Universities

Founded in 1952, the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) is a Beijing-based institution with two campuses: Xueyuan Lu in Haidian District and Fuxue Lu in Changping District. It evolved from the merger of law, political science, and sociology departments formerly housed at Peking University, Yenching University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Tsinghua University. CUPL offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes across law, political science, philosophy, economics, management, history, and education. The university comprises 19 schools and departments, alongside 10 university-level research institutes. With around 15,000 full-time students—including over 800 international students—and more than 800 academic staff, CUPL maintains a focused presence in legal and social sciences education. Its post-doctoral research centre supports advanced scholarly work in these fields.

Chongqing University (CQU) is a key national university directly under the Ministry of Education. It is a “211 Project” and “985 Project” university with support from central and local government. Founded in 1929, CQU has 28 colleges, plus the Graduate School, the City College of Science and Technology, the College of Continuing Education, and the College of Networking Education. Total enrollment is about 50,000: about 20,000 master’s and doctoral students and 30,000 undergraduates. The university has 24 postdoctoral mobile stations, 133 doctoral programs, 256 master’s programs, 18 professional master’s programs (including MBA, EMBA, MPA, and master of engineering), and 89 bachelor’s programs across science, engineering, liberal arts, economics, management, law, agriculture, and education. Staff: about 5,400 faculty and staff, including about 2,700 full-time teachers; 3 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and 12 contracted members from other institutions; 6 members of the Subject Appraisal Team of the Degree Committee under the State Council; 4 chief scientists of the National 973 Project; 4 state-level middle-aged or young experts with distinguished contribution; 500 doctorate supervisors; and 1,700 full professors and associate professors. CQU has exchange links with over 100 higher education institutions in about 20 countries, including the USA, England, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Holland, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.

Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications was established in 1950 and sits on the Nanshan hills in Chongqing. It specialises in information and communications technologies, with schools covering telecommunications engineering, computer science, automation, and management science. The university has awarded degrees to more than 90,000 graduates since its founding. Its academic staff include researchers and engineers with experience across national and international technical institutions. CQUPT offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes, with a particular emphasis on applied research in digital infrastructure and systems engineering.

The Communication University of China (CUC) is a “Project 211” key university under the Ministry of Education. It began in 1954 as a training center for technicians of the Central Broadcasting Bureau. In April 1959 it became Beijing Broadcasting Institute (approved by the State Council). In August 2004 it was renamed Communication University of China. It is in east Beijing near the Old Canal, on 473,000 m² of land with 383,000 m² of construction. Motto: integrity, professionalism, erudition, and competence. The university focuses on media and information communication fields and is widely known for radio and television training.

Dalian Maritime University (DMU) was founded in 1909. It is a major maritime university and the only key maritime institution under China’s Ministry of Transport. It is recognized by the International Maritime Organization as a center for maritime education and training. Programs: 6 post-doctoral research centers, 6 primary-discipline doctoral programs, 32 subordinate-discipline doctoral programs, 18 primary-discipline master’s programs, 97 subordinate-discipline master’s programs, and 51 undergraduate programs. About 19 teaching and research units include Navigation College, Marine Engineering College, Information Science and Technology College, Transportation and Management College, Environmental Science and Engineering College, Transportation Equipment and Ocean Engineering College, Law School, Foreign Languages College, Public Management and Humanities College, Department of Mathematics, and Department of Physics. About 20,000 students. More than 90,000 graduates have been trained at DMU, many working in China’s shipping industry. Facilities include maritime science buildings, a survival training center, harbor basin, library, swimming pool, planetarium, a training dock, over 100 laboratories (including a full-mission ship-handling simulator and an engine-room simulator), and two ocean-going training vessels

Dalian University of Technology (DUT) is a national key university under the Ministry of Education, in the coastal city of Dalian. It is strong in science and technology and also covers economics, management, applied liberal arts, foreign languages, and social sciences. It has a graduate school, 7 faculties, and 5 colleges, with about 32,000 full-time students. DUT has academic agreements with more than 120 higher education or research institutions in more than 20 countries and regions. The School of International Cultural Exchanges handles enrollment, teaching, and management of international students. About 6,000 students from 102 countries have studied at DUT for degrees or Chinese language training

Dongguan University of Technology (DGUT) is a public university in Dongguan, Guangdong. It focuses on engineering, technology, and applied sciences linked to the Pearl River Delta’s manufacturing economy. Undergraduate and postgraduate study emphasises industry-relevant skills for domestic and international students.

