An artist's design of the Hangzhou graduate school at Beihang University [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

The Hangzhou research institute for graduate students at Beihang University has officially started construction in Binjiang district in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, local media reported on Sept 24.

Covering an area of 74,220 square meters, the new facility features a green landscape and is designed to be a training base for top brains with an international vision at Beihang University, and boost the innovative development of Hangzhou High-tech Zone (Binjiang) and Hangzhou as a whole.

The institute will be dedicated to major research areas including artificial intelligence, computer software, information materials, electronic information, quantum science and cyberspace security.

It is expected it will recruit 2,000 graduate students, 200 teachers and another 200-400 staff in the long run.

Founded in 1952, Beihang University was the first university in China to focus on education and research in aeronautics and astronautics.