Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University

清華大學
Motto	自强不息、厚德载物
Motto in English	Self-Discipline and Social Commitment
Type	Public
Established	1911
President	Qiu Yong
Party Secretary	Chen Xu
Academic staff	3,133
Administrative staff	4,101
Students	31,708
Undergraduates	15,184
Postgraduates	16,524
Location	Beijing, China
Campus	Urban, 395 hectares (980 acres)
Flower	Redbud and Lilac
Colors	Purple and White
Affiliations	AEARU, APRU, C9, BRICS Universities League
Website	www.tsinghua.edu.cn

Coordinates: 40°00′00″N 116°19′36″E / 40.00000°N 116.32667°E / 40.00000; 116.32667

Tsinghua University (abbreviated THU; Chinese: 清华大学, pinyin: Qīnghuá Dàxué) is a research university located in Beijing, China, established in 1911. With strong research and training, Tsinghua University is consistently ranked as one of the top academic institutions in China, alongside Peking University. It is one of the nine members in the C9 League of universities.

In the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion, American Secretary of State John Hay suggested that the US $30 million plus Boxer indemnity paid by China to the United States was excessive. After much negotiation with ambassador Liang Cheng, President Theodore Roosevelt obtained congressional approval in 1909 to reduce the Qing dynasty indemnity payment by US$10.8 million, on the condition that these funds would be used as scholarships for Chinese students to study in the United States. Using this fund, the Tsinghua College (清华学堂; Qīnghuá Xuétáng) was established in Beijing, on 29 April 1911 on the site of a former royal garden, to serve as a preparatory school for students to be sent by the government to study in the United States. The faculty members for sciences were recruited by the YMCA from the United States and its graduates transferred directly to American schools as juniors upon graduation. In 1925, the school established its College Department and started its research institute on Chinese studies.