Xiangtan University (XTU) is a comprehensive university selected in the Double First-Class University list, which was founded in accordance with Chairman Mao Zedong’s initiative in 1958. On September 10, 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong inscribed the Chinese characters of Xiangtan university and told its faculty members to“MakeItAGoodOne”. In 1974, Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian, and other national leaders approved the resumption of its academic activities. In 1978, the State Council designated XTU as one of the 16 comprehensive National Key Universities in China. In 1981, it became one of the first universities qualified to confer master’s degree. Since then, Hua Guofeng, Jiang Zemin, Li Peng and other national leaders have successively visited, showing great care and support for XTU. On September 6, 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction that he wished Xiangtan University to be much better and characterized as a university located in the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong. In February 2022, XTU was selected in the Double First-Class University list.