Nanjing University

Nanjing University (NJU; ) is a national public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is a member of the prestigious C9 League and the Double First Class University. NJU has two main campuses: the Xianlin campus in the northeast of Nanjing, and the Gulou campus in the city center of Nanjing. 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 National Central University, until it was renamed Nanjing University in 1950. It merged with the University of Nanking in 1952. NJU is perennially ranked one of the best research universities in China, and one of the most selective universities in the nation. As of 2023, Nanjing University ranked 7th in China and 95th globally by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The university ranks 94th in the world by the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities. Regarding scientific research output, the Nature Index Annual Table 2023 ranked Nanjing University the No.3 university in China and the Asia Pacific region, and 5th in the world among global universities (after Harvard, UCAS, Stanford, and USTC). In 1902, Sanjiang Normal College (三江師範學堂) under the new educational system, using Japanese modern higher institutions of learning as references, was beginning to be established to replace the traditional Chinese school Nanking Academy, and was opened in the next year, with campus constructed south to Qintian Mountain. The name was changed to Liangjiang Normal College (兩江師範學堂) in 1906, and the new president Li Ruiqing (李瑞清) established the first faculty of modern art in China. In 1915 after the Republic of China replaced Qing dynasty, the Nanking Higher Normal School (南京高等師範學校) was founded to replace Liangjiang Higher Normal School which was closed three years before due to Xinhai Revolution, Jiang Qian was appointed as the president. The school established the China's first faculty of modern gymnastics (physical education) in 1916.