Donghua University (DHU) in Shanghai, founded in 1951, is a Ministry of Education university known for fashion design, textile engineering, and information technology. It has long hosted international students from many countries. Degree pathways span design, textiles, materials, and related engineering and management fields.

East China Normal University (ECNU) is a key university under the Ministry of Education and was part of Project 211 and Project 985. Founded in October 1951 from the former Great China University and Kwang Hua University, with parts of Fudan and Tongji and others. It was among the first 16 National Key Universities in 1959 (reaffirmed 1978), among the first 33 institutions authorized to set up graduate schools in 1986, joined Project 211 in 1996, and entered Project 985 after a 2006 Ministry of Education–Shanghai co-sponsorship agreement. Faculty: over 4,500 staff, including 1,986 full-time teachers (over 1,100 professors or associate professors); 11 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering (6 dual); 11 members of the State Council Academic Appraisal Committee; 8 Yangtze Scholar specially hired or lecture professors; 9 New-Century Talents Project state-level talents; 10 National Outstanding Youth Fund winners; 80 Zijiang Scholar specially hired or lecture professors; 105 tenured professors

Founded in 1952 in Shanghai, East China University of Science and Technology began as the nation’s first university dedicated to chemical engineering. It now operates across three campuses in Xuhui, Jinshan, and Fengxian districts. The university comprises 15 academic schools and five colleges, offering programmes across eleven disciplinary areas—from science and engineering to law, education, and the arts. It awards bachelor’s degrees in 61 fields, master’s degrees in 121, and doctoral degrees in 73, alongside professional master’s qualifications in business, public administration, law, and social work. With over 28,300 full-time students and more than 1,000 academic staff holding professorial or associate professorial rank, ECUST maintains a strong emphasis on research and multidisciplinary integration. Its academic identity remains rooted in its original specialisation while expanding into broader scientific and humanistic domains.

Fudan University, established in 1905, is situated in Shanghai’s Yangpu District and forms part of China’s national key universities. Its campus hosts over 30,000 students and includes five national key laboratories alongside a library holding more than five million volumes. The university comprises multiple schools and colleges, offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes across disciplines. Teaching and research span the humanities, sciences, medicine, and social sciences. Its location in central Shanghai supports close ties with academic, cultural, and professional communities in the city. The university operates primarily in Mandarin, though some postgraduate programmes are delivered in English.

Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) is a major higher education institution in Fujian with roots going back to the Agricultural Department of Fukien Christian College (1936) and Fujian Provincial Agriculture College (1940). It took its present name after the 2000 merger of Fujian Forestry College and Fujian Agriculture University. Located in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province. Over 2,300 faculty and staff, including more than 1,600 full-time faculty (about 800 full or associate professors). Structure: 23 colleges, 72 undergraduate majors across science, engineering, agriculture, economics, management, humanities, law, medicine, and related areas. Over 24,000 full-time undergraduates and about 4,000 graduate students. Eight post-doctoral research centers; eleven first-rate doctoral programs; 23 first-rate master’s programs; seven professional master’s programs. Also hosts a national science and biology center, a national key academic program, and a training center. Since 1978 FAFU has won 655 national and provincial science/technology and social achievement awards. It pioneered JUNCAO technology and has run 50 rounds of high-level international JUNCAO training for more than 1,662 trainees; the technology has been introduced to 87 countries )

Fuzhou University, founded in 1958 in Fuzhou, Fujian, is a Double First-Class university with strengths in science and engineering alongside economics and the arts. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and welcomes international applicants on open degree pathways.

