The contemporary push to raise an elite few Chinese universities to international standard began in 1998 at Peking University (PKU). At the 100th centenary celebrations of PKU, then President Jiang Zemin announced “China must have a number of top-class universities at the international level”. Project 985, named after the date of Jiang’s speech, has allocated additional funding to those select universities since.[1]
The initial nine Project 985 universities – Fudan University (Shanghai), Harbin Institute of Technology, Nanjing University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tsinghua University, Xian Jiaotong University and Zhejiang University (2011’s number one) – comprise China’s ‘Ivy League’, known as the C9. Chosen as much for their standing as their geographic and specialisation spread these universities are less overall aligned with the overall rankings of China’s universities, for 2012 at least.
National university rankings for China paint a more geographically centred concentration of elite universities. In these rankings, in 2012 Beijing was home to both of the top 2 schools (Peking and Tsinghua); to 3 of the top 10 universities; and 19 of the top 100 universities nationwide. A majority of these furthermore are categorised as ‘Science and Technology’ universities – including Tsinghua (2), Beihang (22), Beijing Institute of Technology (30), and the China University of Petroleum (41). The top university, Peking University – Peking Dux – is a comprehensive school, and within the sciences branch is perhaps best known for life sciences and medicine. Hospitals attached to PKU are some of Beijing’s best public hospitals. The district in which most of those universities are located, Haidian, in Beijing’s north-west, is known not only from the presence of universities, but also its hi-tech zones, including the Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park.
Other noticeable trends within the rankings include the density of elite science/technology schools in Heilongjiang and Hubei; and the diversity and density of prospectively rising star universities in Shaanxi, Shanghai and Jiangsu.
The complete list of the top 100 Chinese universities as ranked in 2012 by the China Alumni Network is outlined in Table 1. To highlight how and where China’s research-oriented brains are clustered, by university at least, below we list out the provinces with at least three top 100 universities:
Anhui: University of Science and Technology of China (18); Hefei University of Technology (66), and Anhui University (94);
Beijing: Peking University (1); Tsinghua University (2); Renmin University (8); Beijing Normal University (13); Beihang University (22); Beijing Institute of Technology (30); University of Science and Technology of Beijing (33); China University of Petroleum (41); Beijing Jiaotong University (45); Beijing University of Chemical Technology (57); Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications (65); Beijing University of Technology (70); China University of Political Science and Law (73); Central University of Nationalities (77); Capital Medical University (82); Central University of Finance and Economics (89); Capital Normal University (91); Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (98);
Guangdong: Zhongshan University (10); South China University of Technology (28); Jinan University (63); South China Normal University (71); South China Agricultural University (74);
Heilongjiang: Harbin Institute of Technology (17); Harbin Engineering University (59); Northeast Forestry University (86);
Hubei: Wuhan University (7); Huazhong University of Science and Technology (9); Huazhong Normal University (38); China University of Geosciences (39); Huazhong Agricultural University (44); Wuhan University of Technology (53); Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (80);
Hunan: Central South University (15); Hunan University (34); Hunan Normal University (62);
Jiangsu: Nanjing University (5); South East University (26); China University of Mining and Technology (37); Nanjing University of Science and Technology (49); Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (51); Agricultural University of Nanjing (52); Hehai University (54); Suzhou University (55); Nanjing Normal University (61); Jiangnan University (75); Nanjing University of Technology (92);
Liaoning: Dalian University of Technology (27); North East University (31); Liaoning University (94);
Shaanxi: Xian Jiaotong University (19); Northwestern Polytechnical University (29); North West University (40); Chang’An University (50); Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University (59); Xidian University (68); Shaanxi Normal University (76);
Shanghai: Fudan University (4); Shanghai Jiaotong University (6); East China Normal University (23); Tongji University (24); China Agricultural University (25); East China University of Science and Technology (36); Shanghai (64); Donghua University (69); Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (77);
Sichuan: Electronic Science and Technology University (47); South West Jiaotong University (48); South Western University of Finance and Economics (99); Sichuan Agricultural University (100).
With China seeking to upgrade its growth model to a more indigenous innovation-based model, and Chinese government leaders promoted in part for their success in meeting economic goalposts, watch this space for an innovative race between universities and provinces in China in the decade forth. Will Peking stay China’s university Dux?
