The Xinjiang branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was established on July 30, 1957. As the only branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the minority autonomous region, it has served the economic, social and scientific development of Xinjiang since its establishment. Under the cordial care of the Communist Party of China for half a century, it has become an important base for comprehensive scientific research and high-level talent training in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang branch is responsible for the management of the Research Institute of CAS in Xinjiang, including cultivating the heads of institutions, organizing scientific and technological cooperation between CAS and local governments, coordinating regional innovation efforts and other local affairs.
Xinjiang branch is composed of one administrative organization, three research institutions with legal personality, one kindergarten and one logistics service center. These research institutions focus on 12 main directions, including oasis ecology and agriculture, desert environment and ecological restoration, biodiversity in arid areas, resource chemistry, material physics and chemistry, multilingual information technology, environmental engineering and technology, radio astronomy and technology, optical astronomy technology and application, applied astronomy, science and technology and application, etc.
As of December 2021, Xinjiang branch had 892 formal employees, including 579 researchers and technicians, accounting for 64.9%, including 1 academician, 183 researchers and senior technicians, 207 associate researchers and 207 senior technicians.
Xinjiang Branch administers 23 master programs and 15 Ph.D. programs. By the end of 2020, the enrollment was 827, of which 438 were Ph.D. students.
Xinjiang Branch attaches great importance to the cooperation between CAS and the local authorities, and has established scientific and technological collaborations and exchanged programs with many local governments, industrial enterprises and universities. With the guidance of the new academy-running policy, catering to the national and local strategic demands, Xinjiang Branch will further strengthen the collaborations both domestically and internationally and make new contribution in basic research, strategic hi-tech development and the studies concerning sustainable socio-economic development.