Guangxi University was established in 1928. It is a regional comprehensive teaching-and-research university and the only university in Guangxi included as a key university in the National “211 Project.” It has 30 colleges covering philosophy, economics, law, liberal arts, science, engineering, agriculture, management, and education. Programs: 97 bachelor’s; 186 second-grade master’s; 58 second-grade doctoral; 7 postdoctoral research stations. Faculty and staff: 3,585, including 422 professors (144 doctoral supervisors) and 711 associate professors. Campus: 307.19 hectares; floor space 1,202,600 square meters; equipment worth RMB 478 million. Libraries hold 3.12 million print volumes, 1.98 million digital books, over 4,000 paper periodicals, and 17,000 electronic periodicals. It was among the first 66 universities certified by the Ministry of Education to recruit international students (recruitment began in 1961).

Guangzhou Medical University (GMU), formerly Guangzhou Medical College, was founded in 1958. It offers graduate and undergraduate programs. The main campus is in downtown Guangzhou near Liuhua Lake Park and Yuexiu Mountain. A new campus of about 247 acres is in Panyu District near the Pearl River. GMU has 15 schools, including Basic Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Management, Public Health, Nursing, Graduate School, International Education, Dentistry, Kingmed College of Laboratory Medicine, General Practice and Continuing Education, Health Vocational and Technical College, and four clinical schools. Undergraduate programs (19 full-time): Clinical Medicine, Medical Laboratory, Medical Imaging, Nursing, Anesthesiology, Dentistry, Clinical Medicine of Integrated TCM and Western Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Administration, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Psychology, Biotechnology, Biological Science, Law, Marketing, Statistics, Information Management & Information System, Food Quality and Safety. Graduate scale: 5 Level-I master’s programs; 35 Level-II master’s programs; 1 Level-I doctoral program; 1 postdoctoral research station. Clinical strengths: 5 state key clinical specialties and 39 provincial key clinical specialties.

Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (GZUCM) was founded in 1956 and is one of the four oldest Traditional Chinese Medicine higher-education institutions in mainland China. It has two campuses — San Yuan Li and Higher Education Mega Center — totaling about 920,000 square meters, with 15 schools and 10 research institutions. Bachelor programs: 20 programs spanning medicine, engineering, administration, economics, arts, education, and related fields. Postgraduate: 46 master’s and 19 doctoral programs in Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine; three postdoctoral centers. Enrollment: more than 20,000 students, including 14,692 undergraduates, 3,485 postgraduates, and 2,108 Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas students.

Guizhou University (GZU) is a key “211 Project” university jointly built by the Ministry of Education and the People’s Government of Guizhou Province. In 2012 it was listed among 14 universities in the Project for Improving Comprehensive Abilities of Midwestern Universities in China. Library: over 3.1 million regular books. Structure: 33 colleges; 136 undergraduate specialties across 11 branches including philosophy, economics, law, liberal arts, history, science, engineering, agriculture, and administration. Full-time enrollment: 55,121 students. Teaching staff: 4,003, of whom 2,714 are full-time teachers. International cooperation: relations with more than 140 academic institutions in over 40 countries and regions.

Hainan Normal University is in Haikou, a coastal tourist city and a national historical and cultural city. Hainan is China’s southernmost province and its only tropical island province. The climate is warm and subtropical, with an average yearly temperature of 23.8°C. Founded in 1949, it is a key higher education institution in Hainan Province. It has two campuses, Longkunnan and Guilin Yang, covering about 3,100 mu. The university has 25 schools, 65 undergraduate majors, 19 first-level master’s programs, 21 professional master’s programs, and 6 doctoral programs, so students can study from bachelor’s through doctoral level. About 25,000 full-time students study here, including more than 500 international students. There are 2,166 staff members, including 1,397 full-time teachers and researchers and 714 senior faculty. The university has 4 post-doctoral research stations and 21 academician innovation platforms. The Ministry of Education selected it as one of the second batch of pilot units for AI-powered teacher training. International student enrollment began in 1988. It was among the first institutions approved by the former State Education Commission to enroll international students, and one of the earliest Chinese language education bases set up by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council. It jointly runs a Confucius Institute with SEGI University in Malaysia. It can receive Chinese Government Scholarship students and International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship students, among other awards

