Northwest A&F University is a key national comprehensive university directly under the administration of the Ministry of Education. As one of the leading universities in China, NWUAF is supported by Ministry of Education's "Project 985" and “Project 211”. The University is located in Yangling, Shaanxi Province, the birthplace of Chinese Agricultural civilization and today’s the National Agriculture High-tech Industrial Demonstration zone. Current Party Secretary is Li Xingwang, President Sun Qixin.
The University originated from National Northwest Junior College of Agriculture and Forestry which was founded in 1934, and other research and educational institutes that were later founded in Yangling. In September 1999, approved by the State Council, seven teaching and scientific research institutions, namely Northwest Agricultural University, Northwest Forestry College, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest Institute of Water Resources Science, Shaanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Forestry, and Northwest Institute of Botany merged and became today’s Northwest A & F University.
The past eighty years since the university’s establishment has witnessed generations of its faculty and students adhering to the educational philosophy of “managing state fundamentals, solving civilian livelihood, and respecting scientific research” and practicing the University motto of “Sincerity, Simplicity, Bravery and Perseverance ”. We give prime concern to our nation and people; we inherit Hou Ji’s resolution from the ancient time and practice “Farming Teaching” in modern way; we persist in close integration of production-learning-research, and have made significant contributions to China’s agricultural modernization and scientific research.
NWAFU is the only education institution in China that is completely equipped with disciplines of agriculture, forestry, and water science. Currently there are all together 23 colleges (departments, institutes) and Graduate School, covering disciplines of agriculture, science, engineering, economics, business, liberal arts, law, philosophy, history, medicine, education, arts, etc.. The recruitment of undergraduate students has been initiated in 1934 and post-graduate students in 1941. During the past eight decades, more than 130,000 professional talents have stepped out of campus to work home and abroad, among whom 15 have become academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering; they have made outstanding contributions to Northwest area and whole China in world agriculture modernization and rural economic social development.
NWAFU always aims at frontier development of high technology. In accordance with national and regional strategic demands, NWAFU has conducted applied researches in areas of Animal and Plant Breeding, Plant Protection, Agricultural Biology Technology, Agriculture and Irrigation Technology in Dry Areas, and Comprehensive Treatment to Water and Soil Loss in China’s Loess Plateau have developed distinguished features and priorities. NWAFU has acquired more than 5000 accumulated scientific achievements in various areas, among which over 1800 achievements are awarded. Outstanding research accomplishments include“Bima-1”, the most widely planted wheat variety in China, and “Xiaoyan-6”, the leading replacement variety. The university researchers also developed the apple variety “Qinguan”, the most commonly planted apple variety in China. The direct economic benefit of promoting these achievements values over 200 billion RMB.
With “Issues of agriculture, farmer and rural area” as its development theme, NWAFU has always stuck to the practice of close integration of production-learning-research, and has developed from agriculture-oriented to agriculture-oriented-multidisciplinary-coordinated national key university. At present, guided by the new plan and strategy of NWAFU, all faculty and students are working together and striving to realize the goal of “highlighting close integration of production-learning-research, and constructing the world first-level agricultural university”!
