Oriental University City in Langfang City

Oriental University City (东方大学城, Dōngfāng Dàxuéchéng), founded in 2000, is an educational complex located in the Langfang Development Zone (廊坊经济技术开发区), Langfang City (廊坊市), Hebei Province (河北省), China. The campus spans an area of 3.31 million square meters, housing 14 prominent universities and colleges with a student population of over 36,000. Notable educational institutions include the Peking University Founder Technology College (北京大学创办技术学院), Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oriental Institute (北京中医药大学东方学院), and Beijing City College (北京城市学院).

OUC is strategically located between Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津), approximately 50 km from Beijing and 60 km from Tianjin. The campus is easily accessible via the Jing-Jin-Tang Expressway (京津塘高速公路) and is a short distance from the Jing-Shan Railway (京山铁路). The campus’s connectivity will be further enhanced with the integration of the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Metro (京津城际地铁), which will reduce travel time from Beijing to Langfang to approximately 15 minutes.

Campus Overview

Total Area and Facilities

The campus covers a land area of 2,000 acres, with a building area of 7.8 million square meters.

There are 200 buildings, including:

• 50 multi-story commercial and residential buildings,

• 32 teaching buildings,

• 65 student dormitories,

• 7 large commercial buildings,

• 2 office buildings,

• 6 cultural and sports facilities, such as auditoriums, cultural halls, and a sports center,

• 35 other miscellaneous commercial buildings.

Educational Focus

The university town focuses on providing higher education in specialized fields like arts, medicine, tourism, aviation, and information technology.

Student Population

The total number of students exceeds 50,000, making it a hub for various academic disciplines and professional development.

Development History

Initial Foundation (1999-2000)

In October 1999, Beijing Foreign Enterprise Group (北京外企集团) invested in the construction of Oriental University City. By 2000, the first phase of the campus, covering 2,300 acres and 570,000 square meters, was completed. Around 10,000 students from 7 universities and Beijing No. 25 Middle School (北京25中) moved in, marking the beginning of China’s university town era.

First Phase Development (1999-2003)

During this period, the university town rapidly developed with excellent facilities but faced financial challenges, including issues with funding.

Second Phase (2003-2008)

From 2003 to 2008, the Langfang Municipal Government (廊坊市政府) took over the management of OUC. The town sought new development strategies to overcome financial difficulties and ensure growth.

Third Phase (2008-Present)

In 2008, Laifu Education Group (莱佛士教育集团) and its partners took over the operation of OUC, leading to a period of revitalization and transformation. The town adopted a new strategic vision and educational model, emphasizing international standards and creating a sustainable, eco-friendly learning environment.

Strategic Goals and Future Plans

International-Level Vocational Education Hub

OUC is positioned as a global vocational education base, focusing on cultivating skilled professionals in fields such as arts, medical sciences, aviation, and information technology.

Three-in-One Educational Model

The university town promotes a unique “Three-Cities Creation” (三城同创) concept:

• Education City (教育城),

• Cultural City (文化城),

• Low-Carbon City (低碳城).

The aim is to integrate education, culture, and environmental sustainability into a harmonious urban model, providing a comprehensive and sustainable living and learning environment.

Collaboration with Universities

The town emphasizes cooperation between educational institutions and surrounding industries to transform property assets into training bases. This aims to achieve the “School-City Integration” (校城合一), where the campus and the surrounding urban environment work in synergy to offer practical training and development opportunities.

Creating a Global Talent Pool

With its international focus, OUC aims to create an environment that attracts top talent from around the world. By fostering a strategic mindset and expanding international collaborations, it seeks to develop a global network of professionals and scholars.

Main Colleges

Oriental University City houses 9 universities within its campus:

Langfang Vocational and Technical College (廊坊职业技术学院)

Hebei Oriental College (河北东方学院)

Beijing Oriental Academy (北京东方研修学院)

Oriental College of Arts (东方艺术专修学院)

Beijing City College (北京城市学院)

Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oriental Institute (北京中医药大学东方学院)

Langfang Health Vocational College (廊坊卫生职业学院)

Beijing Peking University Founder Software Vocational Technical College (北京北大方正软件职业技术学院)

China Civil Aviation Management Institute (中国民航管理干部学院)

Location and Environment

Oriental University City is strategically located along the Jing-Jin-Tang Expressway (京津塘高速公路), the “golden section” between Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津). It is positioned 30 km west of Beijing and 60 km east of Tianjin, near the Bohai Sea. This location is at the core of the “Greater Beijing” (大北京) development strategy, making it a “golden land” where various resources converge.

In November 2001, Jiang Zemin (江泽民), then General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China, visited Oriental University City and praised it as an “innovative achievement.”

Teaching Facilities

Library

The Oriental University City Library is located to the east of the Arc de Triomphe (凯旋门) within the campus, covering an area of 20,000 square meters. It is a modern library that can accommodate 3,000 readers at once. The library primarily offers electronic books in cooperation with the National Digital Library (国家数字图书馆), allowing users to access resources directly via broadband. It also houses over 100,000 physical books, including large reference books, foreign-language books, and specialized professional texts.

Additionally, the library provides specialized spaces for various universities within the campus, allowing both internal and external students to access materials.

Grand Auditorium

The Grand Auditorium is located on the west side of the Arc de Triomphe, covering a total area of 6,006 square meters. With a seating capacity of 1,300 people, the auditorium is ideal for events, lectures, and performances. The auditorium is equipped with a 340-square-meter stage, 14 curtains, a wide screen for projection, and advanced sound and lighting facilities, ensuring a high-quality viewing experience.

Education Development Building

The Education Development Building (教育发展大厦) is a 12-story, golden arc-shaped building located in the first-phase development area. Covering an area of 53,000 square meters, the building houses several financial institutions, including branches of Bank of China (中国银行), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (中国工商银行), and Langfang City Commercial Bank (廊坊市商业银行).

The building also includes a 600-square-meter multifunctional hall on the 11th floor that can hold around 350 people. The hall hosts various cultural, entertainment, and academic exchange activities. The second to tenth floors offer luxury office spaces, available for lease or sale to the universities or companies located within the campus.

Art Training Base

The Music Live Art Training Base is a joint project between Oriental University City and Yunnan Satellite TV (云南卫视). This venue is equipped with international-stage sound systems and equipment. Each year, numerous famous music stars, such as Qi Qin (齐秦), Qi Yu (齐豫), Fang Zuming (房祖名), Huang Pinyuan (黄品源), Shui Mu Nian Hua (水木年华), Zero Point Band (零点乐队), Zhang Liangying (张靓颖), He Jie (何洁), and Da Zhang Wei (大张伟), participate in live events here.

The Music Live venue also serves as a professional teaching and training base for students at Langfang Oriental Vocational and Technical College (廊坊东方职业技术学院), part of Oriental University City. This initiative is a bold attempt to combine vocational skills training with practical experience in the entertainment industry. In July 2010, the “Search for the Voice of the Wolf” (寻找狼的声音) competition, led by Qi Qin, was launched at this venue.

Additionally, the campus’s restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets host internships for students, providing practical training opportunities.

Cultural Palace

The Cultural Palace (文化宫) within Oriental University City has a total construction area of 19,400 square meters. The first floor features an roller skating rink, while the second floor contains a gym and boxing room. These facilities serve as recreational spaces for students residing in the university town.

Living Facilities

Canteen Scale

Oriental University City (东方大学城) features 10 canteens, each with the capacity to serve 5,000–6,000 students. These canteens offer a variety of dining options, including general cafeterias as well as food stalls providing local snacks from various regions.

Banking Services

Bank of China (中国银行), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (中国工商银行), and Langfang City Commercial Bank (廊坊市商业银行) have set up branches within Oriental University City, offering services such as deposit business and agency fee payment.

Telecommunication Facilities

Branches of China Netcom (中国网通), China Telecom (中国铁通), China Mobile (中国移动), and China Unicom (中国联通) are present in the university city to provide telecommunication services.

Medical Services

To ensure the health of both students and faculty, Oriental University City has partnered with the China Petroleum and Natural Gas Group Corporation Central Hospital (中国石油天然气集团公司中心医院) to establish a community healthcare service department within the campus. This department offers general medical consultations, urgent care referrals, health check-ups, and other services. Additionally, there is a clinic operated by the district health department, which is equipped with an ambulance.

Other Facilities

Within the university city, there are various shopping venues, such as Hualian Shopping Center (华联商厦), University Student Mall (大学生商场), and Oriental Mall (东方商厦), which offer various cultural and daily living products. Food streets feature over 60 specialty snack shops from around the country. To assist faculty, students, and staff with mailing and subscriptions, Langfang City Post Bureau (廊坊市邮政局) has set up a post office branch in the city.

The city also hosts a local portal, providing a platform for regional information, second-hand transactions, housing rentals, and job opportunities, making it a comprehensive regional information management system.

Transportation Guide

Beijing Routes: The Beijing 805 (北京805路) and 805 Express Bus (805路快公交车) pass through the city, with multiple stops along the route, offering direct access to Beijing Station (北京站) with a fare of 13 RMB.

Langfang City Routes: Langfang 12 (廊坊12路) and 21 (廊坊21路) buses run every 5 minutes, providing direct service to the city’s train station.

Within the city, taxis, service vehicles, and sightseeing electric cars offer quick and convenient transport options.

Geographic Advantages

Langfang City (廊坊市), where Oriental University City is located, enjoys a unique geographic advantage. Situated between Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津), Langfang benefits from the highly concentrated talent and research systems in these two major cities. With a developed and efficient transportation network, along with a large consumer market, Langfang is a region abundant in land and human resources. The environment is both beautiful and hospitable, offering a blend of urban modernity and rural charm. Known as the “Pearl of the Beijing-Tianjin Corridor” (京津走廊明珠), Langfang is proud of its modern technological achievements as well as its rich natural surroundings.

Land Use Controversy

On June 2, 2005, the Audit Office (审计署) released the second audit announcement of the year, revealing the results of an audit investigation into the development of higher education parks in four cities. The audit found that Oriental University City faced issues such as illegal land approval and high loan-to-debt ratios, resulting in repayment risks. By the end of 2005, local government departments had taken disciplinary actions against 8 key responsible individuals. Much of the illegally occupied land was returned to its original owners.