Table 1: 2012 China University Rankings
Rank |
University |
Province |
University Type |
Overall Score |
Science Research |
Talent |
Comprehensiveness |
1 |
Peking University |
Beijing |
Comprehensive |
100 |
95.61 |
100 |
98.32 |
2 |
Tsinghua University |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
96.18 |
100 |
86.55 |
100 |
3 |
Zhejiang University |
Zhejiang |
Comprehensive |
56.1 |
53.46 |
52.4 |
74.86 |
4 |
Fudan University |
Shanghai |
Comprehensive |
55.57 |
53.6 |
55.69 |
51.54 |
5 |
Nanjing University |
Jiangsu |
Comprehensive |
42.9 |
40.67 |
42.63 |
45.36 |
6 |
Shanghai Jiaotong University |
Shanghai |
Comprehensive |
42.52 |
48.01 |
35.59 |
37.39 |
7 |
Wuhan University |
Hubei |
Comprehensive |
39.37 |
41.14 |
35.53 |
39.41 |
8 |
Renmin University |
Beijing |
Comprehensive |
36.61 |
28.11 |
36.52 |
73.38 |
9 |
Huazhong University of Science & Technology |
Hubei |
Science & Engineering |
34.56 |
37.57 |
29.47 |
35.49 |
10 |
Zhongshan University |
Guangdong |
Comprehensive |
33.77 |
34.47 |
29.6 |
42.61 |
11 |
Jilin University |
Jilin |
Comprehensive |
33.68 |
32.57 |
33.82 |
30.43 |
12 |
Sichuan University |
Sichuan |
Comprehensive |
32.23 |
33.82 |
28.57 |
34.11 |
13 |
Beijing Normal University |
Beijing |
Normal |
27.95 |
28.32 |
23.87 |
39.58 |
14 |
Nankai University |
Tianjin |
Comprehensive |
27.84 |
28.17 |
24.6 |
35.45 |
15 |
Central South University |
Hunan |
Comprehensive |
27.62 |
27.9 |
24.66 |
34.14 |
16 |
Shandong University |
Shandong |
Comprehensive |
27.49 |
26.07 |
26.77 |
31.81 |
17 |
Harbin Institute of Technology |
Heilongjiang |
Science & Engineering |
27.27 |
26.27 |
26.43 |
29.94 |
18 |
University of Science & Technology of China |
Anhui |
Science & Engineering |
27.2 |
27.87 |
24.53 |
30.26 |
19 |
Xian Jiaotong University |
Shaanxi |
Comprehensive |
26.43 |
25.65 |
25.06 |
30.83 |
20 |
Xiamen University |
Fujian |
Comprehensive |
25.42 |
24.34 |
22.69 |
38.54 |
21 |
Tianjin University |
Tianjin |
Science & Engineering |
22.17 |
21.91 |
19.1 |
33.47 |
22 |
Beihang University |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
21.85 |
24.62 |
16.35 |
29.3 |
23 |
East China Normal University |
Shanghai |
Normal |
21.25 |
20.79 |
18.7 |
31.17 |
24 |
Tongji University |
Shanghai |
Science & Engineering |
21.1 |
19.51 |
18.92 |
35.26 |
25 |
China Agricultural |
Shanghai |
Agriculture & Forestry |
19.6 |
21.33 |
14.46 |
31.39 |
26 |
South East |
Jiangsu |
Comprehensive |
19.22 |
16.9 |
18.4 |
30.94 |
27 |
Dalian University of Technology |
Liaoning |
Science & Engineering |
17.34 |
17.15 |
14.74 |
27.08 |
28 |
South China University of Technology |
Guangdong |
Science & Engineering |
16.73 |
15.36 |
14.1 |
33.21 |
29 |
Northwestern Polytechnical University |
Shaanxi |
Science & Engineering |
15.62 |
15.36 |
12.85 |
27.08 |
30 |
Beijing Institute of Technology |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
15.14 |
13.35 |
13.24 |
30.47 |
31 |
North East University |
Liaoning |
Science & Engineering |
14.97 |
12.6 |
14.26 |
27.51 |
32 |
Chongqing University |
Chongqing |
Comprehensive |
14.47 |
12.3 |
12.98 |
29.93 |
33 |
University of Science & Technology of Beijing |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
13.97 |
12.36 |
11.99 |
29.07 |
34 |
Hunan University |
Hunan |
Comprehensive |
13.92 |
11.37 |
12.86 |
29.44 |
35 |
Lanzhou University |
Gansu |
Comprehensive |
13.82 |
11.06 |
13.06 |
28.91 |
36 |
East China University of Science & Technology |
Shanghai |
Science & Engineering |
12.54 |
12.51 |
9.07 |
27.09 |
37 |
