Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University is a long-established and highly regarded institution of higher education located in Hangzhou, a historic and cultural city and scenic tourist destination in China. Its predecessor, Qiushi Academy, was founded in 1897 and was one of the earliest modern higher education institutions established by Chinese people themselves. In 1928, it was named National Zhejiang University. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the entire university moved west and operated for seven years in places including Zunyi and Meitan in Guizhou, returning to Hangzhou in autumn 1946. During the national restructuring of higher education departments in 1952, some of its departments transferred to other universities and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The main body remaining in Hangzhou was divided into several specialized institutions, which later developed into the former Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University. In 1998, these four universities, sharing a common origin, merged to form the new Zhejiang University, beginning a new journey toward becoming a world-class university. While leading Zhejiang Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally maintained contact with Zhejiang University, visiting 18 times to provide guidance and issuing a series of important instructions on its reform and development, outlining an ambitious vision for a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. Throughout its 120-year history, Zhejiang University has upheld the fine tradition embodied in its motto, “Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation,” taking responsibility for the wider world and grounding itself in truth. It has gradually developed shared values of “Diligent Learning, Cultivating Virtue, Clear Discernment and Earnest Practice,” and a university spirit of “Embracing All Streams, Seeking Truth and Cultivating Virtue, Exploring Knowledge and Guiding the People, and Building Our Nation.”

Zhejiang University is a comprehensive, research-oriented and innovative university with distinctive characteristics and considerable influence in China and abroad. Its disciplines span 12 categories: philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, the arts, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine and management. It has 7 faculties, 41 specialized schools or departments, 1 school of engineering, 2 Chinese-foreign cooperative schools, and 7 affiliated hospitals. It has 7 campuses—Zijingang, Yuquan, Xixi, Huajiachi, Zhijiang, Zhoushan and Haining—covering 7392273 square meters, with a total building area of 4701128 square meters and library holdings of 8.22 million volumes. As of the end of 2025, Zhejiang University has 70918 full-time students, including 28945 undergraduates, 28701 master’s students and 21609 doctoral students. It has 6787 international students, including non-degree students, of whom 4716 are pursuing degrees. It has 9787 faculty and staff, including 4611 full-time teachers. Its teachers include 30 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 20 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In 2022, Zhejiang University was selected for the second round of the Double First-Class initiative, with 21 disciplines on the list for first-class development. The great majority of its disciplines made encouraging progress in the fifth round of national discipline evaluation. According to ESI data, as of March 2025, 15 disciplines ranked in the top 1% of academic institutions worldwide and 7 ranked among ESI’s top 100, both placing the university second nationally. Eight disciplines ranked in the top 1‰ and 5 among ESI’s top 50, both placing it first among Chinese universities.

Centered on the core requirement of “Integrity and Ability, with All-Round Development,” Zhejiang University fully implements the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. It aims to cultivate high-caliber innovative talent and leaders with global competitiveness and well-rounded moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and practical development. Its long history has produced many renowned scientists, cultural masters and leading figures in all sectors, with more than 200 alumni elected as academicians of the two academies. Its educational thinking has evolved with the times, keeping it at the forefront of reforms in educational and teaching models among Chinese universities. Its rich campus culture, advanced teaching facilities and broad international exchanges provide excellent conditions for student development. The initial employment rate for the class of 2017 reached 97.22%, and 61.97% of undergraduate graduates pursued further studies in China or abroad.

Zhejiang University emphasizes rigorous scholarship and scientific and technological innovation. It has developed a series of open, international, high-level academic platforms that bring together leading scholars and outstanding research teams across disciplines. In recent years, major research indicators—including invention patents granted, papers published in authoritative academic journals and total research funding—have remained among the best at Chinese universities, yielding substantial achievements in science and technology and the humanities and social sciences. The university actively addresses major national and regional strategic needs, aiming to become a high-level source of innovation, generator of talent and repository of ideas. Since the 12th Five-Year Plan, it has led projects that received 1 special prize, 6 first prizes and 37 second prizes in the National Science and Technology Progress Awards. Its cultural preservation and innovation achievements, including A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings, the Chinese Rites Collection and Dunhuang studies, have had widespread influence in China and abroad.

“A great seat of learning stands on the shores of Zhejiang.” Today’s Zhejiang University will continue to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guide and uphold its spirit of seeking truth and pursuing innovation. In accordance with the goals and tasks set by its 14th Party Congress, it will firmly establish a commitment to first-class achievement, focus closely on first-class goals, and rigorously implement first-class standards. Dedicated to disseminating and creating knowledge, promoting and leading culture, and serving and contributing to society, it will work steadfastly to accelerate its entry into the ranks of world-class universities with Chinese characteristics and advance toward the forefront of world-class universities, making outstanding contributions to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of human civilization.