1887, Gustav Derting, a British German, called a foreign businessman and asked for sponsorship to invest in the establishment of a university, and he got a response. His idea was approved by Li Hongzhang and he was promised a place as the school site. They built a German Germanic style building as a teaching building in the southeast of the police headquarters in Tianjin German Concession, and began to recruit senior intellectuals from China. The name of the school is Tanney College, also known as Tianjin Bowen College.

During the period of 1892, Detering hired Tenney Charles Daniel, a graduate of the Royal College, among foreigners to set up a cram school in the college. A few years later, all the students in this class reached the entrance level. 1895 10 2, Sheng Xuanhuai, Tianjin Guanlu, told Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty to set up a new school through Zhili Governor Wang Wenshao. Emperor Guangxu approved the establishment of Tianjin Beiyang Western School, with Sheng Xuanhuai as the first inspector. With the participation of Sheng Xuanhuai and Zhili Governor Wang Wenshao, 125 freshmen enrolled in Chen Na Public School, which was later renamed Tianjin Beiyang Western School.

1896, Beiyang Western School was officially renamed as Beiyang University Hall, which is the first institution of higher learning named after "University Hall" in China. 19 12 1, Beiyang University Hall was renamed Beiyang University Hall, which was directly under the Ministry of Education of the then National Government. 19 17, the Ministry of Education of the National Government adjusted the departments of Beiyang University and Peking University. Beiyang University was changed into an engineering major, the law department was merged into Peking University, and the engineering department of Peking University was merged into Beiyang University. Since then, Beiyang University has entered the era of specialized engineering.

1928, Beiping University District was established, and Beiyang University was changed to the Second Institute of Technology of Pingda University. The university district system was soon changed to Beiyang Institute of Technology. 1On July 7, 937, Japan launched a full-scale war of aggression against China. On July 30th, Tianjin fell. 10 In September, the Ministry of Education ordered the establishment of Xi 'an Temporary University based on Beiping University, Beiping Normal University, Beiyang Institute of Technology and Beiping Research Institute. 1938 In March, Xi 'an Temporary University was renamed National Northwest United University. In July, the Ministry of Education instructed Northwest Associated University to be reorganized into National Northwest University, National Northwest Institute of Technology, National Northwest Normal University and National Northwest Medical College.

1August, 945, Tianjin was recovered after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. The Ministry of Education officially ordered the restoration of the National Beiyang University, focusing on the original site of Tianjin Xigu Beiyang University. Since then, the teachers and students of Taishun Beiyang Institute of Technology, Beiyang Institute of Technology Xijing Branch, Northwest Institute of Technology and Beiping Department (Chen Jinmin, Dean of the School of Science, obtained the "Fifth Resettlement of Beiping Linda" and established Beiping Department of Beiyang University) have returned to Tianjin to attend the resumption of studies. 10 year 10 22, Beiyang university officially resumed its studies, with Mao Yisheng as the president and two public schools 12 departments. 195 1 In September, Beiyang University merged with Hebei Institute of Technology (founded in February 1903) by the order of the Ministry of Higher Education of the People's Republic of China. There are great differences on the name of the merged school. Later, Liu Xiying (Chairman of the School Affairs Committee of Beiyang University) fought for it and changed its name to Tianjin University. The school is located in Nanqili, the old city of Tianjin.