Xiamen University#History

{{Infobox university

| name = Xiamen University

| native_name = {{native name|zh-cn|paren=no|厦门大学}}

| former_name = Amoy University

| motto = 自强不息，止于至善{{cite web|url=http://anniversary.xmu.edu.cn/s/62/t/216/p/1/c/3445/list.jspy |title=Hallmarks |website=Xiamen University 90th Anniversary Celebration |publisher=Xiamen University |access-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404074738/http://anniversary.xmu.edu.cn/s/62/t/216/p/1/c/3445/list.jspy |archive-date=4 April 2013 }}
{{lang|nan-latn|Chū-kiông put-sek, chí u chì-siān}}

| mottoeng = Pursue Excellence, Strive for Perfection

| image_name = Xiamen University logo.svg

| image_size =

| image_upright = .7

| caption = Seal of the University since 1921

| established = {{start date and age|df=y|1921}}

| type = Public university

| president = Zhang Rong

| city = Xiamen

| province = Fujian

| country = China

| students = 28,133

| undergrad = 20,277

| postgrad = 16,562

| affiliations = Project 985
Project 211
Double First-Class Construction
GU8

| faculty = 4,600+

| campus = urban, 524.3 ha

| colours =

| nickname =

| website = {{URL|https://www.xmu.edu.cn|xmu.edu.cn}}
{{URL|https://en.xmu.edu.cn|en.xmu.edu.cn}}

| logo = Xiamen University Wordmark.png

| logo_upright = .7

| doctoral = 4,297

| module = {{infobox Chinese

| child = yes

| s = 厦门大学

| t = 廈門大學

| p = Xiàmén Dàxué

| poj = Ē-mn̂g Toā-o̍h

| order = st}}

}}

Xiamen University (XMU; {{zh|s=厦门大学|labels=no}}) is a public university in Siming, Xiamen, Fujian, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction.

Founded in 1921 by Tan Kah Kee, a Chinese patriotic expatriate businessman in Singapore, the university has been perennially regarded as one of the top academic institutions in Southern China, with strengths in mathematics, chemistry, oceanography, economics, management, law, communication and political science.

{{as of|April 2023|post=,}} over 45,000 students are enrolled at Xiamen University, including more than 21,000 undergraduates, over 19,000 master's students, and over 5,000 doctoral candidates.{{Cite web |title=学校简介-厦门大学 |url=https://www.xmu.edu.cn/sdgl/xxjj.htm |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=xmu.edu.cn}}

Xiamen University is proactive in international exchanges and collaboration. It has forged partnerships with 263 universities abroad and engages in substantial exchanges with 53 institutions. In July 2014, the groundwork for the Xiamen University Malaysia campus was initiated, marking it as the first Chinese university to pioneer an independent campus overseas.

History

= Private period =

File:Panoramatic view of xiamen university at sunset.jpg

In 1919, Tan Kah Kee, a Chinese expatriate in Singapore, businessman, investor, and philanthropist, donated then 4 million dollars to endow Amoy University in the city of Amoy (former romanization of 'Xiamen' until 1970s). When the university was founded in 1921, there were no more than 20 faculty members and just 98 students.

At the 1926 Sesquicentennial International Exposition in Philadelphia, United States, Amoy University was one of five institutions selected to participate in an exhibit on education in China, representing the country's higher education system.{{Cite web|title=Xiamen University´s Glorious Historical: Participant in 1926 Philadelphia World Expo|url=http://ice.xmu.edu.cn/english/showletter.aspx?news_id=2649|access-date=2018-02-10|website=ice.xmu.edu.cn}}

= National university period =

In 1937, Tan transferred administration of the university to the Nationalist government, and the institution became a national university.{{Cite book |last=洪永宏、未力工 |title=厦门大学校史 |publisher=Xiamen University Press |year=1990 |isbn=9787561525449 |trans-title=History of Xiamen University}}

File:Chenjiageng.JPG

File:ChinaXiamenUniversity.jpg

File:Xiamen Daxue 20120226-09.jpg

File:A statue of Chen Jingrun.JPG (陈景润)]]

In 1938, at the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the university was temporarily relocated to Changting in western Fujian to escape Japanese invasion of Chinese coastal regions.

