Tsinghua University Celebrates 100th Anniversary

April 25, 2011 Posted by China Briefing Reading Time: 2 minutes

Apr. 25 – Tsinghua University, one of China’s top higher learning institutions, celebrated its 100th anniversary at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. China’s key political leaders including President Hu Jintao and Vice President Xi Jinping, numerous industry leaders and business magnates, as well as over 120 foreign university presidents attended the convention. The recent series of events celebrating the university’s milestone attracted approximately 50,000 Tsinghua graduates to revisit their alma mater.

Starting as a small preparatory school for students that studied abroad, Tsinghua University has grown into one of China’s best universities featuring first-class education and advanced facilities. It has generated numerous senior party and governmental officials, famous scientists and business leaders – current Chinese President Hu Jintao, Vice President Xi Jinping, chief legislator Wu Bangguo, ex-Premier Zhu Rongji, as well as the earliest Chinese Nobel Prize winners Yang Zhenning and Li Zhendao, have all graduated from here.

President Hu, together with other representatives, addressed the convention and emphasized the importance of higher education in today’s information society. In his speech, Hu highlighted innovation as the main driving force of economic social development in the fast changing world, and stressed that intellectual innovation is the core factor of national competitiveness. Thus, the strategy to further explore human resources is crucial to all the countries.

Tsinghua University’s President Gu Binlin pointed out that the world is enjoying the advantage brought by civilization development, but also confronting the challenges brought by numerous issues such as environmental problems. Such a combined situation has given “a new and stricter demand for higher education.”

Yale University President Richard C. Levin, speaking on behalf of foreign university representatives, complimented Tsinghua’s efforts to achieve excellence in education. He believes that “increasing the quality of education around the world results in better informed and more productive citizens.” Carrying the same concerns over the multiple challenges human beings are faced with nowadays, President Levin believes that “better educated and informed citizens” will help confront these challenges.

Tsinghua University – background information
Established in 1911, Tsinghua founded its university section in 1925. The university boasted China’s earliest faculty that greatly valued the interaction between Chinese and Western cultures.

The university was molded into a polytechnic institute with a focus on engineering after the foundation of People’s Republic of China. It later experienced a rapid development into a comprehensive research university along with China’s opening policies since 1978.

Operating 15 schools and 55 departments, Tsinghua now has an enrollment of over 36,305 students. It also welcomes over 2,800 foreign students from countries all over the world every year.

Standing as an important institution producing talents and boosting scientific research, Tsinghua has also established multiple international partnerships. Currently, it has joint research centers with 27 foreign universities and more than 30 multi-national corporations.

The university controlled enterprise – Tsinghua Holdings Co., Ltd., was established in 2003 and boasts a series of subordinate companies that place focuses on industries of information technology, energy and environment, life sciences and technology services. At present, Tsinghua Holdings owns three listed companies, holds 20 companies, and holds shares in another 19 companies.

China’s Old School Academics