Southwest University of Political Science and Law is located in Chongqing City, the upstream area of Yangtze River. It is the first established higher political and legal institutions, the first batch of key universities since the reform and opening up and the first batch of cultivation and education base of outstanding legal talents. SWUPL is also the key university co-administrated by Ministry of Education and Chongqing Municipality.
During 65 years’ constant efforts, SWUPL abided by its school motto “Learn extensively, practice devotedly, embrace virtue and stress law”, insisted on the university operation idea as “Teaching solidities the school, talents thrive the school, research strengthens the school and managing the school according to law", gradually condensed the “SWUPL Spirit” of “Vision, Effort, United and Discretion”.
Currently there are two campuses in SWUPL, of which the main campus is in Yubei District, and the other one is in Shapingba District, covering a total area of more than 3000 mu (approximately 500 acres, or 2 km2). Yubei campus is the education center for undergraduates and postgraduates, while Shapinba campus is founded for continuing education and cadre training, now the enrolled students are more than 25000 and staff are more than 2300 in total.
SWUPL gives priority to legal science, seeks multi-disciplinary coordinated development of philosophy, economics, literature ,management and engineering, etc., with economic law and procedural law as national key programs. A multi-level and multi-type pattern of fostering talents from undergraduates, postgraduates, doctoral education, continuing education to education oriented to overseas students has been founded.
There are 14 schools, including School of Civil and Commercial law, School of Economic Law, Law School, School of Administrative Law, School of International Law, School of Criminal Investigation, School of Management, School of Economics, School of Foreign Languages, School of Journalism and Communication, School of Politics and Public Administration, School of Marxism, School of Applied Law, and School of Juris Master. SWUPL is qualified to recruit students recommended for admission, high-level athletes, mainland Tibetan classes, mainland Xinjiang Classes, Hong Kong ,Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese joint admission, test-free students from Hong Kong and students recommended for admission from Macao. Also, SWUPL is granted to start independent recruitment.
By virtue of the fine tradition and solid strength of running school, widespread social awareness and alumni’s outstanding contribution to state construction, the “SWUPL Phenomenon” recognized by the whole society has been achieved.
65 years since the foundation of the University, SWUPL has developed a multi-level and multi-type specialized personnel more than 200,000, which is the university that provided the most personnel for the Rule of Law in China. A large number of alumni have become backbones and leading figures in construction of rule of law or economic construction and other relevant professions.
Up till now, nearly 10 alumni of SWUPL have assumed the members of the 18th Session of the Central Committee of CPC, Central Discipline Inspection Commission members and alternate members of the Central Committee, and more than 60 alumni have assumed the officials at(beyond) the Level of Province and Department. Moreover, nearly 40 alumni of SWUPL were or are state chief grand justice or procurator, and one-grade or two-grade grand justice or procurator.
Among national well-known colleges and universities or research institutions like Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Fudan University, Wuhan University, The University of Hong Kong, University of Macau and Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other law faculties (departments) ，there are graduates of SWUPL teaching or researching there, and many presidents of law departments are alumni of SWUPL.
In the seven times of “Top 10 Outstanding Young Jurists of China” organized by the China Law Society, there have been 18 alumni of SWUPL were named. In 2011, in the ranking list of “Chinese outstanding humanities and social scientists” released by Chinese University Alumni Alliance Network, many alumni and teachers of SWUPL are selected, ranking the top 10 in the colleges and universities in the country.
Today, SWUPL is in the critical stage of deepening the reforms in an all-round way and comprehensively promoting ruling of law, and it is faced with new missions, new challenges, and new opportunities. The entire students, faculties and staffs, rooted in improving the quality of talent training, are taking actively actions and endeavoring, and making further efforts in playing the role of education and teaching, science researching, social services and cultural heritage. Basing itself in southwest of China, SWUPL will strive to cooperate with the whole country, increase its international profile, improve its performance in teaching, academic research and training of students, so as to promote the sound and rapid development of the university and build it into “high-quality research-oriented university that is first-class in China and well-known in the world and has its distinctive strengths”.