Beijing University of Technology is often called Beijing’s University, and for good reason. BJUT enrolls more Beijing local students than any other high-level university — approximately 10,000 — and more than 120,000 of its more than 160,000 alumni live and work in Beijing. One out of 3 students admitted to national “211” and above universities each year studies at BJUT. Together, its engineering colleges provides 100,000 engineers and leaders to help building the infrastructure of the capital city. The BJUT Innovation Center helps nearly 100 discoveries become patented products or start-up companies each year. BJUT’s outreach is extensive, and nearly 75% of the students participated in the innovation and entrepreneurship activities during their college years.
University Outreach and Engagement (UOE) at BJUT facilitates projects and initiatives that are both rooted in and responsive to the needs of the capital city, especially those underserved in terms of access to economic and cultural resources. Rather than working in isolation, these initiatives seek to draw on and bring together the collective strengths of existing programs and organizations to create an even greater impact in the communities they serve. Below are some of the examples of “places” or “communities” in which UOE is able to serve as a nexus, connecting the strengths of the University with the strengths of the community.