As the crimson curtain slowly drew back, the iconic red archway of Beijing Jiaotong University emerged, its gilded characters and emblem gleaming under the lights. On September 10th, the university's 130th anniversary celebration unfolded at the Xiong'an Sports Center, where the southern gate of its new Xiong'an campus was also officially unveiled.
Standing at the intersection of this milestone celebration and the bustling construction site, watching the landmark gate and Siyuan Building rise alongside towers of cranes, one can't help but ponder what this "march toward the future" truly means for the university. The Beijing campus, affectionately nicknamed "Red Orchard" by students, holds decades of history and countless memories, yet its space constraints have long pressured labs, classrooms, dormitories, and athletic facilities.
The Xiong'an campus represents far more than physical expansion—it signals an elevation of the university's entire development framework. As one of the first four Beijing universities to relocate to Xiong'an New Area, Beijing Jiaotong University's new site spans approximately 2,600 mu, more than double its Haidian campus. Core buildings necessary for opening are already topped off, with doors scheduled to open in September 2027.
Throughout its 130-year journey, the university's growth has been inseparable from China's transportation development, industrial progress, and educational evolution. Its story has been written along railway lines, within the historical narrative of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway and Zhan Tianyou's spirit, and at the frontlines of major infrastructure projects and technological breakthroughs.
Now, establishing a new campus in the "City of the Future" is not simply relocating operations—it is continuing its mission within a new national strategic space. The university is developing the "Aichuang Bay Innovation Research Institute Network" in Xiong'an, spanning 19 directions including rail transit, big data, and artificial intelligence, with the goal of integrating innovation, industry, capital, and talent chains. Once fully operational, its strengths in disciplines, core technologies, and high-caliber talent will rapidly integrate into the new area's development.
The most pressing issue for relocating universities, however, remains the human element. Faculty and staff are concerned about housing, children's education, commuting, and career advancement. The university has established a dedicated working group for livelihood matters, gathering input, publishing policy clarifications, and organizing site visits so people can see Xiong'an firsthand. Plans are also underway for a comprehensive "K-12 plus kindergarten" educational framework to secure schooling for employees' children.
These seemingly mundane details are what determine whether teachers can settle in with peace of mind and students can study with stability. During interviews, some faculty members shared they had already viewed and purchased homes in Xiong'an, while others looked forward to building smarter teaching and research environments from scratch. A new campus ultimately grows through people putting down roots, and a university's future takes shape through exactly that kind of commitment.
Students also wonder whether the university's ethos and reputation can endure the relocation. The Siyuan Building is memorable not merely as the main structure, but because its name—meaning "remember the source"—constantly reminds the community: where they came from, why they set out, and where they are headed. A university's influence is forged through serving the nation, responding to the times, and engaging in practice, and Beijing Jiaotong University's academic strength, social standing, and character will continue to be written by a new generation engaging with Xiong'an's development and national strategy.
From "Red Orchard" to "Future City," what changes are the spaces, scenarios, and development challenges, while what remains constant is the founding commitment to serving national strategy and responding to the era's demands. Today's Xiong'an campus resembles a sapling taking root downward and reaching skyward, inheriting the cultural lineage of this 130-year-old institution while nurturing limitless possibilities for the future.