In 1946, after the war, the university moved back to Xiamen and resumed normal operations.{{Cite web |title=八闽文脉·记忆｜鼓浪屿上的厦大往事 - 文教 - 东南网 |url=https://fjnews.fjsen.com/2023-06/12/content_31336439.htm |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Fjsen}}

In 1952, it was transformed into a comprehensive university embracing both arts and science.{{Cite web |title=【看大学历史】1952年院系调整之厦门大学 |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/www.sohu.com/a/68406483_308851 |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=www.sohu.com}}

In 1963, it was designated as a key university in China.

In 1995, Xiamen University was selected to participate in Project 211, a Chinese government initiative to provide increased financial resources for the country's most promising universities.

In 2000, the university was selected for 985 Project, a national and local government initiative to provide funding for facilities construction and faculty hiring to bolster China's top universities.

On January 25, 2013, the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia submitted an invitation letter to Xiamen University to establish a branch campus in Malaysia.

On July 3, 2014, the foundation of Xiamen University Malaysia Campus was laid near Kuala Lumpur.

On February 22, 2016, Malaysia Campus officially opened.{{Cite web |title=厦门大学马来西亚分校 |url=https://read01.com/zh-cn/GRQQ3y.html}}

In September 2017, the university was recognized as a Class A institution in the Double First Class University Plan, a Chinese government initiative to cultivate a group of elite Chinese universities into "world-class" institutions by 2050.{{cite news |url=http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0921/c90000-9272101.html |title=China to develop 42 world-class universities | work=People's Daily |date= 21 September 2017}}

International cooperation

Xiamen University has maintained a global presence since its creation in 1921, attracting students from overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. The institution established an "Overseas Correspondence Courses" program in 1956 and accepted its first foreign students in 1981.{{Cite web|url=http://ice.xmu.edu.cn/english/showletter.aspx?news_id=3174|title=Xiamen University on the global stage|website=ice.xmu.edu.cn|access-date=2018-02-10}} Xiamen University now has an extensive portfolio of international collaborations, including an International Cooperative Program for Innovative Talents funded by the China Scholarship Council,{{cite web

| title = XMU's talent project approved by China Scholarship Council

| url = https://en.xmu.edu.cn/fd/3d/c10847a326973/page.htm

| publisher = Xiamen University

| date = 20 Jan 2018

| access-date = 12 Dec 2018

}} and global exchange and cooperation relationships with over 300 universities.{{Cite web|url=http://en.xmu.edu.cn/11100/list.htm|title=Overview|website=en.xmu.edu.cn|access-date=2018-02-10}} It has established 16 Confucius Institutes with partner institutions in 13 countries.

In 2011, China government and Malaysian government began high-level discussions about creating a Malaysian branch of Xiamen University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/02/23/xiamen-officially-opens-pioneer-group-of-students-start-studies-at-malaysian-campus/|title=Xiamen officially opens - Nation {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2018-02-10}} Subsequently, in 2015 the Xiamen University Malaysia Campus was established. Known as "XMU Malaysia," the institution has been described as "historic" and is notable as the "first ever large-scale international branch" of a Chinese university.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/07/going-global-china-exports-soft-power-with-first-large-scale-university-in-malaysia|title='Going global': China exports soft power with first large-scale university in Malaysia|last1=Bevins|first1=Vincent|last2=Phillips|first2=Tom|date=2017-07-07|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-10}} Professor Wang Ruifang was named the first chancellor of XMU Malaysia.

