View source for Hunan University

{{short description|National public university in Changsha, Central China}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Hunan University
 | native_name            = {{native name|zh-hans|paren=no|湖南大学}}
 | image                  = Hunan University logo.png
 | image_upright          = .7
 | motto                  = 实事求是 敢为人先<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hnu.edu.cn/html/hudagaikuang/xuexiaojianjie/|title=学校简介|access-date=July 1, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307204933/http://www.hnu.edu.cn/html/hudagaikuang/xuexiaojianjie/|archive-date=March 7, 2015}}</ref>
 | mottoeng               = Seeking Truth from Facts and Daring to be Pioneers<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/About%20HNU/HNU%20Values/2010-12-02/76.html |title=Admonition of Hunan University |access-date=July 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714110458/http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/About%20HNU/HNU%20Values/2010-12-02/76.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 | established            = Naming {{start date and age|df=y|1926}}
 | type                   = [[Public university]]
 | affiliation            = [[BRICS Universities League]]
 | president              = Duan Xianzhong (段献忠)
 | city                   = [[Yuelu, Changsha|Yuelu]], [[Changsha]]
 | province               = [[Hunan]]
 | country                = China
 | students               = 36,000 (Autumn 2019)<ref name="due">{{cite web |url=https://www.hnu.edu.cn/hdgk/xxjj.htm |script-title=zh:湖南大学简介 |date=2019 |publisher=Hunan University |language=zh |access-date=2020-02-18}}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 20,000 (Autumn 2019)<ref name="due"/>
 | postgrad               = 15,000 (Autumn 2019)<ref name="due"/>
 | faculty                = 4,000 (Autumn 2019)<ref name="due"/>
 | website                = [http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/ www-en.hnu.edu.cn]
 | module                 = {{infobox Chinese
  | child     = yes
  | s         = 湖南大学
  | t         = 湖南大學
  | p         = Húnán Dàxué
  | w         = 
  | mi        = 
  | j         = 
  | y         = 
  | ci        = 
  | order = st}}
}}

'''Hunan University''' ('''HNU'''; {{zh|s=湖南大学|labels=no}}) is a national [[public university]] in [[Yuelu, Changsha|Yuelu]], [[Changsha]], [[Hunan]], China. It is affiliated with and funded by the [[Ministry of Education (China)|Ministry of Education]]. The university is part of [[Project 211]], [[Project 985]], and the [[Double First-Class Construction]].<ref>{{Cite web |title="双一流"-湖南简况 |url=http://www.hunan.gov.cn/topic/2020hnjksc/jkscjjsh/202301/t20230109_29177809.html |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=www.hunan.gov.cn}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> It is also a member in the [[BRICS Universities League]].<ref name=":11" />

== History ==
{{See also|Yuelu Academy}}
[[Yuelu Academy]] was founded in the year 976, during the [[Song dynasty]], as a Confucian [[Academies of Classical Learning|''shuyuan'']].<ref name=":1" />

In 1903, during the final years of the [[Qing dynasty]], the Hunan Institute of Higher Education was established.<ref name=":1" /> 

In 1926, the name of the institution was then changed to Hunan Normal College, and then Hunan Public Polytechnic School, before finally arriving at the name Hunan University.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date= |title=Yuelu Academy |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/info/1073/2005.htm |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=www-en.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>

In 1937, the academy was transformed from a provincial university into a national university, renamed the National Hunan University, and designated by the Ministry of education, becoming the fifteenth national university.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=湖南大学改归国立 |url=http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3ODQ3MjIzOA==&mid=209071549&idx=1&sn=3189456b0dad23f7a392ec9ea9c898ee&chksm=16c0b8fc21b731ea7d3db28a537bd3ddb6bca77120258964eb1def6e2f33d58599a97eafb330#rd |access-date=2015-07-07 |website=微信湖南大学}}</ref>

