Universities

Xiangtan University is in Xiangtan City, Hunan, and operates under joint support of the Hunan Provincial Government and the Ministry of Education. It was among China’s first institutions authorized to award master’s degrees and among the earliest approved to enroll overseas students and national-defense students. Its bachelor’s education was rated excellent in a Ministry of Education evaluation. Established in 1958, it was approved by the State Council as a key state university in 1978. On 17 December 2005, the Ministry of Education and Hunan Provincial Government agreed to provide joint financial support. The university has 20 faculties and teaching divisions; 72 bachelor’s specialties; 19 first-level master’s disciplines and 115 master’s programs; 4 professional master’s programs; 17 doctoral programs; 5 postdoctoral stations; 2 state key disciplines; and 13 provincial key disciplines.