On May 23, 2016, Xiamen University sent a delegation to the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Tokyo, Japan to meet with leadership and professors. The delegation's objective was to discuss the institutions' strategies for commercializing research findings, fostering university-industry collaboration, and encouraging international students to learn about local language and culture.{{Cite news|url=https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/news/2016/035782.html|title=Xiamen University delegation visits Tokyo Tech|work=Tokyo Institute of Technology|access-date=2018-02-10|language=ja}}

On November 18, 2016, Xiamen University and Cardiff University in Wales, United Kingdom initiated a "strategic partnership" including a program for co-supervision of doctoral students, and £1.2 million in seed funding for "collaborative research projects" to benefit the economy of Wales.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/international/international-partnerships/xiamen-university|title=Cardiff University|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en}} Subsequently, a delegation from Cardiff University visited the Xiamen University School of International Relations to explore possible areas of research collaboration and student exchange.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/517180-school-delegation-visits-partner-university-in-xiamen|title=School delegation visits partner university in Xiamen|work=Cardiff University|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en}}

Xiamen University also hosts recurring China study programs for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Eckerd College{{Cite web|url=https://www.eckerd.edu/east-asian-studies/study-abroad/|title=Study Abroad|website=East Asian Studies {{!}} Eckerd College|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-09}} and Bentley College in USA, and University College Utrecht in the Netherlands.{{Cite web|url=http://oec.xmu.edu.cn/english/showwebsite.ashx?website_id=236|title=Overseas Education College of Xiamen University|website=oec.xmu.edu.cn|access-date=2020-02-09}}

In cooperation with Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand, Xiamen University operates a Confucius Institute at Mae Fah Luang University's Sirindhorn Chinese Language and Culture Center.{{Cite book |last=Han |first=Enze |title=The Ripple Effect: China's Complex Presence in Southeast Asia |date=2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-769659-0 |location=New York, NY |pages=61}}

Campuses

= Main campus (Siming campus) =

File:廈門大學校園俯瞰圖.jpg

The main campus of XMU is located in Siming District on Xiamen island, covering an area of 167 hectares. It is situated at the foothills of mountains, facing the ocean and surrounded by Xiamen bay. It mainly houses such academic divisions as the Humanities and Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering and Technology.{{Cite web|title=Siming Campus|url=https://en.xmu.edu.cn/2016/0903/c10844a194394/page.htm|access-date=2021-12-21|website=en.xmu.edu.cn}}

The scope and level of its campus high-speed information network is rated first among all universities in China and has become one of the main nodes of CERNET2.{{Cite journal |title=Xia Men University MBA |url=https://mba.xmu.edu.cn/resources/MBAmanual.pdf |journal=}}

== Haiyun campus ==

The Haiyun Campus is part of the main campus, located near the Pearl Bay, south end of Xiamen, adjacent to Xiamen Software Park. The School of Software, School of Information Science and Technology, School of Mathematics Science are located in the campus.

= Zhangzhou campus =

Zhangzhou Campus is located in Zhangzhou China Merchants Economic and Technological Development Zone (CMZD), Zhangzhou, covering an area of 171 hectares, with architecture consistent with the main campus. In July 2012, most facilities were allocated to XMU Tan Kah Kee College. In September 2020, the new Xiamen University College of Creativity and Innovation moved to the campus, and part of the International College relocated back. The campus now hosts the College of Creativity and Innovation, International College, Gulei Petrochemical Research Institute, Institute of Industrial Technology, and XMU Tan Kah Kee College. It aims to be a hub for international cooperation, applied talent cultivation, result transformation, and talent gathering.{{Cite web|title=Zhangzhou Campus|url=https://en.xmu.edu.cn/2016/0903/c10844a194395/page.htm|access-date=2021-12-21|website=en.xmu.edu.cn}} In addition, the college actively organizes students to innovate and start businesses.{{Cite web |last=兴强 |first=刘 |date=2017 |title=大学生创新创业培养研究 |trans-title=Research on the cultivation of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship ability |url=https://www.cqvip.com/qk/89619x/201503/665724724.html}}

