A diploma issued by a Chinese university over 100 years ago has been proclaimed the oldest college graduate certificate on Chinese mainland, West China City Daily reported on Sunday. The diploma, issued by Imperial Chinese Railway College, now Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), was written in English.

The Imperial Chinese Railway College was established by Beiyang Railway Bureau after receiving approval from the Guangxu Emperor during the Qing Dynasty. Different from traditional institutions, the Imperial Chinese Railway College focused on both theory and practice, using flexible education methods. In addition to academic studies, the college also promoted physical education.

The college was strict on both its entrance and graduation requirements. It was originally planned that 40 students would be recruited for the university’s first two classes, but fewer students were recruited in the end due to those strict standards. In 1900, only 17 of 39 students graduated. That class was made up of the earliest civil engineering graduates in the history of modern Chinese education. Zhang Xiaoji, the owner of the ancient diploma, was one of them.

The A2 paper-sized diploma is printed with “Imperial Chinese Railway College” in English at the top, and Zhang's name is written on the right side. The diploma also shows Zhang's grades on his graduation tests, including subjects such as English, Chinese, mechanics and drawing.

The diploma was donated to SWJTU by Zhang in the 1960s. But the university barely knew anything about Zhang except that he worked in the railway department.

Zhang Xueyong, a former professor at the SWJTU archives, disclosed that the university was established in 1896. Short of professional teachers, the faculty was all foreigners, Zhang explained. Therefore, the diplomas were written in English. Now the diploma has been added to the SWJTU archives.