Peking University is a major research university in Beijing, China, and a member of the elite C9 League of Chinese universities, which is similar to the Ivy League group in the US, and is generally one of the highest ranked institutions in China.
It was the first modern national university in China, and since its founding in 1898, it has had a reputation as a leading educational institution.
Throughout its history, PKU has had an important role "at the center of major intellectual movements" in China.
The institution is renowned for its campuses in the Haidian district of northwest Beijing. It is home to some of the capital’s most prominent gardens and traditional architecture. Several gates lead in to campus, with the West Gate being the most well-known for the painted murals on its ceiling.
The university has established joint degree programmes with Cornell University, Yale University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, Paris School of International Affairs, Waseda University, Seoul National University and the University of Tokyo to encourage international student exchanges.
