Huaqiao University is a university directly under the United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee (Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council). It has emerged as the pivotal national hub for promoting Chinese language and cultural education. Acknowledged as the National Cultural Caliber-focused Education Base for College Students, HQU has also been designated as the leading university in driving innovation and entrepreneurship education reform at a national level. Additionally, the university has garnered accolades as the distinguished national model institution for teacher assessment and evaluation reform, while serving as the base for preserving and inheriting the rich legacy of traditional Chinese culture.

In 1960, approved by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, HQU was founded in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, with Liao Chengzhi being the first president. The university was once closed in 1970 and reopened in 1978. In 1983, HQU became one of the universities that received priority support from the CPC Central Committee. Since 1996, it had been jointly constructed by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the Fujian Provincial People’s Government. In 2006, HQU Xiamen Campus was officially launched. In 2018, the university was listed under Fujian's Double First Class Initiative to be built into a world-class university with first-class disciplines. Since 2019, it has been jointly constructed by the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Education (MOE), and Fujian Provincial People’s Government.

Founded in 1980, the Board was successfully chaired by Zhuang Xiquan, Hu Ping, Huang Changxi, Jia Qinglin, Chen Mingyi, Song Defu, and then Wang Gang. The current chair is Cai Dafeng, who also holds the position of Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Deputy Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), serves as the Board’s honorary chair.

HQU encompasses two campuses located in Quanzhou and Xiamen respectively, providing an educational environment for 28 colleges. The university offers a comprehensive range of degree programs across 11 fields, 9 doctoral programs in first-level disciplines, 25 master’s programs in first-level disciplines, 23 professional master’s programs, and 5 post-doctoral research centers. The university boasts 41 key disciplines recognized at the national, provincial, and ministerial levels，and 3 first-class disciplines in Fujian Province. HQU offers a diverse selection of 68 undergraduate programs, including 35 nationally acclaimed first-class undergraduate programs and 17 provincially recognized first-class undergraduate programs. Moreover, there are 22 programs that have received professional accreditation both domestically and internationally. According to Thomson Reuter’s Essential Science Indicators (ESI), 6 academic disciplines at HQU are ranked in the top 1% worldwide, they are Chemistry, Engineering, Material Science, Computer Science, Environment /Ecology, and Social Sciences.

Currently HQU has 27,618 full-time undergraduate students and 7,392 postgraduate students, among whom 7,622 are from the regions of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as over 90 countries worldwide. It boasts a team of over 2,900 remarkable teaching and auxiliary staff, with more than 1,700 dedicated full-time teachers. Among these teachers, 57% hold senior titles, while 69% have achieved doctoral degrees, and 64% of the faculty members are under the age of 45. Furthermore, HQU is home to over 100 high-caliber talents including academicians, National Leading Scholars, and high-level research teams including teacher teams of Huang Danian type proposed by Ministry of Education, innovation teams in key research fields supported by the Innovative Talent Promotion Plan of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other multiple high-level teams.

HQU has established over 100 teaching and research platforms at national, provincial and ministerial levels, such as the state virtual simulation experiment center, state experimental teaching demonstration center, and MOE engineering research center. It also represents one of the first research bases for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Fujian Province. HQU has earned 2 second prizes of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award and 2 first prizes of the Ministry of Education's Science Research Famous Achievement Award in Higher Institutions. Moreover, HQU's faculty members have achieved recognition in the academic community. Their research and expertise have been acknowledged with publications in esteemed journals such as Nature and Social Sciences in China.

By adhering to the educational policy of “facing overseas, facing Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan”, HQU has been cultivating over 200,000 students of all levels since its establishment, among whom over 60,000 alumni are distributed in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and other countries or regions overseas, and are committed to promoting friendship, communication and cooperation between China and those countries or regions. In order to better serve overseas Chinese and to promote Chinese culture, HQU has undertaken efforts in non-governmental Chinese language and cultural education, as well as public outreach and diplomacy. The university has forged partnerships with over 570 Chinese schools worldwide, fostering collaboration and exchange in the realm of education. HQU has successfully organized the “Chinese Class for Foreign Government Officials” for 16 consecutive years. To showcase the richness of Chinese culture, present China’s stories and convey China’s voice, HQU's dedicated team of teachers and students has produced and post over 2,300 innovative short videos.

HQU has signed cooperation agreements with over 280 universities, research institutes and governments from 44 countries and regions. It now has 136 admissions offices across the globe. Other school-local partnerships have been established with Chongqing and with eight prefecture-level cities in Fujian Province. HQU has been assisting Southwest Guizhou Pilot Zone as well as Jishishan County of Gansu Province in compulsory education.

Looking into future, HQU is poised to forge ahead guided by the principles of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The university is committed to steadfastly upholding the crucial guiding principles outlined in the key speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping. With the development strategy of “established for and in the service of overseas Chinese”, the university comprehensively deepens reform, improves the quality of education and strives to become a first-class university in China with international reputation. It will continue to make greater contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Data collected up to March 1st, 2023.