China University of Mining and Technology |
Jiangsu |
Science & Engineering |
12.25 |
11.44 |
9.41 |
27.89 |
38 |
Huazhong Normal University |
Hubei |
Normal |
11.86 |
11.6 |
9.81 |
20.61 |
39 |
China University of Geosciences |
Hubei |
Science & Engineering |
11.85 |
10.24 |
9.79 |
27.93 |
40 |
North West University |
Shaanxi |
Comprehensive |
11.59 |
10.8 |
10.25 |
19.69 |
41 |
China University of Petroleum |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
11.26 |
10.62 |
7.95 |
28.55 |
42 |
Ocean University of China |
Shandong |
Comprehensive |
11.11 |
11.58 |
7.68 |
23.12 |
43 |
North East Normal |
Jilin |
Normal |
11.08 |
9.78 |
9.6 |
22.76 |
44 |
Huazhong Agricultural University |
Hubei |
Agriculture & Forestry |
10.73 |
10.72 |
7.75 |
23.12 |
45 |
Beijing Jiaotong University |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
10.66 |
9.64 |
7.58 |
28.94 |
46 |
South West University |
Chongqing |
Comprehensive |
10.52 |
9.01 |
8.89 |
24.19 |
47 |
Electronic Science & Technology University |
Sichuan |
Science & Engineering |
10.42 |
8.91 |
7.78 |
29.19 |
48 |
South West Jiaotong University |
Sichuan |
Science & Engineering |
10.33 |
8.07 |
8.86 |
27.22 |
49 |
Nanjing University of Science & Technology |
Jiangsu |
Science & Engineering |
9.85 |
8.58 |
7.3 |
27.1 |
50 |
Chang’An University |
Shaanxi |
Science & Engineering |
9.48 |
9.36 |
8.06 |
14.89 |
51 |
Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
Jiangsu |
Science & Engineering |
9.3 |
8.33 |
7.26 |
22.51 |
52 |
Agricultural University of Nanjing |
Jiangsu |
Agriculture & Forestry |
9.25 |
7.09 |
7.63 |
26.7 |
53 |
Wuhan University of Technology |
Hubei |
Science & Engineering |
9.11 |
6.99 |
8.1 |
23.25 |
54 |
Hehai University |
Jiangsu |
Science & Engineering |
8.95 |
7.9 |
6.08 |
26.75 |
55 |
Suzhou University |
Jiangsu |
Comprehensive |
8.61 |
7.46 |
8.63 |
12.51 |
56 |
Zhengzhou University |
Henan |
Comprehensive |
8.58 |
5.02 |
10.78 |
14.45 |
57 |
Beijing University of Chemical Technology |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
8.53 |
9.19 |
4.66 |
22.43 |
58 |
Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
8.49 |
8.63 |
4.96 |
23.45 |
59 |
Harbin Engineering University |
Heilongjiang |
Science & Engineering |
8.48 |
7.47 |
5.59 |
26.31 |
59 |
Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University |
Shaanxi |
Agriculture & Forestry |
8.48 |
6.87 |
7.01 |
22.37 |
61 |
Nanjing Normal University |
Jiangsu |
Normal |
8.47 |
6.05 |
9.75 |
12.89 |
62 |
Hunan Normal University |
Hunan |
Normal |
8.22 |
6.96 |
8.26 |
12.65 |
63 |
Jinan University |
Guangdong |
Comprehensive |
8.2 |
6.94 |
7.03 |
18.79 |
64 |
Shanghai University |
Shanghai |
Comprehensive |
8.16 |
6.92 |
7.77 |
14.72 |
65 |
Beijing Forestry University |
Beijing |
Agriculture & Forestry |
8.11 |
6.62 |
5.56 |
27.01 |
66 |
Hefei University of Technology |
Anhui |
Science & Engineering |
8.02 |
5.69 |
7.22 |
22.49 |
67 |
Yunnan University |
Yunnan |
Comprehensive |
7.96 |
6.09 |
7.39 |
18.82 |
68 |
Xidian University |
Shaanxi |
Science & Engineering |
7.81 |
7.35 |
6.35 |
15.71 |
69 |
Donghua University |
Shanghai |
Science & Engineering |
7.73 |
7.54 |
5.78 |
16.7 |
70 |
Beijing University of Technology |
Beijing |
Science & Engineering |
7.47 |
7.35 |
6.19 |
12.7 |
71 |
South China Normal University |
Guangdong |
Normal |
6.64 |
4.03 |
7.74 |
13.34 |
72 |
Nanchang University |
Jiangxi |
Comprehensive |
6.61 |
6.01 |
5.4 |
14.25 |
73 |
China University of Political Science and Law |
Beijing |
Law |
6.45 |
3.04 |
5.06 |
30.12 |
74 |
