Southeast University

At the end of the 19th century, under the domination of the Qing dynasty, the Chinese society was under the situation of domestic trouble and foreign invasion. 1901, the Qing government began to reform under this situation, and in 1902 issued 'The imperial rules for colleges', and adapted the new modern education system. On May, 30th of the same year, the Liangjiang governor Liu Kunyi submitted a document of preparing colleges to the Qing government, proposing to open normal college in Jiangning (Nanjing). In February 1903, the following Liangjiang governor Zhang Zhidong submitted a proposal to open Sanjiang Normal College to government, and authorize Miao Quansun as a representative to Japan for investigation, who later was nominated as the inspector of Sanjiang Normal College and responsible for the project preparation. In September 1903, Sanjiang Normal College officially opened.

Liangjiang Normal College

Due to the ambiguous meaning of the college name which led to several disputes, the Sanjiang Normal College was named as Liangjiang Normal College in 1905. The year after, Li Ruiqing was nominated as the principal, who closed the junior normal subjects, and added the public subjects, professional subjects, and also created the first hand-painting subject in China. Until 1907, there had already been Geography-History department, Chinese-Foreign Language Department, Mathematic-Physics- Chemistry Department, and Agriculture Department. At the end of 1911, due to the outbreak of Xinhai Revolution, Liangjiang Normal College was almost closed.

On 15 July 1914, Governor Han Guojun appointed Jiang Qian as principal, who was responsible for the starting up of Nanjing Higher Normal School in the same site of Liangjiang Normal College. Jiang employed the US-educated scholar Guo Bingwen as the dean of teaching, Chen Rong as the advisor, and sent both to Europe to investigate the education system and recruit teachers. On 10 September 1915, Nanjing Higher Normal School was officially started. In December 1919, Nanjing Higher Normal School formally recruited 8 female students and 50 more female visiting students, being the first school in China allowing both females and males to study together. The Polytechnic Faculty was established by the school in 1916.

National Nanjing Higher Normal School, built in 1909

In September 1918, Guo Bingwen was the president in the south division. On 7 April 1920, Guo proposed the foundation of the "Southeast University Preparatory Committee". In September, Guo proposed to the State Council and the Ministry of Education to apply for the establishment of Southeast University, and in December it was approved. On 6 June 1921, the Board of Southeast University was established, Guo as president, and the university was officially opening in September. In December, the school council decided that Nanjing Higher Normal School would be incorporated into Southeast University. Southeast University, based on the foundation of Nanjing Normal Higher School, until 1923, had possessed arts and sciences, Education, engineering, agriculture, business totaling more than 20 lines in 5 subjects. Based on the Polytechnic Faculty of Nanjing Higher Normal School, the Engineering School of National Southeast University was established in 1921.

South gate of Southeast University

In 1924, the Engineering School of National Southeast University merged with the water conservancy school Hohai Engineering School to form National Hohai Technology University, with Mao Yisheng as president.

In 1927, National Hohai Technology University along with several other schools merged with National Southeast University to form National Central University.

In April 1949, the People's Liberation Army occupied Nanjing and the Nanjing Military Committee took over National Central University. On 8 August 1949, National Central University was renamed as National Nanjing University, and then Nanjing University in October 1950.

In 1952, the People's Republic of China began a national adjustment of its colleges. In Nanjing, the adjustment was mainly on Nanjing University and University of Nanking. Nanjing Institute of Technology was formed in the original site of National Central University from the Engineering School (at the time, the biggest school) of Nanjing University and the engineering departments of University of Nanking, including Chemistry Department and Electrical Machine Department. Later there were also some relevant subjects from Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, Shandong University, Xiamen University, Fudan University, and Private Jiangnan University merged into Nanjing Institute of Technology.

In June 1988, Nanjing Institute of Technology was renamed as 'Southeast University', starting to convert from a technology institute to a technology-featured comprehensive university. Since 2000, the name Nanjing Institute of Technology is used by a different institution.

