Nanjing University


Nanjing University is a public university in Nanjing and Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. It is affiliated and sponsored by the Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction. The university is a member of the C9 League.
Established in 1902 as Sanjiang Normal School, Nanjing University underwent a number of name changes, such as Nanjing Higher Normal School, National Southeastern University and, until it was renamed Nanjing University in 1950. It merged with the University of Nanking in 1952.
Nanjing University has four campuses: the Xianlin campus in the northeast of Nanjing, the Gulou campus in the city center of Nanjing, the Pukou campus in the Pukou District of Nanjing, and the Suzhou campus in the city of Suzhou.

History

Faculties

Its faculty, including part-time faculty, includes more than twenty Nobel Laureates engaged in teaching. The university is a Double First-Class Construction university in 15 academic disciplines.

Culture

Motto

Nanjing University's motto is "Sincerity with Aspiration, Perseverance with Integrity". The first part of the motto, "Sincerity with Aspiration," originated during the university's period as the historical National Central University, while "Perseverance with Integrity" draws inspiration from classical Chinese aphorisms.
Historically, Li Ruiqing, president of Liangjiang Higher Normal School, the precursor to Nanjing University, inscribed the motto "One who chews on the roots of vegetables can accomplish great things". Later, during the National Central University era, President Luo Jialun formally adopted "Sincerity with Aspiration" as the university's motto. Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Nanjing University underwent a series of reorganizations and consolidations, and a formal motto was not established for an extended period. The current motto, "Sincerity with Aspiration, Perseverance with Integrity", was adopted during the university's centennial celebration in 2002 under the leadership of then-President Jiang Shusheng, following extensive consultation with faculty and students.

Song

The school song of Nanjing University was composed in 1916 and originally served as the school song of Nanjing Higher Normal School, with the lyrics written by Jiang Qian and melody composed by Li Shutong.

Rankings

As of 2025, Nanjing University was ranked 7th in China, 14th in Asia and 68th worldwide in terms of aggregate performance from the four most widely observed university rankings. Nanjing University ranked 7th in China, 14th in Asia and 62th globally by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It also ranked 6th in China, 15th in Asia and 75th globally by the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Regarding scientific research output, the Nature Index Annual Table 2025 ranked Nanjing University the 6th university in China and the Asia-Pacific region, and 7th in the world among global universities.
Nanjing University consistently features in the top 150 global universities as ranked by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the U.S. News & World Report. The joint THE-QS World University Rankings 2007 ranked Nanjing University 4th in China, 17th in Asia and 125th in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011 placed Nanjing 120th in the world, 16th in Asia and 4th in China. In 2017, Nanjing University was ranked 91-100 for World Reputation Ranking by Times Higher Education, and 114 by QS World University Rankings. In 2017, its Graduate Employability rankings placed at #101 globally in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings. Nanjing University has been consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the world by Nature Index since 2016 by Nature Portfolio.
Chinese university ranking, conducted since 1999 by the higher education publisher Netbig, consistently ranked the university among the top 3 before 2005, and in the most recent ranking among the top 5. Academic Ranking of World Universities, conducted since 2003 by Shanghai Jiaotong University, suggested a domestic rank of number 2 to number 7.

Academics

List of schools and departments

Notable alumni and people

  • Nanjing University ranks No.1 in the number of alumni elected as academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and/or Chinese Academy of Engineering graduated in recent more than 30 years since college admission entrance examination system was recovered in 1977 after Cultural Revolution.
  • In the first time Examination for senior civil service post of Republic of China in 1931, top 100 were selected, all were males, among them 25 are graduates of Nanjing University, including Zhuangyuan Chow Bangdao, who was later president of China Medical College and Political Deputy Ministry of Examination, ROC, and the school in the second place is Peking University, with 8 graduates. In the second time exam held in 1933, there were females passed, half of whom graduated from Nanjing University, as well as Zhuangyuan Lee Hsuehteng, who graduated from law school and later became Chief Justice of ROC Supreme Court. One-fourth of Chief Justices in the early 60 more years of Republic of China are National Central University alumni.
  • Of 53 first-time elected academicians of Academia Sinica in natural science including mathematics, 28 were graduates or once faculty members of Nanjing University.