Tsinghua University facts for kids
|
清华大学
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Seal of Tsinghua University
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motto | 自强不息、厚德載物 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motto in English
|
Self-Discipline and Social Commitment | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Established | 1911 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Endowment | ~$6 billion (2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Li Luming | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party Secretary | Qiu Yong | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Academic staff
|
3,565 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Students | 50,390 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 16,030 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postgraduates | 18,610 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15,750 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location |
Haidian, Beijing
,
China
40°00′00″N 116°19′36″E / 40.00000°N 116.32667°E |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Campus | 395 hectares (980 acres) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flower | Redbud and Lilac | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colors | Purple White |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliations | C9, AUA, AEARU, APRU, BHUA, CDIO | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 清華大學 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 清华大学 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Tsinghua University is a famous public university in Beijing, China. It is located in the Haidian area. The Chinese Ministry of Education supports and funds this university. Tsinghua is a member of the C9 League, a group of top universities in China.
The university campus is in northwest Beijing. It is built on the land of old imperial gardens from the Qing dynasty. Today, Tsinghua University has 21 schools and 59 departments. Students can study many subjects like science, engineering, arts, law, medicine, history, and economics.
Contents
- Discovering Tsinghua University's History
- Academic Programs and Research at Tsinghua
- How to Get Admitted to Tsinghua
- University Research Projects
- Tsinghua University Rankings
- Departments and Schools at Tsinghua
- Electrical Engineering Department
- Industrial Engineering Department
- Mathematical Sciences Department
- Precision Instrument Department
- School of Life Sciences
- Peking Union Medical College
- School of Economics and Management
- School of Journalism and Communication
- School of Law
- Graduate School at Shenzhen
- Exploring the Tsinghua University Campus
- Famous People from Tsinghua University
- Images for kids
- See also
Discovering Tsinghua University's History
Tsinghua University was started in Beijing during a time of big changes in China. This was when China had conflicts with other countries.
How Tsinghua University Began (1911–1949)
After the Boxer Rebellion, a revolt against foreign influence, China had to pay money to several countries. The United States decided that the money they were owed was too much. So, in 1909, the U.S. government agreed to use some of this money for scholarships. These scholarships would help Chinese students study in the United States.
Using this special fund, the Tsinghua College opened on April 29, 1911. It was built on the site of a former royal garden in Beijing. The college was a school to prepare Chinese students to study in America. Teachers for science subjects came from the United States. Students who graduated from Tsinghua could go straight into American universities.
In 1914, a famous scholar named Liang Qichao gave a speech. He talked about the idea of an ideal gentleman. From his speech came Tsinghua's motto: "Self-Discipline and Social Commitment."
In 1925, Tsinghua College started its own four-year university programs. It also opened a research center for Chinese studies. In 1928, the school changed its name to National Tsinghua University.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, many Chinese universities had to move. This was to avoid the Japanese invasion. In 1937, Tsinghua University joined with Peking University and Nankai University. They formed the Changsha Temporary University in Changsha, Hunan. Later, this merged university became the National Southwestern Associated University in Kunming, Yunnan. After World War II ended, the Tsinghua part of the university returned to Beijing.
Tsinghua University After 1949
After the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, China became the People's Republic of China. The president of Tsinghua University at that time, Mei Yi-chi, and many professors moved to Taiwan. There, they started a new school in 1955. This school later became the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. It is a separate university from Tsinghua University in Beijing.
In 1952, the Chinese government reorganized universities. They wanted each school to focus on a specific area, like engineering or social sciences. Tsinghua University then focused mainly on engineering and natural sciences.
From 1966 to 1976, China went through a difficult period called the Cultural Revolution. During this time, many university students stopped going to classes. Some joined groups like the Red Guards. The university almost completely shut down. Teachers were unable to teach. It was not until 1978, after the Cultural Revolution ended, that Tsinghua University started accepting students again. It began to become important in China once more.
In the 1980s, Tsinghua University started to offer more than just engineering. It brought back many different subjects and schools. These included the Tsinghua Law School, the School of Economics and Management, and schools for sciences, life sciences, humanities, and arts.
In 1996, the School of Economics and Management teamed up with the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. A year later, they started a joint MBA program. In 1998, Tsinghua was the first Chinese university to offer a special law program for American law.
