Peking University

Peking University or Beijing University is a comprehensive and national key university. The campus, known as "Yan Yuan"（the garden of Yan）, is situated at Haidian District in the western suburb of Beijing, with a total area of 2,743,532 square metres (or 274 hectares). It stands near to the Yuanmingyuan Garden and the Summer Palace.

 

Peking University is proud of its outstanding faculty, including 53 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 7 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and 14 members of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

 

The university has effectively combined research on important scientific subjects with the training of personnel with a high level of specialized knowledge and professional skill as demanded by the country's socialist modernization. It strives not only for improvements in teaching and research work, but also for the promotion of interaction and mutual promotion among various disciplines.  

 

Thus Peking University has become a center for teaching and research and a university of a new type, embracing diverse branches of learning such as basic and applied sciences, social sciences and the humanities, and sciences of medicine, management, and education. Its aim is to rank among the world's best universities in the future.

 

Founded in 1898, Peking University was originally known as the Imperial University of Peking. It was the first national university covering comprehensive disciplines in China, and has been a leading institution of higher education in China since its establishment. It also served as the highest administration for education at the beginning of its founding. 

 

In 1912, the university adopted its present name. At the end of the 20th century, the Chinese government put Peking University at the top of its agenda for promoting higher education, with the aim to build a world-class university in the 21st Century. After merging with Beijing Medical University in 2000, Peking University once again was strengthened in its disciplinary structure. 

 

Peking University has continually played the essential role of pioneers in the course of China's modernization. The university's traditional emphasis on patriotism, progress, democracy, and science, together with its educational standards of diligence, precision, factualism, and innovation, have been passed down from generation to generation. 

The students of Peking University enjoy a rich and vibrant campus life. Peking University has been famous for its student activities ever since the time of its foundation. Enjoying the full support from the university, students are encouraged to experience colorful campus lives. There are more than two hundred student-organized associations, and a range of student activities running year-round, which satisfy the different demands of local as well as international students. Through these activities, students cultivate their interpersonal friendship, creativity and leadership.

 

Every year, there are several carefully designed festivals and activities, which are regarded as main campus events. Some of them are annual, such as New Year’s Eve Celebration, or the International Cultural Festival. Others may be the result of the university encouraging students to follow current trends or explore new activities; the Singing Competition for Foreign Students is one such new event.

 

In this way, students at Peking University not only receive a comprehensive and prestigious academic education, but also experience a balanced life, consisting of a vibrant array of student organizations and activities, leadership development opportunities, international programs and athletic competitions. Being a student at Peking University, you have the privilege of making good use of her resources to work towards realizing your dreams. The university seeks to fulfill its commitment to free speech and inquiry with the importance of an education that encompasses the whole person in mind. We expect all students to be open to the numerous challenges and opportunities our institution provides and offers.

Source: english.pku.edu.cn