The city is speeding up its construction of world-class universities and disciplines reflecting the characteristics of Tianjin and China, and encouraging the transformation and development of a group of higher institutions. Tianjin will mainly support Nankai University and Tianjin University to become world-class universities, and support about 9 municipal colleges and two co-building universities to construct high-level, characteristic universities; it will build about 30 international or national first-class disciplines with academic advance; and it will construct about 50 special subject groups jointing the city’s industries, support some disciplines from municipal colleges to become national first-class disciplines, and give support to some disciplines to link with the city’s leading industries, building a bridge between academic disciplines and industries.

By 2020, the gross enrollment rate of Tianjin higher education will surpass 65%; college students per 100,000 people will be over 4,500; college student population will reach 580,000; overseas college students will surpass 6%; the new workforce has an average of 15.5 years of education; and above 40% of the workforce at working age has a higher education degree.

Nankai University 

It is a key national comprehensive university backed by the Ministry of Education, and the alma mater of Zhou Enlai, the first prime minister of the People’s Republic of China. Nankai University was founded in 1919 by patriotic educators Yan Xiu and Zhang Boling. Adhering to the motto of “Dedication to public interests, acquisition of all-round capabilities, and aspiration for progress with each day”, Nankai University has fostered a large number of outstanding figures, such as Zhou Enlai, Shiing-shen Chern, Wu Dayou and Cao Yu.

Nankai University 

It has extensive influence in the world. It has cooperation and communications with over 100 world-famous universities and academic institutions. A large number of celebrities were engaged as honorary professors at Nankai University, such as Nobel Prize winners Chen-Ning Yang, Tsung-Dao Lee, Samuel Ting, Robert Mundell, Peter Doherty, former U. S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius.

Tianjin University 

It is a national key university backed by the Ministry of Education. Its predecessor Peiyang University, founded in 1895, was the first modern university in China. With the aim of invigorating the country through education, the university learned from famous universities in Europe and the United States and endeavored to cultivate students mastering new technology and culture. It served as a bridge for the communications between Chinese and western higher education.

Adhering to the motto of "seeking truth from facts", Tianjin University has cultivated a large number of outstanding people for the society, including economist Ma Yinchu, diplomat Wang Zhengting, mathematician Qin Fen, poet Xu Zhimo, mining and metallurgy expert Wang Chongyou, and jurist Wang Chonghui. The famous scholars who have taught at the university include bridge expert Mao Yisheng, jurist Zhao Tianlin, mechanical expert Shi Zhiren, chemical expert Hou Debang, and water conservancy expert Zhang Hanying.

Tianjin Medical University 

It founded as Tianjin Medical College in 1951, Tianjin Medical University changed its name in 1994 after combining the Tianjin second Medical College. Of all Chinese medical universities, it has the largest number of foreign students. It is also the first training center of English teachers in China (Medicine) designated by the Ministry of Education. It takes the medical science as the core and focuses on life science, aiming to build itself into a high-level research-based university.

The university has established academic exchanges and cooperative relations with 94 universities and research institutions in 22 countries and launched a foreign expert advisory committee, which employs 119 world-renowned medical experts and professors as honorary professors and visiting professors of various disciplines in the university to carry out high-level international cooperation.