XJTU launches three major aerospace research institutes

XJTU launches three new research platforms to bolster China's aerospace and national security.

Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) launched its Space Manufacturing Research Institute, Large Aircraft Research Institute, and Interdisciplinary Center for National Security Studies at iHarbour on March 29, with Zhang Liqun, president of XJTU and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, expressing hope that these research platforms would pioneer paths in scientific self-reliance and tackle core technologies.

The platforms will deepen industry, university, and research integration through strategic partnerships with major enterprises and convert research strengths into educational excellence, creating a model for regional economic and social development.

They will also cultivate a world-class talent pool dedicated to serving the Party and the nation, and support the development of a world-class aerospace industry cluster to boost high-quality development and the cultivation of new quality productive forces in West China.

XJTU established its Space Manufacturing Research Institute in line with the "extreme macro, extreme micro, extreme conditions, and extreme interdisciplinary integration" strategic layout, merging cutting-edge research across machinery, materials, aerospace, mechanics, and information technology.

The institute focuses on the systematic demonstration, design, and simulation of space manufacturing; space additive manufacturing (3D printing) processes and intelligent equipment; material preparation and performance evaluation in extreme space environments; and on-orbit servicing and engineering applications.

The Large Aircraft Research Institute focuses on additive manufacturing, structural design, and testing/diagnostics for large aircraft. By deepening collaboration with major enterprises, it aims to advance applied disciplines such as power engineering, electrical engineering, and instrumentation, promote progress in related foundational sciences, and train outstanding engineers and top-tier innovators for the aviation sector.

Established in October 2025, the Interdisciplinary Center for National Security Studies integrates interdisciplinary resources across biosecurity, cybersecurity, energy security, equipment security, public safety, and political/economic security.

It collaborates with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, national security agencies, and major enterprises to cultivate versatile professionals and contribute to the modernization of China's national security system and capabilities.