= Xiang'an campus =

In September 2012, Xiamen University began operations at its Xiang'an Campus, located 34 kilometers from the main campus. The three stated goals of the new campus are to provide facilities for "newly developing disciplines and applied subjects" such as bioscience and energy, to establish "innovation platforms for applied sciences," and to house the southern headquarters of the Confucius Institute.{{Cite web|url=http://liuxue.xmu.edu.cn/english/wboutwiangwanwampus/list.htm|title=About Xiang'an Campus|website=liuxue.xmu.edu.cn|access-date=2018-02-10}}

Currently, the Xiang'an Campus hosts over 10,000 students and faculty from ten schools: the Overseas Education College (which serves international students), the Medical College, the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the School of Life Sciences, the School of Public Health, the Nursing Department, the College of Earth Sciences, the College of Environment and Ecology, the School of Energy Research, and the School of Aerospace Engineering.{{cite web|author=WOXnews.com|date=10 August 2012|title=Xiang'an campus of Xiamen University to open in September|url=http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news26590.html|publisher=Whats on Xiamen, Inc.}}

= Malaysia campus (XMUM) =

Upon the invitation of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education to set up a branch campus in Malaysia, Xiamen University accepted the offer and thus, Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) was born in 2015.

In keeping with the vision of our founder Mr. Tan Kah Kee, XMU began in earnest to build our first offshore campus in Malaysia and became the pioneer university from China to establish a branch campus in Malaysia. XMUM aspires to become a university with a distinct global outlook, featuring first-class teaching and research, and embracing cultural diversity.

The campus is located in Bandar Serenia, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan. It is a 10-minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and a 15-minute drive from Putrajaya, the administrative center of the government of Malaysia.{{Cite web|title=Malaysia Campus|url=https://en.xmu.edu.cn/2016/0903/c10844a194397/page.htm|access-date=2021-12-21|website=en.xmu.edu.cn}}

Reputation and rankings

{{Infobox Chinese university ranking

| BCUR_N = 24

| WS_N = 26

| CUAA_N = 20

| QS_N = 19

| THE_N = 25–28

| LINE_1 = 0

| QS_A = 76

| THE_A = 67

| LINE_2 = 0

| ARWU_W = 151–200

| QS_W = =362

| THE_W = 301–350

| USNWR_W = 198

}}

Xiamen University has been consistently regarded as one of the top academic institutions in Southern China, with strengths in economics and management, fine arts, law, chemistry, journalism, communication, mathematics and political science.{{Cite web|title=Shanghai Ranking-Universities|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/xiamen-university|access-date=2021-09-24|website=www.shanghairanking.com}}

Among global university rankings, Xiamen University is ranked 362nd equal by the 2025 QS World University Rankings,{{Cite web |title=QS World University Rankings 2024 |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2024 |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=Top Universities |language=en}} 301-350th by the 2024 world university rankings of the Times Higher Education,{{Cite web |date=2023-09-25 |title=World University Rankings |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking#!/length/25/locations/CHN/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}} 198th by the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings and 151-200th worldwide by the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities.{{Cite web |title=ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities |url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/xiamen-university |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=www.shanghairanking.com}}

Faculties and research institutes

As of 1 September 2017, Xiamen University consisted of 20 schools with 44 departments, along with many key research institutes.

