Nanjing University

History

Faculties

Its faculty, including part-time faculty, includes more than twenty Nobel Laureates engaged in teaching. The university is a Double First-Class Construction university in 15 academic disciplines.

Culture

Motto

Nanjing University's motto is "Sincerity with Aspiration, Perseverance with Integrity" (). The first part of the motto, "Sincerity with Aspiration," originated during the university's period as the historical National Central University, while "Perseverance with Integrity" draws inspiration from classical Chinese aphorisms.

Historically, Li Ruiqing, president of Liangjiang Higher Normal School, the precursor to Nanjing University, inscribed the motto "One who chews on the roots of vegetables can accomplish great things" (). Later, during the National Central University era, President Luo Jialun formally adopted "Sincerity with Aspiration" as the university's motto. Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Nanjing University underwent a series of reorganizations and consolidations, and a formal motto was not established for an extended period. The current motto, "Sincerity with Aspiration, Perseverance with Integrity", was adopted during the university's centennial celebration in 2002 under the leadership of then-President Jiang Shusheng, following extensive consultation with faculty and students.

Song

The school song of Nanjing University was composed in 1916 and originally served as the school song of Nanjing Higher Normal School, with the lyrics written by Jiang Qian and melody composed by Li Shutong (Hong Yi).

Rankings

As of 2025, Nanjing University was ranked 7th in China, 14th in Asia and 68th worldwide in terms of aggregate performance from the four most widely observed university rankings (THE+ARWU+QS+US News). Nanjing University ranked 7th in China, 14th in Asia and 62th globally by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It also ranked 6th in China, 15th in Asia and 75th globally by the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Regarding scientific research output, the Nature Index Annual Table 2025 ranked Nanjing University the 6th university in China and the Asia-Pacific region, and 7th in the world among global universities.

Nanjing University consistently features in the top 150 global universities as ranked by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the U.S. News & World Report. The joint THE-QS World University Rankings 2007 ranked Nanjing University 4th in China (after Peking, Tsinghua and Fudan), 17th in Asia and 125th in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011 placed Nanjing 120th in the world, 16th in Asia and 4th in China. In 2017, Nanjing University was ranked 91-100 for World Reputation Ranking by Times Higher Education, and 114 by QS World University Rankings. In 2017, its Graduate Employability rankings placed at #101 globally in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings. Nanjing University has been consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the world by Nature Index since 2016 by Nature Portfolio.

Chinese university ranking, conducted since 1999 by the higher education publisher Netbig, consistently ranked the university among the top 3 before 2005, and in the most recent ranking among the top 5. Academic Ranking of World Universities, conducted since 2003 by Shanghai Jiaotong University, suggested a domestic rank of number 2 to number 7.

Academics

List of schools and departments

Notable alumni and people

Main article: List of Nanjing University people

• Nanjing University ranks No.1 in the number of alumni elected as academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and/or Chinese Academy of Engineering graduated in recent more than 30 years since college admission entrance examination system was recovered in 1977 after Cultural Revolution.

• In the first time Examination for senior civil service post of Republic of China (as recovery of and equivalent to Imperial examination) in 1931, top 100 were selected, all were males, among them 25 are graduates of Nanjing University, including Zhuangyuan (principal graduate) Chow Bangdao, who was later president of China Medical College and Political Deputy Ministry of Examination, ROC, and the school in the second place is Peking University, with 8 graduates. In the second time exam held in 1933, there were females passed, half of whom graduated from Nanjing University, as well as Zhuangyuan Lee Hsuehteng, who graduated from law school and later became Chief Justice of ROC Supreme Court. One-fourth of Chief Justices in the early 60 more years of Republic of China are National Central University (Nanjing University) alumni.

• Of 53 first-time elected academicians of Academia Sinica in natural science including mathematics, 28 were graduates or once faculty members of Nanjing University.