In 2000, Nanjing Railway Medical College and two other schools were merged into Southeast University.

Southeast University is one of the top 20 universities in scientific research and development in China.[18] It has over 20 national or provincial research institutes, with a number of key research bases. Over the last decade, it has completed more than 1000 research projects, of which over 500 have been awarded the national, provincial or municipal science and technology prizes. Its research fund exceeded 1.1 billion yuan in 2010, which placed 11th nationwide. The SEU Architecture Design and Research Institute, which is one of the few national first-class design institutes, has undertaken various major projects. The SEU-affiliated Zhongda Hospital was set up in 1935 and rated as "Class A Grade 3" by the Ministry of Public Health.

In 2007, Southeast University was listed 443rd among world universities.[19] In 2010, according to a leading scientific journal "Nature" (Nature Publishing Index 2010 China), the report ranked Southeast University as the 8th among all domestic research institutes.[20]

In 2010 QS top university ranking, it was ranked: 87th overall among Asian universities,[21] 76th in engineering and I.T. among Asian universities,[22] 301–350th in engineering and I.T worldwide.[23] In 2016, Southeast University was ranked 201–300 in ARWU World University Ranking, and 20th in ARWU Field - Engineering Ranking.[7] In 2017 Chinese national university ranking edited by Wu Shulian, Southeast University was placed 14th in the national university ranking in China, together with other 22 universities as China's top-tier national universities.[24]

In 2020 ARWU World University Ranking, Southeast University's global rank rose to 101–150, and national rank as 7–13.[7]

• Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), President of Republic of China
• Huang Wei (黄卫), vice chairman of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the former Vice Minister of Construction (Civil Engineering)
• Dio Wang, Australian senator

• Chien-Shiung Wu, physicist, known as the "Oriental Marie Curie", with β-decay experiments demonstrating that in the weak interaction, symmetry is not conserved
• Huang Weilu, missile engineer, recipient of the Two Bombs, One Satellite Medal
• Ren Xinmin, missile engineer, recipient of the Two Bombs, One Satellite Medal
• Mao Yisheng, bridge engineer
• Zhou Ren (周仁), Metallurgy and ceramics scientist
• Yang Tingbao, architect, one of the "Five Masters of Architecture"
• Qi Kang, Architect
• Wu Liangyong, Architect
• Chen Wen Hsi (陈文禧), Machinery expert
• Yang Liming (杨立铭), Nuclear physicist
• Wu Zhongwei (吴中伟), Materials scientist
• Zhang Zhongjun (张钟俊), Control theorist
• Ping King Tien (田炳耕), Electronic scientist
• Liu Shenggang (刘盛纲), Electronic scientist
• Xia Peisu (夏培肃), computer scientist
• Gao Hong (高鸿), Chemist
• Min Enze, chemist
• Shi Jun (时钧), chemist
• Min Guirong (闵桂荣), aerospace engineer
• Ding Henggao (丁衡高), high-precision machinery expert
• Yang Huanming, Geneticist
• Zhengxu Zhao (赵正旭), Chief scientist of space mission visualization & control, Professor & Fellow of British Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
• Hans-Werner Gessmann, Clinical Psychologist, founder and pioneer of humanistic psychodrama
• Harry Shum (沈向洋), Computer scientist, Executive Vice President of Artificial Intelligence & Research at Microsoft.

• Yung Ho Chang (张永和), Owner of 'Architecture Prize' awarded by American Academy of Arts, Professor of the U.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Architecture (Department of Architecture, 81)
• Cheng Taining (程泰宁), Chief Architect in Chinese United Engineering Corporation, Host of Chinese United Cheng Training Architectural Design Institute(56)
• Harry Shum (沈向洋), Microsoft's senior vice president and chief scientist of the National Natural Science Foundation judges (Youth Class)
• Li Zhi, music artist banned from PRC for references to 1989 Tiananmen Square protests