To date, SWJTU faculty and alumni have won 57 fellowships to the United States and China National Academy of Sciences.

Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) was founded at Shanhaiguan in 1896, named then Imperial Chinese Railway College.

In addition, there are also 29 academicians from CAS and CAE who serve as part-time professors at the university's invitation.

There are now 45 PHD programs, 95 master's degree accredit posts, 61 undergraduate majors and 7 post-doctorate research centers, 3 national basic scientific research and teaching talents training bases, 6 national key disciplines and 1 state key laboratory.

In 1908, it was renamed Tangshan College of Railway and Mining, directly under the jurisdiction of the postal department of Qing Government, which was replaced in 1912 with the Ministry of Transport in Republic of China.

In the same year, the Ministry of Transport restructured Jiaotong University and set its headquarter in Shanghai.

In October 1928, National Government founded Ministry of Railways, and the school was under its direct jurisdiction.

In November 1944, owing to the occupation of Japanese army of Dushan Guizhou, the university was forced to remove to Bishan, Sichuan.

After the Anti-Japanese War, in August 1946, with the decision of Ministry of Education, the university was renamed National Tangshan Engineering Institute, directly under Ministry of Education, and was moved back to its original site in Tangshan.

In 1949, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the university was taken over by Ministry of Railways of Central Military Commission.

In 1952, with the Adjustment of Departments in Chinese Colleges, the major of Mining, Metallurgy, Chemicals, Architecture, Water Conservancy, Communication etc.

In September 1964, the university was moved to Emei Sichuan, according to the decision of Ministry of Railways and national policies.