Notes

References

References

1. Jiang Shusheng. "诚朴雄伟 励学敦行——百年传统与南大校训".
2. "President's Message". Nanjing University.
3. (30 December 2022). "基本数据".
4. link. Official NJU site
5. {{lang. (February 2018). ["intro NJU"](http://xiaoban.nju.edu.cn/zlxz/intro_NJU.ppt}}{{dead link). {{lang.
6. {{lang. zh-hans. 南京大学校长办公室官方网站. {{lang. zh-hans. 南京大学校长办公室. (2011-11-04). [link](http://xiaoban.nju.edu.cn/zlxz/nju.rar{{dead link). (February 2018)
7. "NJU at A Glance". Nanjing University.
8. link
9. link. (2017-09-21)
10. "University Motto & Spirit".
11. "南大校训".
12. "从"嚼得菜根，做得大事"到"诚朴雄伟，励学敦行" ——南京大学校训的前世今生". Nanjing University.
13. "南大校训".
14. "南大校歌".
15. symondsgsb. (2025-09-07). "Top 100 - BlueSky Ranking of University Rankings 2025/26".
16. "World University Rankings 2026".
17. (2025-04-16). "Asia University Rankings".
18. "ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Universities Ranking".
19. "ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities".
20. "Nanjing University".
21. "2025 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions {{!}} Nature Index".
22. (19 October 2021). "Nanjing University".
23. "ARWU World University Rankings 2020 {{!}} Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020 {{!}} Top 1000 universities {{!}} Shanghai Ranking - 2020".
24. "Best Global Universities Rankings: Nanjing University". U.S. News & World Report.
25. (November 9, 2007). "Times Higher Education: WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2007".
26. (13 April 2015). "World University Rankings 2011".
27. (2017-06-05). "World Reputation Rankings".
28. (16 July 2015). "Nanjing University".
29. "Graduate Employability Rankings 2017".
30. "2016 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
31. "2017 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
32. "2018 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
33. "2019 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
34. "2020 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
35. "2021 tables: Institutions - academic {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index".
36. link
37. "Shanghai Jiaotong University Academic Ranking of World Universities 2011 Results".
38. "南京大学新生学院". College of First-Year Student, Nanjing University.
39. "南京大学文学院". School of Liberal Arts, Nanjing University.
40. "南京大学历史学院". School of History, Nanjing University.
41. "南京大学哲学学院". School of Philosophy, Nanjing University.
42. "南京大学新闻传播学院". School of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing University.
43. "南京大学法学院". School of Law, Nanjing University.
44. "南京大学商学院". School of Business, Nanjing University.
45. "School of Foreign Studies". School of Foreign Studies, Nanjing University.
46. "南京大学政府管理学院". School of Government, Nanjing University.
47. "南京大学国际关系学院". School of International Studies, Nanjing University.
48. "南京大学信息管理学院". School of Information Management, Nanjing University.
49. "南京大学社会学院". School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University.
50. "南京大学数学学院". School of Mathematics, Nanjing University.
51. "南京大学物理学院". School of Physics, Nanjing University.
52. "南京大学天文与空间科学学院". School of Astronomy and Space Sciences, Nanjing University.
53. "School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University". School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University.
54. "南京大学计算机学院". School of Computer Science, Nanjing University.
55. "南京大学电子科学与工程学院". School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University.
56. "Nanjing University College of Engineering and Applied Sciences". College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University.
57. "School of Environment Nanjing University". School of Environment, Nanjing University.
58. "School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University". School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University.
59. "地理与海洋科学学院". School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University.
60. "南京大学大气科学学院". School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University.
61. "南京大学生命科学学院". School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University.
62. "南京大学医学院". Medical School, Nanjing University.
63. "南京大学工程管理学院". School of Management and Engineering, Nanjing University.
64. "SAUP, NJU". School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University.
65. "南京大学马克思主义学院". School of Marxism, Nanjing University.
66. "南京大学艺术学院". School of Arts, Nanjing University.
67. "南京大学教育研究院陶行知教师教育学院".
68. "南京大学人文社会科学高级研究所". Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanjing University.
69. "南京大学现代生物研究院". Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University.
70. "南京大学长江产业发展研究院". Yangtze IDEL, Nanjing University.
71. "Nanjing University: providing best Chinese undergraduate education", June 28th, 2010 "China Education Newspaper"
72. "中大校訊".
73. NU people of first-time (in 1948, and also the only time in mainland China) elected academicians of Academia Sinica in natural science: Wu Youxun, Ye Qisun, Zhao Zhongyao, Yan Jici, Wu Xuezhou, Zhuang Changgong, Zeng Zhaolun, Zhu Jiahua, Li Siguang, Huang Jiqing, Xie Jiarong, Zhu Kezhen, Zhou Ren, Mao Yisheng, Wang Jiayi, Wu Xianwen, Bing Zhi, Chen Zhen, Tong Dizhou, Hu Xiansu, Zhang Jingyue, Qian Chongpeng, Dai Fanglan, Luo Zongluo, Wu Dingliang, Cai Qiao, Li Xianwen, Deng Shuqun.