“We emphasize public values, capabilities, and innovation,” says Cao Xuetao, the university’s president. “These are integral to our Nankai spirit.” Now, under the ‘make Nankai excellent’ plan, these core ideals are guiding Nankai University toward further greatness.

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Since its founding in 1919, Nankai University has forged a strong academic reputation. Known as the ‘North Star’ among China’s higher education institutions, it has gathered many academic leaders over the years, and inspired generations of students, building a model for higher education in China. Aimed at making an impact on society, the university has produced many results that have brought significant socioeconomic benefits.

“We emphasize public values, capabilities, and innovation,” says Cao Xuetao, the university’s president. “These are integral to our Nankai spirit.” Now, under the ‘make Nankai excellent’ plan, these core ideals are guiding Nankai University toward further greatness.

Continually innovating

The dramatized story of a Nankai University pioneer has enthralled theatre audiences across China, and symbolizes the institution’s value to the country. The play is based on the story of its former president, Yang Shixian, a chemistry pioneer who spearheaded the development of China’s first-generation organic pesticides, and founded the Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry at Nankai. His influential work has drawn many talented young researchers, who in turn, cultivated many bright students, putting Nankai on the map as China’s ‘cradle of chemists’, a reputation it still enjoys.

Yang’s story typifies Nankai’s historic commitment to research that aims to address socioeconomic development needs. Later generations of Nankai researchers have taken up the mantle of useful research. The team led by chemist, Li Zhengming, has developed affordable green, effective pesticides that increase farming profits. Research results by Nankai researchers have also been used in technology to detect hazardous gases on spacecraft, such as Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2, contributing to China’s manned space programme.

Other recent breakthroughs include the use of robotic technology in cell micro-manipulation, leading to the birth of the world’s first robot-cloned piglets; the development of organic solar cells that set a new record in sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency; the discovery of novel molecular mechanisms underlying inflammatory immune responses, contributing to progresses in immunotherapy; efficient synthesis of a natural product that can be used to treat glioma, a category of brain tumour; and the development of automated bridge crane systems that have significantly improved work efficiency and safety.

These research results have put Nankai among the top 10 in China in the Nature Index annual tables released in 2019, and 47th among global academic institutions. Its chemistry is ranked 10th globally among academic institutions in the Nature Index. In 2018, Nankai had eight scholars selected as Clarivate ‘highly-cited researchers’ of the year. It is also a leading Chinese university in the number of citations in the recent 10 years of its cumulative papers published in Science Citation Indexed journals.

With 26 colleges and 92 undergraduate programmes, Nankai has one of the most comprehensive academic programmes in the country. While the university was selected into the national ‘double first-class’ initiative, its chemistry, material science and engineering, mathematics, statics and world history programmes were also designated as ‘double first-class’ subject areas. As a national research and teaching centre, Nankai also has 21 national-level key research institutions in natural sciences and seven in social sciences.

An active player at the forefront of scientific research, Nankai is making changes to improve its research capacities. As part of the ‘make Nankai excellent’ plan, the university is to capitalize on its existing strengths in natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, enhance its edge in engineering and biomedicine, and boost the development of emerging interdisciplinary fields, seeking to address national strategic needs.

Cultivating capable talent

The emphasis on public values, capabilities and innovation is also at the core of education at Nankai. Providing a quality environment for the 30,000-plus students, allowing them ample freedom for academic exploration, including interdisciplinary innovation, is considered a fundamental remit at Nankai. The university encourages its world-class researchers to participate in undergraduate teaching, leading to many popular classes well received among students.

Being able to participate in research innovations, Nankai’s undergraduates have won many competitions. They are also encouraged in entrepreneurship, and are given opportunities to win funding for their startups.

Encouraging students’ sense of social commitment, Nankai also offers diverse platforms for field trips and internships, which enable students to continue learning by putting theories and knowledge into practice. Field trips and social service activities organized by the university also support poverty alleviation in China’s underdeveloped regions, with a public spirit ethos underpinning its teaching.

Going global

Pushing Nankai into the ranks of world-class universities was integral to the ultimate goal of early founders of Nankai. In its early years, the university attracted many world-class scholars of the time and produced many renowned alumni.

As China’s reform was taking shape in the 1980s, the university continued luring world-class scholars from abroad, including renowned mathematician, Shiing-Shen Chern, also a Nankai alumnus, who was regarded as the ‘father of modern differential geometry’, and Florence Chia-ying Yeh, a scholar of classical Chinese poetry. With strengthened ties with international academic communities, Nankai is increasing its global influence.

In 2016, the university launched a ‘Global Nankai’ plan, aiming to build its global reputation by making its talent training, faculty, research and campus more international. With the launch of the ‘make Nankai excellent’ plan in its centennial year, it is poised to become a world-class university. Its commitment to contributing to public welfare and progress has extended beyond China. Just as science has no national borders, nor does Nankai’s remit to serve and inspire.