Tan Kah Kee, a leader of the overseas Chinese, founded Xiamen University in 1921, and it was the first university in China founded by an overseas Chinese. It remained private until July 1937, when it became state-run. During the war it moved to Changting in western Fujian, where it operated for eight years, and it returned to Xiamen in 1946. In 1952 it became a comprehensive university of arts and sciences, and in 1963 it was designated a state key university.
The university has four campuses: Siming, Zhangzhou, Xiang’an and the Malaysia branch. According to its Chinese website it has seven academic divisions, 39 schools and 19 research institutes covering 12 disciplinary categories. It reports more than 50,000 students, of whom over 22,000 are undergraduates, over 20,000 master’s students and over 7,800 doctoral candidates, taught by more than 3,000 full-time teachers.
Xiamen University Malaysia in Sepang, Selangor, held its opening ceremony for pioneer students on 22 February 2016 after a groundbreaking in July 2014, and it is described as the first, and so far the only, overseas branch campus entirely established by a Chinese university under the Double First-Class Initiative. Xiamen entered Project 211 in 1995 and Project 985 in 2000. The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 places it in the 101-150 band, and Times Higher Education lists it equal 224th in its World University Rankings 2027.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong ties with Southeast Asian universities. Collaborations with industries in Fujian province.
Research:
Catalysis & Green Chemistry, Oceanography & Coastal Zone Management, Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology, AI & Information Technology.
Famous Alumnis:
Lu Xun (taught), Zhang Gaoli
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2800
Current students***:
40000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Beautiful coastal campus, strong in chemistry and marine sciences, good international atmosphere.
Cons
Engineering programs are developing but may not be as prominent as specialized tech universities.
Best For
Comprehensive university with strong programs in chemistry, marine science, and materials engineering.
Ocean University of China in Qingdao is a marine specialist, with oceanography, marine biology and aquaculture, and marine engineering among its main fields.
Nankai University in Tianjin shares Xiamen's chemistry, physics and life sciences core as a comprehensive university.
Lanzhou University lists chemistry, physics and life sciences as main fields, giving it a science profile close to that of Xiamen.
Within the same province of Fujian, Fuzhou University adds chemical engineering, civil engineering and computer science to a regional mix.
Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou pairs life sciences with materials science and computer science.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Dalhousie University in Canada is known for ocean studies, health professions and law, and so matches Xiamen's marine strength within a broad university.
University of Bergen in Norway works in marine science and climate research, a good comparison for Xiamen's oceanography and marine programmes.
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in Germany lists marine sciences, nanoscience and materials science, and life sciences, which overlaps with Xiamen's marine and materials fields.
In the United Kingdom, University of Southampton combines engineering with ocean and earth science and computer science, a comparable seaside research university.
University of Hawaii at Manoa in the United States specialises in oceanography, astronomy, and Asian and Pacific studies, a marine-oriented university that also looks across the Pacific.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Who founded Xiamen University and when?
Tan Kah Kee, a leader of the overseas Chinese, founded it in 1921. It is described as the first university in China founded by an overseas Chinese.
What happened to the university in the war years?
Until July 1937 it was a private university, and it then became state-run. After the war of resistance broke out it moved to Changting in western Fujian, returned to Xiamen in 1946, and became a comprehensive university of arts and sciences in 1952.
Where are the Xiamen University campuses?
The university lists four campuses: Siming, Zhangzhou, Xiang'an and the Malaysia branch campus. Its Chinese website gives seven academic divisions, 39 schools and 19 research institutes.
Is there a branch campus abroad?
Xiamen University Malaysia stands in Sepang, Selangor, and held its opening ceremony for pioneer students on 22 February 2016, after a groundbreaking on 3 July 2014. It is described as the first, and so far the only, overseas branch campus entirely established by a Chinese university under the Double First-Class Initiative.
How many students attend Xiamen University?
The university reports more than 50,000 students, including over 22,000 undergraduates, over 20,000 master's students and over 7,800 doctoral candidates. It also lists more than 3,000 full-time teachers.
What is the school motto?
The motto is "Pursue Excellence, Strive for Perfection", which appears on the university's English pages. Both the university and its law school present it as the guiding motto.
Where does the university stand in world rankings?
The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 places it in the 101-150 band, and Times Higher Education 2027 lists it equal 224th. Tuition differs by programme and nationality, so applicants should consult the international admissions pages of the official English website.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
Innovation.world is not affiliated with this school/university. We recommend to contact them directly on their website for any special request.
To complete or correct any information here or share your opinion, please comment below or > send us a direct message <.
