YUN overview

Long-standing history

Yunnan University (YNU) – located in Kunming, capital city of Southwest China's Yunnan province – was founded in 1922 and is one of the first comprehensive universities established in the country's western frontier.

Yunnan University is located in Kunming, capital city of China's Southwest Yunnan province. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

In 1978, YNU was designated by the State Council, China's Cabinet, as one of the 88 key universities in the country. In 1996, it was among the first universities to win the membership of "Project 211". In 2001, it was listed as one of the higher education institutions to be intensively supported in China's development of its western region.

In 2006, all its 19 secondary indicators were given A grades and it was rated as an excellent college for undergraduate education by the Ministry of Education. In 2017, it became one of the first batch of 42 "first-class universities" in China.

Profound cultural background

In 1937, the famous mathematician and educator Xiong Qinglai was appointed principal of the university. A large number of leading scholars were hired, which laid a foundation for the school's higher development and profound academic background, and created the first great period in the history of YNU.

YNU developed into a large-scale and internationally influential institution – becoming one of China's famous universities in the 1940s – offering such disciplines as the liberal arts, law, science, engineering, agriculture and medicine.