Tsinghua University in the 21st Century
Many important people have graduated from Tsinghua University. These include China's current leader, Xi Jinping, who studied chemical engineering. Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao also graduated from Tsinghua. He studied hydraulic engineering. Tsinghua is also known for inviting famous international leaders to speak, like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair.
As of 2018, Tsinghua University has 20 schools and 58 departments. It also has many research institutes and laboratories. In 2006, the famous Peking Union Medical College was renamed "Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University." They are still technically separate schools. Tsinghua University offers many different degree programs. These include over 82 bachelor's degrees, 80 master's degrees, and 90 PhD programs.
In 2014, Tsinghua started Xinya College. This college is a special project to improve how undergraduate students learn. It is like colleges in the U.S. and Europe. Xinya combines general education with specific job training. Students study Chinese and Western literature and history. They also take physical education and foreign language classes. Unlike most Tsinghua students, Xinya students can choose their main subject later, after their first year. This lets them explore different fields.
In 2016, the Schwarzman Scholars program was created. It has a large fund of almost $400 million. This program chooses 100–200 students from around the world each year. They get a one-year, fully paid master's degree in leadership. The goal is to train future global leaders. These students live at Schwarzman College on the university campus.
In 2024, Tsinghua announced a change in its leadership structure. The university president's office joined with the university's Communist Party committee. This means the Party committee will now directly manage the university.
Academic Programs and Research at Tsinghua
Tsinghua University does a lot of research. It offers many degree programs through its 20 colleges and 57 departments. These programs cover a wide range of subjects. They include science, engineering, arts, social sciences, law, and medicine. Tsinghua is part of many international university groups. These include the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and the Association of East Asian Research Universities.
How to Get Admitted to Tsinghua
Getting into Tsinghua University is very difficult. For students from China, admission is based on the gaokao. This is China's national college entrance exam. Very few students who take the exam get into Tsinghua.
Getting into Tsinghua's graduate schools is also very competitive. For example, only about 16% of students who apply for the MBA program are accepted each year.
University Research Projects
Research at Tsinghua University gets a lot of money from the government. This funding comes from national programs and special projects. In science and technology, this funding is over 20 billion yuan. This money supports more than 1,400 projects at the university every year. As the government plans to invest more in science and technology, Tsinghua's research is expected to get even more support.
Tsinghua University has many scientific research centers. Some are approved by the government. Others are set up by the university itself. Some are even created with other organizations. As of December 31, 2022, Tsinghua University has 428 research centers.
Tsinghua University Rankings
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World | 22 (2023) |
| QS World | 20 (2025) |
| QS Employability | 6 (2022) |
| THE World | 12 (2024) |
| THE Reputation | 8 (2023) |
| USNWR Global | 23 (2022–23) |
| Regional – Overall | |
| ARWU Asia | 1 (2023) |
| QS Asia | 3 (2023) |
| QS BRICS | 1 (2019) |
| THE Asia | 1 (2023) |
| THE Emerging Economies | 2 (2022) |
| USNWR Asia | 1 (2022–23) |
| National – Overall | |
| BCUR National | 1 (2023) |
| QS National | 1 (2019) |
| THE National | 1 (2023) |
| USNWR National | 1 (2022–23) |
Tsinghua University is often ranked among the best universities in Asia. It is also highly ranked worldwide. For example, Times Higher Education ranked Tsinghua as No. 1 in China and the Asia-Oceania region. It was also ranked 8th globally for its reputation.
In 2020, Tsinghua was ranked 15th in the world by QS World University Rankings. It was also ranked 6th globally for how well its graduates find jobs. As of 2023, the "Shanghai Ranking" placed Tsinghua University 22nd in the world. It was 1st in Asia & Oceania.
Research Performance Rankings
In terms of research, Tsinghua University is also very strong. As of 2021, it ranked 3rd among universities worldwide by SCImago Institutions Rankings. The Nature Index 2022 ranked Tsinghua 7th globally for high-quality research in natural science.
For sciences in general, the 2023 CWTS Leiden Ranking placed Tsinghua University 3rd in the world. This was based on how many of its scientific papers were among the top 1% in their fields.
