Lanzhou Jiaotong University ( LZJTU ) (formerly Lanzhou Railway University ) was established in 1958 through the combination of departments and sections from two highly reputable Chinese railway institutes: Tangshan Railway Institute (the present Southwest Jiaotong University ) and Beijing Railway Institute (the present Beijing Jiaotong University ). After 50 years of construction and development, LZJTU ranks as a comprehensive technical institution. The University has graduated more than 50,000 highly trained engineers and managers for both the railways and local transportation concerns. Through the long course of its operation, the University has firmly established its own excellent traditions and achieved a dominant position in many technical fields. The university now possesses total assets of 1.448 billion yuan, and has a campus that covers an area of 1566 acres. It has 14 schools, two independent departments and two teaching departments, a Changjiang Scholars Program Creative Team, a postdoctoral research center on transportation engineering, 2 first class disciplines, 12 second class doctoral disciplines, 60 master's degrees, 49 undergraduate programs, nine provincial-level key disciplines, 53 laboratories and research centers, 5 key provincial and ministerial laboratories, one national experimental teaching demonstration center, and 1 national University Science and Technology District. LZJTU is also authorized to educate Air Force reserve officers for the Air Force of CPLA. The university currently employs 2,300 educational professionals. Among the teachers there are 121 full professors, 368 associate professors, 83 doctoral recipients and 576 master's recipients. The University will contribute to the rapid economic growth and social development of Northwestern China , adding to the nation's growth through the development of new teaching methods, excellence in scientific research and the aggressive pursuit of product development.