From April 1938 to May 1941, the National Hunan University suffered serious losses and, made it difficult to run the school. During the [[Battle of Changsha (1939)|Battle of Changsha]], the National Hunan University was suspended.<ref name=":9" />

In 1949, the name Hunan University was again adopted, and the calligraphy of "Hunan University" was written by [[Mao Zedong]] in 1950 as soon as the People's Republic of China was founded.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=历史沿革-湖南大学 (Historical evolution - Hunan University) |url=https://www.hnu.edu.cn/hdgk/lsyg.htm |access-date=2021-11-09 |website=www.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History-湖南大学英文网 |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/info/1072/2004.htm |access-date=2021-11-09 |website=www-en.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>

In 1959, Hunan University was officially restored after the national readjustment of higher education institutions.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=History of Hunan University |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/info/1072/2004.htm |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=www-en.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>

In 1963, HNU was subordinated to the First Ministry of Machinery Industry.<ref name=":3" /> 

In 1978, Hunan University's status as one of the 88 National Key Universities in China was reaffirmed.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":4" />[[File:Yuelu-Academy-Gate.jpg|thumb|The entrance to [[Yuelu Academy]]]]In 1996, Hunan University became one of the universities sponsored by Project 211.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Developmental History-Hunan University |url=http://mve.hnu.edu.cn/info/1243/5345.htm |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=mve.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref> 

In 2000, Hunan University was selected as a member of Project 985.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Project 211 and 985 - China Education Center |url=https://www.chinaeducenter.com/en/cedu/ceduproject211.php |access-date=2021-10-10 |website=www.chinaeducenter.com}}</ref>

In November 2010, the National Supercomputing Changsha Center was built on the Hunan University campus under the management and operation of Hunan University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Supercomputing Center in Changsha Settles in Hunan University |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/info/1010/1973.htm |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=www-en.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref> It is the first National Supercomputing Center in [[Central China]] and the third of its kind apart from other two national centers situated in [[Tianjin]] and [[Shenzhen]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-11-28 |title=Hunan starts building supercomputing center |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-11/28/content_11620723.htm |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref>

In 2011, HNU participated in the [[Excellence League]], an alliance of 10 Chinese universities with a strong background in engineering.<ref name=":03">{{cite web |date=2011-11-07 |title="卓越联盟"津门聚会强强联合培养卓越人才 |url=http://www.tju.edu.cn/newscenter/headline/201111/t20111107_115402.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126094132/http://www.tju.edu.cn/newscenter/headline/201111/t20111107_115402.htm |archive-date=2013-01-26 |access-date=2013-05-26 |website=天津大学}}</ref> 

In 2015, HNU joined the [[BRICS Universities League]]''',''' a consortium of leading research universities from [[BRICS]] countries.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2017-08-23 |title=BRICS Network University |url=http://nu-brics.ru/university/49/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823151524/http://nu-brics.ru/university/49/ |archive-date=2017-08-23  |access-date=2022-10-02 }}</ref>[[Image:Hunan University.jpg|thumb|The Administration Building of Hunan University was designed by [[Liu Shiying (Chinese architect)]], the founder of modern architectural education in China. ]]In 2017, Hunan University was listed in the [[Double First-Class Construction]].<ref name="people.cn">{{cite news |date=21 September 2017 |title=China to develop 42 world-class universities |work=People's Daily |url=http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0921/c90000-9272101.html}}</ref><ref name="Chinese Department of Education">{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2017 |title=教育部 财政部 国家发展改革委 关于公布世界一流大学和一流学科建设高校及建设 学科名单的通知 (Notice from the Ministry of Education and other national governmental departments announcing the list of double first class universities and disciplines) |url=http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A22/moe_843/201709/t20170921_314942.html |language=zh-Hans}}</ref>

== Academics and administration ==
[[File:Hunan University Library.JPG|thumb|right|Hunan University Library]]
Hunan University is a national key university under the direct administration of the [[Ministry of Education of China]] and a member of Project 211 and Project 985, as well as the Double First Class University Plan.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=2005-06-29|title=全国重点大学名单|url=http://www.eol.cn/article/20050629/3142081.shtml|url-status=live|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220926/http://www.eol.cn/article/20050629/3142081.shtml}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> The administration is led by a CPC secretary and a president. The current secretary is Deng Wei, and the president is Duan Xianzhong.[[File:Central Teaching Building.jpg|thumb|right|Central Teaching Building, at the south rim of the Central Quad, one of the major liberal arts teaching buildings]]
[[File:Hunan University Stadium.JPG|thumb|right|Hunan University Stadium]]

It has the following colleges and departments:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schools & Colleges-湖南大学英文网 |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/Academics/Colleges___Degree_Programs/Schools___Colleges.htm |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=www-en.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>
*Architecture
*Biology
*Business Administration
*Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
*Chinese Language and Literature
*Civil Engineering
*Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
*Design
*Economy and Trade
*Educational Science
*Electrical and Information Engineering
*Robotics
*Environmental Science and Engineering
*Finance and Statistics
*Foreign Languages and International Studies
*Journalism and Communication and Film and Television Arts
*Law
*Marxism Studies
*Mathematics and Econometrics
*Materials and Engineering
*Mechanical Vehicle Engineering
*Physical Education
*Public Administration
*Physics and Microelectronics Science
*[[Yuelu Academy]]
*Semiconductors (Integrated Circuits)<ref>{{Cite web |title=学院简介-湖南大学半导体学院(集成电路学院) |url=http://sic.hnu.edu.cn/overview/intro.htm |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=sic.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>
*Interdisciplinary Institute of Life Medicine<ref>{{Cite web |title=生命医学交叉研究院简介-湖南大学生命医学交叉研究院 |url=http://smyjy.hnu.edu.cn/info/1130/1125.htm |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=smyjy.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>
*Hunan University Library
*[[Hunan University Press]]

=== Students and Academics ===
There are more than 30,000 full-time students, including more than 20,800 undergraduates and more than 14,000 graduate students.<ref name="学校简介">{{cite web |title=学校简介 |url=http://www.hnu.edu.cn/html/hudagaikuang/xuexiaojianjie/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307204933/http://www.hnu.edu.cn/html/hudagaikuang/xuexiaojianjie/ |archive-date=March 7, 2015 |access-date=May 3, 2019 |publisher=Hunan University |ref=1}}</ref> Hunan University has started to recruit international students since 1990s and is one of the Project 985 universities in China to launch an international student program taught entirely in English.<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Students at Hunan University |url=http://www.at0086.com/HunU/admission-information.aspx |access-date=2020-11-12 |website=www.at0086.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Degree Programs Open to Foreign Applicants in 2009-2010 Academic Year-湖南大学英文网 |url=http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/info/1020/2053.htm |access-date=2020-06-28 |publisher=Hunan University}}</ref>

== Rankings and reputation ==
{{Infobox Chinese university ranking
| BCUR_N = 29
| WS_N = 25
| CUAA_N = 32
| QS_N = 35
| THE_N = 19
| LINE_1 = 0
| QS_A = 162
| THE_A = =60
| LINE_2 = 0
| ARWU_W = 151–200
| QS_W = =504
| THE_W = 251–300
| USNWR_W = =109
}}

As of 2025, Hunan University was ranked in the top 200 research universities in the world by several global university rankings such as the ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities|Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)]], the [[U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking]] and the [[CWTS Leiden Ranking]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities |url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2025 |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=www.shanghairanking.com}}</ref><ref name="US News">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-17 |title=Best Global Universities Rankings: Hunan University |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/hunan-university-505375 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Studies (CWTS) |first=Centre for Science and Technology |title=CWTS Leiden Ranking Traditional Edition |url=https://traditional.leidenranking.com/ |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=CWTS Leiden Ranking Traditional Edition |language=en}}</ref>

Hunan University was ranked 259th worldwide in 2024 in terms of aggregate performance by the three widely observed university ranking ([[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]]+[[Academic Ranking of World Universities|ARWU]]+[[QS World University Rankings|QS]]) as reported by the ''Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities |url=https://research.unsw.edu.au/artu/artu-results |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=research.unsw.edu.au}}</ref>

=== General Rankings ===
* In the 2025 [[Academic Ranking of World Universities|Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)]], Hunan University ranked #151 globally.<ref name=":0" />
*As of 2025, the [[U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking]] ranked Hunan University # 109 globally, #21 in Asia, and #12 in China.<ref name="US News" />

=== Research Rankings ===

* Hunan University ranked 14th worldwide in the 2016 [[Nature Index]] Rising Stars.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 100 institutions {{!}} Nature Index 2016 Rising Stars {{!}} Nature Index Supplements|url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2016-rising-stars/tables/institutions|access-date=2020-05-13|website=Nature Index}}</ref> In 2018, Hunan University was elected among 16 universities in the world by ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', called "[[wikt:mover and shaker|Movers and Shakers]]".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Krieger |first1=Anja |last2=Nogrady |first2=Bianca |last3=Savage |first3=Neil |last4=Zastrow |first4=Mark |date=2018-09-19 |title=Movers and shakers |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=561 |issue=7723 |pages=S26–S29 |doi=10.1038/d41586-018-06625-5 |pmid=30232446 |bibcode=2018Natur.561S..26K |doi-access=free}}</ref>  In the 2024 Nature Index Research Leaders, which measures the largest groups of papers published in 145 leading high-quality science journals,<ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.nature.com/nature-index/faq#introduction1 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.nature.com}}</ref> Hunan University ranked 45th among the leading academic institutions globally and 24th in the Asia-Pacific region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.nature.com/nature-index/research-leaders/2024/institution/academic/all/all |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.nature.com}}</ref>
* Hunan University was ranked 89th globally by the [[CWTS Leiden Ranking]] 2025 based on the number of their scientific publications in the period 2020–2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Studies (CWTS) |first=Centre for Science and Technology |title=CWTS Leiden Ranking Traditional Edition |url=https://traditional.leidenranking.com/ |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=CWTS Leiden Ranking Traditional Edition |language=en}}</ref> For the proportion of their scientific publications that rank among the top 10% and 50% in their fields by citations in the 2024 CWTS Leiden Ranking Open Edition, Hunan University ranks 7th globally (1st in [[Eurasia]]) and 1st in the world, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Studies (CWTS) |first=Centre for Science and Technology |title=CWTS Leiden Ranking Open Edition |url=https://open.leidenranking.com/ranking/2024/list |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=CWTS Leiden Ranking Open Edition |language=en}}</ref>
*In 2020, a research paper by [[Loet Leydesdorff]], a famous scientometrician, employs data from 205 China's leading research-intensive universities, including in the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2020, to classify them into three main groups: Top, Middle, and Bottom. Hunan University (with a Z-score of 10.2) ranks 2nd only to [[Tsinghua University]] (z=11.0), which leads the "High Group of 32 Universities".<ref>{{cite arXiv |eprint=2011.08591 |class=cs.DL |first1=Loet |last1=Leydesdorff |first2=Caroline S. |last2=Wagner |title=Are University Rankings Statistically Significant? A Comparison among Chinese Universities and with the USA |date=2020-11-17 |last3=Zhang |first3=Lin}}</ref> 
*In 2022, 32 HNU faculty members were included in [[Clarivate]]'s list of Highly Cited Researchers, placing HNU at No.  33 globally and third in China, behind only the [[Chinese Academy of Sciences|Chinese Academy of Science]] and Tsinghua University.<ref>{{Cite web |last2= |first2= |date=November 28, 2022 |title=The Most Highly Cited Researchers and Institutions of 2022 |url=http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/592281-The-Most-Highly-Cited-Researchers-and-Institutions-of-2022/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=www.laboratoryequipment.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Highly Cited Researchers - Analysis |url=https://clarivate.com/highly-cited-researchers/analysis/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Clarivate |language=en}}</ref>

=== Subject Rankings ===

* Hunan University has been ranked in the top 30 global universities in "[[engineering]]" by several international rankings, including the [[U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking|U.S. News Rankings]], the [[University Ranking by Academic Performance|URAP ranking]], and the [[Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities|NTU Ranking]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-25 |title=US News: Best Global Universities for Engineering 2023 |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Field - Engineering By 2022 Ranking |url=http://nturanking.csti.tw/ranking/ByYCF/2022/CN/ENG |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=nturanking.csti.tw}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=URAP - University Ranking by Academic Performance: 2023 Engineering |url=https://urapcenter.org/Rankings/2022-2023/2023-Engineering |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=URAP - University Ranking by Academic Performance}}</ref> As of 2025, it was ranked #12 globally in "engineering" by the U.S. News Rankings.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-17 |title=US News: Best Global Universities for Engineering 2025 |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

== Notable alumni ==
Among its prominent alumni are 
*[[Cai E]], a major leader in defending the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]]
*[[Ci Yungui]], the chief designer of [[Supercomputing in China|China's first super computer]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=慈云桂：中国巨型计算机之父-科普中国 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/science/2018-09/22/c_137484278.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923054323/http://www.xinhuanet.com/science/2018-09/22/c_137484278.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 23, 2018 |access-date=2020-10-13 |website=www.xinhuanet.com}}</ref>
*[[Guo Songtao]], China's first ambassador to a foreign country
*[[Wang Fuzhi]], a celebrated philosopher in Chinese history
*[[Wei Yuan]], a reformist who first advocated to learn from the West
*[[Xiong Xiaoge]], the first person to introduce high-tech venture funds into China
*[[Zeng Guofan]], the first Chinese to initiate the Modernization Movement (at the time called [[Self-Strengthening Movement|Yangwu Yundong]], a movement to imitate overseas technology and industry) and to make arrangements for a modern factory in China
*[[Zhang Fengxuan]], the first Chinese to set foot on the continent of Antarctica<ref>{{Cite web |title=歙县人张逢铿博士仙逝，第一个登上南极中国人！曾4回故土，重培育儿子爱祖国爱家乡情怀！-湖南大学校友总会 |url=http://xyzh.hnu.edu.cn/info/1022/2432.htm |access-date=2020-10-13 |website=xyzh.hnu.edu.cn}}</ref>  
*[[Zuo Zongtang]], a national hero who arranged to build China's first modern navy and took great pains to defend and develop [[Xinjiang]]

== See also ==
* [[President of Hunan University]]
* [[:Category:Academic staff of Hunan University|Hunan University faculty]]
*[[Hunan University station]]
* [[List of universities in China]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Hunan University}}
*{{Official website|http://www.hnu.edu.cn/}} {{in lang|zh}}
*{{Official website|http://www-en.hnu.edu.cn/}} {{in lang|en}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040629041410/http://rsc.hnu.net.cn/English/abouthnu.htm University history]

{{Universities and colleges in Hunan}}
{{Project 985}}
{{Project 211}}
{{Plan 111}}
{{BRICS Universities League}}
{{Hunan topics}}
{{Associations of independent college admissions of Chinese universities}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|28|10|49|N|112|57|10|E|region:CN_type:edu_source:kolossus-zhwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Hunan University| ]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Changsha]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Hunan]]
[[Category:Project 985]]
[[Category:Project 211]]
[[Category:Plan 111]]
[[Category:Ancient universities]]
[[Category:Yuelu District]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in China]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1926]]