Subject-Specific Rankings
Tsinghua University is highly ranked in many specific subjects. For example, in 2021, it ranked 6th globally in "Education" and 7th in "Clinical, pre-clinical and Health" by the Times Higher Education Rankings by Subjects.
Since 2015, Tsinghua University has been ranked as the best global university for Engineering by the U.S. News & World Report. As of 2021, it is also ranked number one globally in Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
In the ARWU's 2020 rankings, Tsinghua is among the world's top five universities in subjects like "Telecommunication Engineering," "Civil Engineering," and "Chemical Engineering." It is also in the top 10 for "Electrical & Electronic Engineering" and "Computer Science & Engineering."
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
36
2
11
7Departments and Schools at Tsinghua
Tsinghua University has many different schools and departments. Each one focuses on specific subjects.
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrical Engineering Department
The Electrical Engineering Department at Tsinghua University is very important for China's power grid. They research areas like:
- Power Systems: How to make power systems safe, stable, and controlled.
- High Voltage: How to handle very high electricity voltages safely.
- Electric Machines: Studying large machines and special motors, like those in electric cars.
- Power Electronics: How to use electronics to control power systems and renewable energy.
- New Electrical Engineering Technology: Basic theories of electromagnetism and how to use them.
Industrial Engineering Department
The Industrial Engineering Department (Tsinghua IE) has three main groups:
- Operations Research & Data Science
- System Operation and Digital Management
- Human Factors and Human-System Interaction
They also run special centers with other organizations:
- Institute of Quality and Reliability
- Institute of Industrial Culture
- Center for Smart Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Mathematical Sciences Department
The Department of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) was first created in 1927. In 1952, it joined with Peking University's math department. It was later renamed in 1979 and then again in 1999 to its current name.
Today, Tsinghua DMS has three institutes:
- Pure Mathematics
- Applied Mathematics and Probability and Statistics
- Computational Mathematics and Operations Research
About 400 undergraduate students and 200 graduate students study here.
Precision Instrument Department
The Department of Precision Instrument started in 1960. Its goal is to "support national development and improve people’s well-being."
Research in Precision Instrument
Research in this department is split into four main areas. These are led by its research institutes:
- The Institute of Opto-electronic Engineering
- The Institute of Instrument Science and Technology
- The Engineering Research Center for Navigation Technology
- The Center for Photonics and Electronics
The department also has three important laboratories:
- The State Key Laboratory of Tribology
- The State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments
- The Key Laboratory of High-accuracy Inertial Instrument and System
It also has two national engineering research centers.
Education in Precision Instrument
Students in this department can study two main subjects: instrumental science and technology, and optical engineering. There are six teaching labs and centers that help students learn. They offer over 40 courses for undergraduate students and 25 courses for graduate students.
School of Life Sciences
The School of Life Sciences began in 1926 as the Department of Biology. A botanist named Qian Chongshu was its first leader. In the 1950s, the Department of Biology joined other universities. For almost 30 years, Tsinghua did not have a biology department.
In 1984, the Department of Biology officially reopened. It changed its name to the School of Life Sciences in 2009. As of 2013, Dr. Wang Hongwei leads the school. It has 129 professors and staff. About 600 undergraduate students study here.
Peking Union Medical College
The Peking Union Medical College was started in 1917. It was based on the U.S. medical education system. Tsinghua opened its own medical school in 2001. In 2006, Tsinghua's medical school joined with Peking Union Medical College. It was renamed "Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University." This school is still a top medical school in China. It is also the only medical school linked to the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. It has a very competitive medical program. Only 90 students are accepted each year into its 8-year MD program.
School of Economics and Management
The School of Economics and Management started in 1926. This is when Tsinghua University first created its Faculty of Economics.
School of Journalism and Communication
The Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication (TSJC) opened in April 2002. It used to be part of the Chinese Language and Literature Department. The school teaches about international communication, film, new media, and media business. Its goal is to train talented media professionals. It also offers a two-year graduate program in international business journalism. This program is supported by Bloomberg L.P. and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).
The school has five research centers. These centers organize and conduct academic research.
School of Law
Legal studies at Tsinghua University go back to the "Tsinghua College" days (1911–1929). Many students from that time went to study law in Western countries. These graduates became important in law and diplomacy.