Hainan University, formed in 2007 through the merger of two institutions, is a provincial-level comprehensive university jointly supported by the Hainan Provincial Government and the Ministry of Education. Its three campuses—Haidian (the main campus on Haidian Island in Haikou), Chengxi, and Danzhou—span around 830 acres across tropical southern China. The university hosts over 37,000 students and employs more than 2,400 faculty members, including nearly 1,600 full-time teaching staff. It organises studies across nine disciplinary categories, with distinctive strengths in tropical agriculture, marine science, and regional development linked to Hainan’s geography and administrative status. Four academic schools oversee 21 colleges, and the university maintains national and provincial research platforms, including a co-managed key laboratory and doctoral programmes across multiple disciplines.

Founded in 1953 in Harbin—a city on the banks of the Songhua River known for its winter climate—Harbin Engineering University evolved from the Harbin Military Engineering Institute. It is part of China’s national ‘211 Project’ and hosts a graduate school alongside a National University Science Park. The university focuses strongly on shipbuilding engineering, ocean exploration, and nuclear energy applications, with teaching and research shaped by this technical emphasis. Its campus supports over 30 academic disciplines delivered in English and draws students from more than 70 countries. With around 20 schools and institutes, HEU maintains a concentrated profile in engineering and applied sciences. Student numbers reflect its role as a national key university, particularly for maritime and nuclear-related fields.

Founded in 1920 in Harbin, northeast China, Harbin Institute of Technology is a national key university with strengths across engineering, science, management, and humanities. It hosts multiple schools and institutes, offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes. The campus spans several sites in Harbin, with the original campus situated near the city’s central walking street. HIT maintains a strong research orientation and a long-standing commitment to multidisciplinary education. Around 1800 international students from over 100 countries study at the university each year. Its location in Harbin provides a distinct regional context, shaped by both historical development and seasonal character.

Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) is a C9 League university, often called the “Cradle of Engineers.” In the 2025–2026 U.S. News World University Rankings for Engineering, HIT ranked third globally, with Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Electrical & Electronic Engineering among the top 10 worldwide. HIT also ranks among leading Chinese universities in major global rankings. Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen (HITSZ) was established in 2002 and is one of HIT’s three main campuses. It sits in Shenzhen, a core city of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. The campus has more than 14,000 students, including over 2,000 international students (more than 16% of the student body). Over 80% of full-time faculty have studied or worked abroad. Programs are aligned with regional development needs. Flagship fields include Computer Science and Technology; Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation; Civil Engineering; Architecture; and Economics. Shenzhen is often called “China’s Silicon Valley” and is a major high-tech and finance hub in the Greater Bay Area, close to Hong Kong )

Hebei Normal University in Shijiazhuang, founded in 1902, is a provincial normal university centred on teacher education. Programmes also cover literature, science, engineering, and management. International students can enrol in education and related degree pathways.

Hebei University is the only key comprehensive university co-established by the province and the ministry. It is near Beijing: about 30 minutes by light rail, or 1–1.5 hours by train or car. Its predecessor was Tianjin Business University, founded by the French Society of Jesus; later stages included Tianjin Business Institute, Jinggu University, Tianjin Normal Institute, and Tianjin Normal University. The name Hebei University was confirmed in 1960, and the university moved to Baoding, a national historical and cultural city, in 1970. It has 29 colleges and 5 common teaching departments; 87 undergraduate majors; 189 master’s programs; 19 professional master’s programs; 37 doctoral programs; and 6 post-doctoral research stations ) It has partnerships with more than 100 universities worldwide, Confucius Institutes at Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Xavier University of Louisiana (USA), and language centers in Britain, Mongolia, South Korea, Russia, and Malaysia. Teachers have been sent overseas and international experts invited to lecture. International students have been enrolled since 1965. More than 3,000 doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, and short-term students from over 50 countries have studied here. The university can accept Chinese Government Scholarship students and is a new HSK test center