The invention relates to a catalyst and a method for synthesizing methyl glycollate and ethylene glycol by virtue of dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation, and mainly aims to solve the problems that the catalyst in the prior art is low in activity and poor in stability. The invention adopts a technical scheme that the catalyst for synthesizing methyl glycollate and ethylene glycol by virtue of dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation comprises the following components in percentage by mass: 0.01-30% of an active component Ag, 0-10% of an auxiliary agent and the balance of a carrier, wherein the carrier is at least one of titanium dioxide and a carbon carrier, the active component is Ag, and the auxiliary agent is at least one of Cu, Ca, Ba, Mg, Au, Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt, Ni, Zn and Zr; and the method for synthesizing methyl glycollate and ethylene glycol by virtue of dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation is also adopted. Therefore, the problems are well solved by the technical scheme, and the technical scheme can be used in a process for synthesizing methyl glycollate and ethylene glycol by virtue of dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation.