In 1921, Mr. Tan Kah Kee, a well-known patriotic overseas Chinese leader, founded Xiamen University (XMU), which was the first university to be founded by an overseas Chinese in the history of modern Chinese education. XMU has long been listed among China’s leading universities on the national "211 Project" and "985 Project" which ensure privileged support for its sustainable and strategic development. Xiamen University Malaysia Campus is the first overseas branch campus established by a prestigious Chinese university.

With a graduate school, 6 academic divisions consisting of 27 schools and colleges with 76 departments, and 14 research institutes, XMU boasts a total enrollment of nearly 40,000 full-time students (including 1,700 international students), i.e. 20,000 undergraduates, 17,000 graduate students toward a master’s degree, 3,000 doctoral candidates.

XMU currently has a faculty of over 2,500 full-time teachers and researchers, of whom 22 are the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (including 9 who are employed simultaneously by other institutions), 59 are on the list of China’s Recruitment Program of Global Experts, also known as "1000 Talent Plan" (25 of whom are on the Scheme of Recruitment Program for Young Experts), and 34 professors are Distinguished or Chair Professors on the Changjiang Scholars' Program.

XMU has forged partnerships with more than 300 universities in such countries as the UK, the US, Japan, France, Russia, etc., as well as China’s special administrative regions like Hong Kong and Macao and the Province of Taiwan; it has established 16 Confucius Institutes in collaboration with local universities in 13 countries.

Nestled snugly between green hills and the blue sea, XMU is renowned as China’s "most beautiful university" for its excellent education facilities and beautiful environment.

Forever inspired by the motto “Pursue Excellence, Strive for Perfection”, XMU has been dedicated to producing high-caliber talents with integrity, thereby making great contributions to the prosperity of the country, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of mankind in general. XMU is increasingly becoming an internationally acclaimed world-class university.