Xiamen University (XMU) has been a pioneer in marine studies for nearly a century and is widely recognized as the cradle of China’s marine research. Established in 1946, its Department of Oceanography was the first of its kind in China. Over the years, XMU’s College of Ocean and Earth Sciences has grown into one of the country’s leading marine research institutions, specializing in the state key discipline of marine science.

The college boasts a distinguished faculty, including an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and experts involved in China’s prestigious “Thousand Talents Plan,” a global recruitment program for top researchers. It also features world-class research platforms such as the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and premier educational centers like the National Experimental Center for Education.

A significant asset to the college is the Jiageng (嘉庚号) research vessel, a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose scientific ship. Since 2016, it has supported interdisciplinary oceanographic expeditions in international waters, providing students and researchers with hands-on experience in cutting-edge marine science.