Xiamen University - History

History

In 1919 Mr. Tan Kah Kee (陳嘉庚; pinyin: Chen Jiageng), the well-known overseas Chinese leader, donated millions of dollars to establish and endow Xiamen University, officially founded in 1921. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious and selective universities in China.

Mr. Tan handed over Xiamen University to the government in 1937 due to lack of funds, and the institution subsequently became a national university.

In 1938, at the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the university temporary relocated to Changting in Min Xi (闽西) county, western Fujian.

At the end of World War II in 1946, Xiamen University moved back to Xiamen and resumed normal operations.

In 1952, Xiamen University became a comprehensive university, and has been designated as a national key university since 1962.

Then, in 1952 it became a comprehensive university embracing both arts and science. In 1963, it was designated as a state key university. In 1995, it was included in the list of the “211 Project” for the state key construction; in 2000, it became one of China’s higher-level universities designated for the state key construction of the “985 Project”.

Xiamen University has long been considered to be a "diplomatic cradle" where many children of Chinese and foreign dignitaries go for their higher level education. Although the actual reason for the high concentration of diplomatic children is unknown, it is rumored that the reason is due to the abundance of foreign national professors as well as its proximity to southern Asian countries in case of national emergencies. Various wealthy Hong Kong families also seem to like Xiamen University as a reputable place for their children.