South China Agricultural University |
Guangdong |
Agriculture & Forestry |
6.15 |
6.17 |
5.85 |
6.03 |
75 |
Jiangnan University |
Jiangsu |
Comprehensive |
6.11 |
6.24 |
3.27 |
18.26 |
76 |
Shaanxi Normal |
Shaanxi |
Normal |
5.97 |
4.51 |
6.92 |
7.54 |
77 |
Central University of Nationalities |
Beijing |
Nationality |
5.92 |
3.57 |
4.66 |
23.41 |
77 |
Shanghai University of Finance and Economics |
Shanghai |
Finance & Economics |
5.92 |
3.71 |
5.04 |
20.67 |
79 |
Fuzhou University |
Fujian |
Science & Engineering |
5.91 |
4.49 |
5.43 |
14.48 |
80 |
Zhongnan University of Economics and Law |
Hubei |
Finance & Economics |
5.87 |
3.4 |
6.66 |
13.59 |
81 |
Inner Mongolia University |
Inner Mongolia |
Comprehensive |
5.82 |
4.85 |
4.6 |
15.74 |
82 |
Capital Medical University |
Beijing |
Medicine |
5.75 |
7.69 |
4.19 |
1.85 |
83 |
Taiyuan University of Technology |
Shanxi |
Science & Engineering |
5.63 |
4.94 |
4.92 |
11.43 |
84 |
Xinjiang University |
Xinjiang |
Comprehensive |
5.48 |
4.2 |
4.14 |
17.76 |
84 |
Shanxi University |
Shanxi |
Comprehensive |
5.48 |
4.99 |
6.53 |
1.4 |
86 |
Northeast Forestry University |
Heilongjiang |
Agriculture & Forestry |
5.02 |
3.84 |
4.77 |
11.26 |
87 |
Guangxi University |
Guangxi |
Comprehensive |
4.94 |
3.79 |
4.05 |
14.35 |
88 |
Fuzhou University |
Guizhou |
Comprehensive |
4.92 |
4.31 |
3.59 |
13.67 |
89 |
Central University of Finance and Economics |
Beijing |
Finance & Economics |
4.9 |
1.32 |
2.9 |
33.01 |
90 |
Yanshan University |
Hebei |
Science & Engineering |
4.84 |
5.3 |
4.15 |
4.72 |
91 |
Capital Normal University |
Beijing |
Normal |
4.8 |
4.97 |
4.96 |
1.9 |
92 |
Nanjing University of Technology |
Jiangsu |
Science & Engineering |
4.77 |
5.59 |
4.35 |
1.24 |
93 |
Hainan University |
Hainan |
Comprehensive |
4.76 |
5.22 |
2.41 |
12.98 |
94 |
Liaoning University |
Liaoning |
Comprehensive |
4.75 |
2.1 |
5.9 |
11.97 |
94 |
Anhui University |
Anhui |
Comprehensive |
4.75 |
3.27 |
4.63 |
12.1 |
96 |
Zhejiang University of Technology |
Zhejiang |
Science & Engineering |
4.67 |
5.49 |
4.06 |
2.23 |
97 |
North China Electric Power University |
Hebei |
Science & Engineering |
4.6 |
3.74 |
3.06 |
15.81 |
98 |
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine |
Beijing |
Medicine |
4.57 |
4.21 |
2.35 |
16.59 |
99 |
South Western University of Finance & Economics |
Sichuan |
Finance & Economics |
4.45 |
2.19 |
4.99 |
12.7 |
100 |
Sichuan Agricultural University |
Sichuan |
Agriculture & Forestry |
4.41 |
4.11 |
3.16 |
11.28 |
Source: China Alumni Network.
“Peking Dux” is the title of a forthcoming book. All rights are reserved by Sinograduate.
[1] An additional thirty universities were added thereafter as follows: Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Normal University, Central South University, Central University for Nationalities, China Agricultural University, Chongqing University, Dalian University of Technology, East China Normal University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hunan University, Jilin University, Lanzhou University, Nankai University, National University of Defense Technology, Northeastern University, Northwest A&F University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ocean University of China, Renmin University of China, Shandong University, Sichuan University, South China University of Technology, Southeast University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tianjin University, Tongji University, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Wuhan University, and Xiamen University.