The Tsinghua University School of Law was officially started in 1929. At that time, legal education focused on international affairs and Chinese law. The law school grew a lot before 1937. Many Chinese legal scholars graduated during this period.
In 1952, the law school was closed. This was because Tsinghua University was changed to focus on engineering. Law courses were still taught at Tsinghua from the early 1980s.
On September 8, 1995, the Tsinghua University Department of Law was reopened. On April 25, 1999, it became the "School of Law." The new law school continues the traditions of the old one. It also adds international aspects to its programs. Because of its excellent teachers and students, the Tsinghua University School of Law is now one of the top law schools in China. Since 2011, it has often been ranked as the best or second-best law school in mainland China.
Graduate School at Shenzhen
The Graduate School at Shenzhen was created by Tsinghua University and the Shenzhen city government. It is directly connected to Tsinghua University in Beijing. The campus is located in the University Town of Shenzhen. It opened there on October 18, 2003.
This school trains top professionals and works on new scientific and technological ideas. It has several academic divisions:
- Life Science and Health
- Energy and Environment
- Information Science and Technology
- Logistics and Transportation
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Social Sciences and Management
- Ocean Science and Technology
Exploring the Tsinghua University Campus
The campus of Tsinghua University is in northwest Beijing. It is in the Haidian district, an area known for universities. The campus is built on the land of old Qing dynasty royal gardens. It has beautiful Chinese-style gardens and traditional buildings. But many buildings also have a Western style. This shows the American influence on the university's history.
Tsinghua University's campus is known for being one of the most beautiful in the world. In 2010, Forbes magazine named it one of the most beautiful college campuses. It was the only university in Asia on that list.
Many architects helped design the buildings on campus. An American architect named Henry Killam Murphy designed early buildings. These include the Grand Auditorium and the Science Building. Other famous Chinese architects also designed buildings on the campus.
The university's Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology is on a separate campus. This campus is in a northern part of Beijing.
The Tsinghua History Museum shows the university's past. It has old documents, pictures, and artworks. These tell the story of Tsinghua University. The museum also honors the people who helped the university grow.
Famous People from Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University has many famous graduates. These include people who became important in politics, academics, and business. Forbes magazine has called Tsinghua China's "power factory." This is because so many senior Chinese politicians have graduated from there.
Famous graduates who have held high positions in Chinese politics include:
- Current President of China, Xi Jinping
- Former President of China, Hu Jintao
- Former Premier, Zhu Rongji
Since 2016, many more Tsinghua graduates have become important politicians compared to other universities.
Famous graduates in science include:
- Nobel laureate Yang Chen Ning (Physics)
- Mathematician Shiing-Shen Chern
- Biologist Min Chueh Chang
- Theoretical physicist Zhou Peiyuan
Tsinghua is known for educating the most billionaires in China. As of 2017, 152 billionaires were Tsinghua alumni. These include people like Sun Hongbin (real estate) and Zhang Zetian (e-commerce).
Famous graduates in arts and poetry include:
- Author Qian Zhongshu
- Poet Wen Yiduo
- Historian and poet Wang Guowei
The Tsinghua Clique
The term Tsinghua clique refers to a group of Chinese Communist Party politicians. They all graduated from Tsinghua University. Many of them are thought to have ideas about reform and democracy. Some studied in the United States after graduating from Tsinghua. Their rise to power began around 2008.
Images for kids
-
Entrance to "工 Shape Hall", the former Qing Prince's Mansion and the current office of the president
-
Sculptural artworks on the campus
-
Tsinghua campus scenery
-
A teaching and protected heritage building (the former Tsinghua College)
-
The Old Library building of the Tsinghua University Library
-
A Qing dynasty Jinchun Garden on the Tsinghua University campus
-
A pathway in the campus
-
Zeng Xianzi Building
-
The old Science Building
-
A building from the old student dormitory
-
The Shengyinyuan, built in 1946, contains numerous residential houses for the faculty
-
Hydraulic Experiment Hall
-
The old Electrical Engineering Hall
-
The old Chemistry Hall
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Tsinghua para niños
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School
- Peking Union Medical College
- National Tsing Hua University
- Tsinghua clique
- Tsinghua University Press
- Education in the People's Republic of China
- High School attached to Tsinghua University
- List of colleges and universities in Beijing
