Nanyang College was established in 2008. It was named after the predecessor of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Nanyang Public School.

Staying true to the motto of Nanyang Public School, "Promote education, Inherit spirit", the College puts students first, promotes the spirit of Westward Relocation, the migration of teachers and staff from Shanghai Jiaotong University with better living and working conditions to work and live in the relatively developing western regions in late 1950s for the sake of national construction, uphold patriotism, collectivism, heroism, optimism, and a struggling spirit, and cultivates students who are firm in ideals and convictions, patriotic, knowledgeable and have great comprehensive ability. 

There is a Chinese saying that goes "it takes 10 years to grow a tree, but 100 years to rear people". A good education program always takes a long time to develop. Generations of Nanyang students have participated in national development, bringing honor to both the country and the world in the name of Nanyang. 

The staff members of the College include: the dean, Poon Chung-kwong, former president of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, one director and one associate director of college affairs and 10 counselors.

The college's head teachers, academic mentors, part-time mentors and off-campus counselors form an education team that combines both full-time and part-time members with complementary education inside and outside the school.

There are more than 2,400 students pursuing 10 majors including electrical engineering and computer science. Over the last decade more than 6,000 students have graduated from the college.