Jinan University has had a long and chequered history. Its forerunner, Jinan School, was founded in
1907 at Nanjing, mainly for children of Chinese from abroad. It closed after the 1911 Revolution broke
out, reopened in 1918 and then moved to Shanghai where it became Jinan University. During the war
against Japnese invasion in 1937-45, it moved to Fujian Province, and, when the war ended, back to
Shanghai. After the founding of New China in 1949, it was merged with other universities and colleges.
In 1958 it was re-established in Guangzhou again as a school for Chinese students from abroad as well
as from Hong Kong and Macao. The number of students reached 3,000.
During the ten years of China's "cultural revolution" it was dissolved. In the spring of 1978 when the
policy towards overseas Chinese was once again correctly implemented the State Council decided to
restore Jinan University and it was formally opened in October.
Jinan University, over the last 70 years, has produced a large number of talented graduates, some
working in China, some abroad. Many have contributed to the Chinese revolution, to the building of New
China and to friendly ties and cultural and economic exchanges with other countries.
Jinan University, as time goes on, will make greater contributions to the training of the children of
overseas Chinese and modernization of the motherland. |