# Beijing City University

> university in China

**Wikidata**: [Q10902145](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10902145)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_City_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/beijing-city-university

## Summary
Beijing City University (BCU) is a private university located in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Established in 1984, it is also known by its former name, Haidian University, and the Chinese name 北京城市学院. The institution serves as an academic center for further education and maintains a digital presence through a Shibboleth authentication system.

## Key Facts
- **Founded**: 1984
- **Location**: Beijing, People's Republic of China (Coordinates: 40.0903°N, 116.2523°E)
- **Institution Type**: University, Private School
- **Official Website**: http://www.bcu.edu.cn/
- **Chinese Name**: 北京城市学院 (Běijīng Chéngshì Xuéyuàn)
- **Former Name/Aliases**: Haidian Zoudou University (海淀走读大学), Beijing City University Aerospace City Campus, "Hai Pao" (海跑)
- **Chinese School ID**: 4111011418
- **Academic Identifiers**: ISNI 0000000417899518, ROR ID 01jfjwr55, GRID ID grid.461929.1

## FAQs
### Q: When was Beijing City University founded?
A: Beijing City University was founded in 1984.

### Q: Where is Beijing City University located?
A: The university is located in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Specific coordinates for the campus are latitude 40.0903 and longitude 116.2523.

### Q: Is Beijing City University a public or private institution?
A: According to its structured properties, Beijing City University is classified as a private school and a university.

### Q: What was Beijing City University previously called?
A: The university was previously known as Haidian Zoudou University (海淀走读大学) and is sometimes referred to by the nickname "Hai Pao" (海跑).

## Why It Matters
Beijing City University holds a distinct position in the Chinese higher education landscape as a private institution established in the mid-1980s. Its inception in 1984 places it among the institutions that emerged during a period of significant educational reform in China. As a recognized entity in global academic databases—possessing identifiers such as a GRID ID, ISNI, and ROR ID—it plays a role in international research collaboration and student mobility data tracking. The university's classification as a private school distinguishes it from the numerous public universities in Beijing, offering an alternative model for higher education in the capital. Its evolution from "Haidian Zoudou University" to its current naming reflects its sustained operation and development over nearly four decades.

## Notable For
- **Private Education**: Identified explicitly as a private school within the People's Republic of China.
- **Historical Identity**: Formerly known as "Haidian Zoudou University" (海淀走读大学), indicating a history likely rooted in community or vocational college origins before achieving university status.
- **Global Integration**: Maintains a comprehensive set of global academic identifiers (GRID, ISNI, ROR, Ringgold) and utilizes Shibboleth identity provider standards for institutional access.
- **Geographic Location**: Situated in Beijing with specific campus coordinates recorded in academic databases.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
Beijing City University (BCU) is an academic institution for further education classified as both a university and a private school. It operates under the official Chinese School ID **4111011418**. The institution is recognized in various international academic and authority databases, holding the following identifiers:
- **ISNI**: 0000000417899518
- **GRID ID**: grid.461929.1
- **ROR ID**: 01jfjwr55
- **Ringgold ID**: 47827
- **ARWU University ID**: beijing-city-university
- **World Higher Education Database ID**: IAU-026037

### Names and Aliases
The institution is multilingual and has undergone name changes. It is referred to as:
- **English**: Beijing City University, BCU
- **Chinese**: 北京城市学院
- **Former/Historical Names**: Haidian Zoudou University (海淀走读大学), Beijing City University Aerospace City Campus (北京城市学院航天城校区)
- **Colloquial/Other**: "Hai Pao" (海跑)

### Location and Facilities
The university is geographically situated in **Beijing, People's Republic of China**. The precise geospatial coordinates recorded for the entity are **40.0903 latitude and 116.2523 longitude**. Visual documentation of the campus is available through the Wikimedia Commons category "Beijing City University," including imagery of the Shunyi Campus.

### Digital Presence and Technical Infrastructure
Beijing City University maintains an official web presence at `http://www.bcu.edu.cn/`. For authentication and identity management, the university utilizes an API endpoint located at `https://idp.bcu.edu.cn/idp/shibboleth`, which employs the **Shibboleth** standard. The institution is also indexed on Chinese social platforms, possessing a Zhihu Topic ID (19708818) and a Baidu Tieba name (北京城市学院).

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-01-10
2. ROR release v1.19
3. GRID Release 2016-05-31
4. GRID Release 2016-12-06
5. Quora
6. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
7. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
8. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
9. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)