The university
Positioning
A national key university directly under the Ministry of Education and a "Double First-Class" university, CUPB is recognised for its strengths in petroleum and petrochemical disciplines. Nine disciplines rank in the top 1% worldwide by ESI (September 2025).
Open and integrated strategy
With "Chinese in character, world-class" as its core goal, the university advances its open and integrated strategy, broadens its global outlook and builds high-level international exchange networks and platforms. It has established cooperation with more than 200 universities, government bodies, companies and academic institutions in nearly 60 countries.
Milestones in internationalisation
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1954–1956 | Thirteen Soviet experts were invited to guide teaching and research at the university. |
| 1962–1963 | The first international students and interns were received, from Albania, Viet Nam and Cuba. |
| 1994 | Enrolment of international students was resumed. |
| 2005 | Internationalisation was put forward as a university-level strategy. |
| 2006 | The goal of building a world-class research university in petroleum and petrochemical disciplines was set; the first "university–enterprise–university" order-based classes were launched, sending master's students and undergraduates abroad. |
| 2007 | The first engineering master's programme delivered abroad opened; the first International Doctoral Forum on Oil and Gas Resources was held. |
| 2009 | The first all-English master's classes were launched in petroleum engineering, petroleum geology and chemical engineering. |
| 2010 | A Confucius Institute was co-founded with Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. |
| 2011 | The university became authorised to enrol Chinese Government Scholarship students. |
| 2013 | An internationalisation conference was held and the Internationalisation Strategy Action Plan (2013–2020) was issued. |
| 2017 | The College of International Education was established; the Beijing "Belt and Road" scholarship programme and the Chinese Government Scholarship "Silk Road" programme were approved. |
| 2018 | The World Energy University Network was initiated by the university. |
| 2021 | The university became the lead institution of the university (youth) working group of the Belt and Road Energy Partnership cooperation network. |
| 2022 | The university was elected to the UNESCO Chair in Green Transition for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change — the first UNESCO chair directly related to carbon neutrality. |
| 2023 | President Xi Jinping replied to the university's Central Asian students, encouraging them to serve as envoys of friendship and bridges of cooperation. |
International education
The university actively advances high-level opening-up in education and develops international education, focusing on cultivating high-level interdisciplinary talent with professional knowledge and a global outlook, international talent and envoys of friendship who can connect China and the world, and contributors to sustainable green development who share the common values of humanity.
Our approach and mission
Holding to the idea of "open education, connecting China and the world", the university bears the mission of training first-class international energy professionals both for China and for the world, and works to raise the quality and effectiveness of international student education.
The "four-in-one" training model
Chinese culture education, Chinese language proficiency, professional knowledge and practical skills training are combined closely, to produce high-calibre international professionals who know China and are friendly to China.
University–industry–government collaboration
Using education as the link, the university connects Chinese and international petroleum enterprises, leading universities and government agencies to carry out joint university–enterprise talent training, so that what students learn stays close to what the industry needs.
International training & exchange
The university organises customised training programmes for international participants from Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, South America and the Asia-Pacific region. Trainees include overseas local employees of Chinese energy companies, government officials from resource countries and national oil company staff. The innovative "5C" training model won a Beijing Teaching Achievement Award (second prize).
Beyond the classroom
Experiencing Chinese culture
Chinese traditional culture is used as a vehicle to promote understanding, and international students are guided to experience Chinese culture through a variety of cultural activities.
Telling the energy story
Energy stories are told to international students to deepen their understanding of petroleum culture and the spirit of the petroleum industry, and to strengthen their sense of identity with the energy community.
Understanding China
Social practice, cultural experience and volunteer service activities help international students understand China and build a fuller picture of the country.
Envoys of friendship
After graduation, international students take an active part in promoting friendship between China and their home countries, telling the stories of both, building bridges of cooperation and contributing to a community with a shared future for mankind.
Global network
Nearly 60 countries, 200+ institutions
Cooperation covers more than 200 universities, government bodies, companies and academic institutions across nearly 60 countries.
World Energy University Network
Initiated by CUPB in 2018, the network now has 32 member universities from 17 countries. It works to build a global community of energy education and has hosted international academic forums, summer schools and camps, and established three international academic organisations.
International research platforms
The university has built 11 international joint research platforms with leading universities and institutions, and seven bases have been approved under the "111 Programme" for discipline innovation and talent introduction.
An energy-focused Confucius Institute
Co-founded in 2010 with Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, the only Confucius Institute in that country. It has developed a "Chinese + Energy" training model for international Chinese-language talent and takes part in cultural exchange activities with the local community.