Fudan University

About Fudan University

Fudan University, or Fudan for short, was founded in 1905 as Fudan Public School. It was the first institution of higher learning founded independently by Chinese people. Its founder was the famous modern Chinese educator Ma Xiangbo, and its first chairman of the board was Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The name "Fudan" is selected from the famous quote "日月光华，旦复旦兮" (May the stars and the radiance of the sun shine, and may the morning dawn again and again) from the "Yu Xia Zhuan" chapter of the "Shang Shu Da Zhuan," signifying self-reliance and the hope of Chinese intellectuals at that time for independent schooling and national strength through education. Fudan University is among the first batch of national key universities jointly built by the Ministry of Education and Shanghai. It is also a member of China's first seven "Project 211" universities, nine "Project 985" universities, the first "Project 985 Innovation Platform" universities, the "111 Program," and the "C9 League," an alliance of China's top universities.