 China-ASEAN University Student Forum held at Xiamen University Malaysia Campus. Forum brought together over 350 students from 20+ universities.
• Kyrgyz State Technical UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joint seminar held with China Academy of Railway Sciences on Belt and Road Joint Laboratory application. Three parties reached consensus on lab positioning, research directions, and operational mechanisms.
• Mongolian Railway State-Owned Joint-Stock CompanycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 March 2026University-enterprise cooperation meeting for railway talent cultivation. Ms. Oyuntugs (Head of HR and Training) outlined company's operations and need for short-term skills training and long-term academic programs. Reached preliminary consensus on tailored talent training programs and joint internship bases.
• Kyrgyz National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Advancing implementation of strategic cooperation agreement signed in 2025. Specified action plans for joint research, student exchange programs, faculty visits, and international Chinese language education. Agreed to establish regular communication mechanism.
• Széchenyi István University (SZE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025Joint undergraduate program in Logistics Management officially approved by Ministry of Education - LZJTU's first Sino-foreign cooperative education program. Discussions covered curriculum design, teaching arrangements, study abroad opportunities, thesis supervision, and student recruitment. SZE ranked 370th in 2025 QS European University Rankings with advanced logistics laboratory.
• Roma Tre UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Professor Andrea D'Ariano visited LZJTU for research partnership and faculty-student exchanges. Discussed possibility of jointly applying Chinese-foreign cooperatively educational projects in Traffic and Transportation field. Professor delivered lecture on train rescheduling optimization.
• Tashkent State Transport UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Discussions on educational cooperation in context of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project. Planning 2+2 joint training program for international students in mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines. Delegation conducted nine-day exchange visit for curriculum design and teaching arrangements.
• Technical University of SofiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2025Three-member delegation led by Professor Dimitar Ginchev visited LZJTU for talks on academic cooperation.
• Wuwei Vocational and Technical UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 February 2025Hosted three-day cultural exploration tour for LZJTU international students. Activities included intangible cultural heritage experiences, visits to Gansu Wuwei Heavy Ion Center, Leitai Han Tomb, Babusha Desert Control Memorial Hall, and traditional Chinese Medicine lectures.
• China Scholarship CouncilflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 November 2024Vice President Su Cheng led delegation to China Higher Education Exhibition 2024 in Colombia, Brazil and Peru organized by China Scholarship Council. 23 Chinese universities participated.
• Sino-Russian Jiaotong University AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Nie Lei attended 8th President Forum of Sino-Russian Jiaotong University Alliance held at Beijing Jiaotong University.
• Chinese Embassy in UzbekistancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 September 2024Vice President Yan Haowen led delegation on official visit. Ambassador Yu Jun met with delegation. LZJTU has active cooperation with universities in Uzbekistan for Belt and Road railway projects.
• University of Selangor (UNISEL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2024President Dato' Dr. Mohammad Redzuan bin Othman led delegation to visit LZJTU for potential academic partnerships.
• Quang Nam Province (Vietnam) DelegationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 April 2024Vice Secretary Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang led delegation to explore cooperation with higher educational institutions in Quang Nam Province. Currently 18 Vietnamese students studying at LZJTU (7 Chinese Government Scholarship, 9 Silk Road Scholarship, 2 self-supported).
• Cardiff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2024Academic Cooperation Agreement signed between Cardiff University and LZJTU. Agreement on major infrastructure science and technology research signed by Zhang Guojin and Professor Alan Kwan. Discussions on joint talent training projects, jointly building laboratories, and holding international academic conferences. Professor Wu Jianzhong from Cardiff also visited for research cooperation.
• Université de Franche-ComtéminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 April 2024Di Shengkui met with Language Center personnel for language teaching and teacher training discussions. Met with LZJTU students on exchange program studying French, encouraging them to contribute to Sino-French friendly exchanges.
• Urgench State University (Uzbekistan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2024Vice President Chen Guangwu met with delegation to exchange views on teaching and research cooperation.
• Urgench State Pedagogical Institute (Uzbekistan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023President Feruza Madraximova led delegation to visit LZJTU for educational cooperation discussions.
• University of SevilleflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021LZJTU and University of Seville jointly established Confucius Institute in Spain, authorized by Chinese International Education Foundation. LZJTU Party Secretary Di Shengkui attended unveiling ceremony. Also cooperating on Spanish Youth Summer Academic and Cultural Camp program.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tongji University: Tongji University is a top-tier comprehensive engineering university with strong transportation and rail transit research programs. While it offers a much broader portfolio than LZJTU, it competes for top engineering talent and national research grants in the same rail and transportation domains.
• Tianjin University: Tianjin University is a top-tier comprehensive research university that collaborates closely with LZJTU and competes for engineering talent and national research grants. Its broader portfolio includes overlapping transportation and civil engineering programs.
• Harbin Institute of Technology: Harbin Institute of Technology is a C9 League comprehensive engineering university with established rail and transit research programs. It competes with LZJTU for top faculty, research grants, and engineering talent, though it operates at significantly higher scale and brand recognition.
• Xi'an Jiaotong University: Xi'an Jiaotong University is a C9 League comprehensive research university with a heritage tied to the Jiaotong university network. It competes with LZJTU for high-performing students in engineering and operates broader, higher-ranked programs in transportation and mechanical engineering.

Direct peers

• Southwest Jiaotong University: Southwest Jiaotong University is another top-tier Jiaotong university with the same Ministry of Railways heritage as LZJTU. It competes directly for railway engineering students, faculty, and national research funding, and is a frequent co-author and partner in LZJTU's research projects.
• Dalian Jiaotong University: Dalian Jiaotong University is another railway-heritage institution offering rail engineering and transportation programs. It directly competes with LZJTU for students and research funding in the rail transit specialization, particularly in rolling stock and mechanical engineering.
• Beijing Jiaotong University: Beijing Jiaotong University is one of China's premier railway-focused universities and shares the same Ministry of Railways origin as LZJTU. Both institutions compete for rail transit talent, research funding, and Belt and Road project leadership, with deep collaboration history through the Jiaotong university alliance.
• East China Jiaotong University: East China Jiaotong University is a railway-oriented university in Nanchang that shares LZJTU's positioning as a specialized rail transit educator. It competes in similar undergraduate and graduate programs in transportation, electrical engineering, and civil engineering for rail applications.
• Shijiazhuang Tiedao University: Shijiazhuang Tiedao University (Tiedao meaning "railway") is a Hebei-based railway-focused university with similar heritage and curriculum to LZJTU. It competes in the same talent pool for railway engineering, transportation, and civil infrastructure programs in northern China.

Regional players

• Moscow State University of Railway Engineering (MIIT): The Moscow State University of Railway Engineering is Russia's primary railway-focused technical university and a comparable institution to LZJTU in rail transit education. Both serve as primary talent pipelines for their national railway industries and participate in cross-border cooperation, including through the Sino-Russian Jiaotong University Alliance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lanzhou Jiaotong University