School of Humanities
School of Foreign Languages and Cultures
School of Journalism and Communication{{Cite web |title=厦门大学新闻传播学院-新闻研究室-中国新闻培训网 |url=https://www.xwpx.com/xwxy/2010/1229/article_169.html |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=www.xwpx.com}}
School of Law{{Cite web |title=厦门大学法学院 |url=https://law.xmu.edu.cn/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=law.xmu.edu.cn}}
Tan Kah Kee College
Xiamen Academy of International Law{{cite journal|last1=Aizenstatd|first1= Najman Alexander|title= International Law in China: The Xiamen Academy of International Law|publisher=International Law Quarterly, Florida State Bar|issue=Special China Issue |date=Fall 2010|pages= 26 |ssrn=1724504}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.xiamenacademy.org/|title=Xiamen Academy of International Law|website=www.xiamenacademy.org}}
School of Public Affairs{{Cite web |title=The department of Politics, Public administration |url=https://spa.xmu.edu.cn/en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=spa.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Economics{{Cite web |title=English -SOE |url=https://se.xmu.edu.cn/english/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=se.xmu.edu.cn}}
Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics{{Cite web |title=王亚南经济研究院 |url=https://wise.xmu.edu.cn/english/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=wise.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Management{{Cite web |title=SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, XIAMEN UNIVERSITY |url=https://sm.xmu.edu.cn/en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=sm.xmu.edu.cn}}
College of Art{{Cite web |title=厦门大学艺术学院 |url=https://art.xmu.edu.cn/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=art.xmu.edu.cn}}
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering{{Cite web |title=College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering |url=https://chem.xmu.edu.cn/en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=chem.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Physics and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering{{Cite web |title=厦门大学物理与机电工程学院简介及专业导航_金平果中国大学世界大学大学专业查询系统 |url=http://school.nseac.com/a/10384/10384016.html |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=school.nseac.com}}
College of Oceanography and Environment{{Cite web |title=厦门大学海洋与地球学院 |url=http://coeadmin.xmu.edu.cn/En/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=coeadmin.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Life Science{{Cite web |title=School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University |url=https://life.xmu.edu.cn/lifeen/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=life.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Information Science and Technology{{Cite web |title=厦门大学信息学院 |url=https://informatics.xmu.edu.cn/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=informatics.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Electronic Science &Technology{{Cite web |last=College) |first=School of Electronic Science and Engineering(National Model Microelectronics |title=School of Electronic Science and Engineering(National Model Microelectronics College) |url=https://ese.xmu.edu.cn/ese_en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=ese.xmu.edu.cn |language=en}}
School of Mathematics{{Cite web |title=School of Mathematical Sciences Xiamen University |url=https://math.xmu.edu.cn/en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=math.xmu.edu.cn}}
Software School{{Cite web |title=Software School of Xiamen University |url=https://software.xmu.edu.cn/View/en/index.aspx |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=software.xmu.edu.cn}}
Medical College{{Cite web |title=厦门大学医学院 |url=https://med.xmu.edu.cn/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=med.xmu.edu.cn}}
School of Architecture and Civil Engineering{{Cite web |title=Xiamen University School of Architecture and Civil Engineering |url=https://archt.xmu.edu.cn/eng/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=archt.xmu.edu.cn}}
Overseas Education College{{Cite web |title=School of International Chinese Education |url=https://oec.xmu.edu.cn/en/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=oec.xmu.edu.cn}}
Adult Education College{{Cite web |title=厦门大学继续教育学院 |url=https://nec.xmu.edu.cn/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=nec.xmu.edu.cn}}
Professional Technical College
Internet Education College
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences{{Cite web |title=药学院英文网站 |url=https://pharm.xmu.edu.cn/yxyen/main.htm |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=pharm.xmu.edu.cn}}

Notable alumni

Gregory Chow – economist
Chen Jingrun – mathematician
Lin Yutang – Chinese writer and inventor
Yu Guangzhong – Taiwanese writer, poet, educator, and critic
Xie Xide – president of Fudan University from 1983 to 1989
Lu Xun – writer
Raymond Lam – Hong Kong artiste and singer (enrolled for one year, 1996)
Faye Wong – singer
Wong Ker-lee – Fujianese Hong Kong businessman and politician
Zhang Gaoli – former Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
Li Wo-shi – magistrate of Kinmen County
Huang Wei – programmer
Bei Cun - avant-garde Christian novelist.
Tsai Chih-chan - poet and painter

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-china|title=Best universities in China 2018 |date=6 September 2017}}

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