Sun Yat-sen University, originally known as Guangdong University, was founded in 1924 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen (also called Sun Zhongshan), a great democratic revolutionary leader of the 20th century. The University is located in Guangdong Province, an area neighboring Hong Kong and Macao, which is at the forefront of China's reform and opening up. Benefiting from its location near Hong Kong and Macao and the regional advantage of opening and economic development, the university has become an important base for training high-level talents, scientific research, providing services to society and inheriting cultural traditions.
Founded in 1924 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen -- a great leader of the 20th century, Sun Yat-sen University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning characterized by its revolutionary spirit. The mission of SYSU is to advance knowledge and educate students in arts, science, technology, and other academic areas that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.
Sun Yat-sen university is a name-brand institution of higher education with fine traditions in teaching and learning. In 1924, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, great leader of the 20th century, founded this university personally, and inscribed in his own handwriting the school motto of "Study extensively; Enquire accurately; Reflect carefully; Discriminate clearly; Practise earnestly." The school was originally named Guangdong University, and later renamed Sun Yat-sen University in 1926. In the 1930s, there were seven schools in the University, which were the Schools of Arts, Sciences, Law, Engineering, Agricultural Studies, Medicine and Education. In 1935, the University set up the Graduate School and began to enroll graduate students. In the 1950s, the colleges, schools and departments were readjusted nationwide, and Sun Yat-sen University became a comprehensive university with the liberal arts and sciences as its backbone disciplines. Since the founding of the new China, Sun Yat-sen University has always been one of national key universities, and is also among the first batch of institutes to award Doctorate and Master degrees and to establish post-doctoral research flowing stations in our country. Approved by the State Council, the university was the first to set up graduate school in the South China area in the early 1990s, thus offering a complete range of degrees from the bachelor, master to doctorate.

The University has been unceasingly raising the quality of undergraduate education and has become an important base for training high-level talents. On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, President Jiang Zemin wrote the inscription of "Develop Dr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary spirit, manage the University better and make greater contributions" which further points out the direction for running schools. In September 2000, the Zhuhai Campus of Sun Yat-sen University in Tang Jia Wan, Zhuhai city, was completed, which expands the space and lays a solid foundation for development in the new century. On October 26, 2001, Sun Yat-sen University and the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science were merged to form the new Sun Yat-sen University. The Ministry of Education and the government of Guangdong Province signed an agreement, both promising to invest 1.2 billion RMB in 3 years to build the new Sun Yat-sen University into a first class university with high academic standards.

One of the predecessors of the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science was the Bo Ji Medical School, which, founded in 1866, was the earliest institution of learning of western medicine in our country, where Dr.Sun Yat-sen once studied and engaged in revolutionary activities. The Bo Ji Medical School evolved into the College of Medicine of Lingnan University in 1936. In 1953, the Colleges of Medicine in Sun Yat-sen University and Lingnan University merged to form the College of Medicine of South China, which was joined by the Guangdong Guanghua College of Medicine in 1954. The university was renamed Guangzhou College of Medicine and Sun Yat-sen College of Medical Science successively, and finally Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science in 1985, which has developed steadfastly into a comprehensive medical university with multi-schools and multiple levels, has reached national advanced level and achieved remarkable successes in scientific research in medical genetics, ophthalmology, tumor study, parasite study, the kidney disease of internal medicine, organ transplant, infectious liver disease, biological medical project and molecular medical science.

Sun Yat-sen University and the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science have rich historical origin and common academic heritage. Many experts and scholars well-known at home and abroad have taught in Sun Yat-sen University, among them are Lu Xun, Guo Moruo, Feng Youlan, Fu Sinian, Zhao Yuanren, Gu Jiegang, Zhou Gucheng, Yu Pingbo, Chen Yinque, Cen Zhongmian, Jiang Lifu, Wang Yanang, Ma Cai, Rong Geng, Shang Chengzuo, Wang Jisi, Wang Li, Zhong Jinwen, Zhu Qianzhi, Ding Ying, Pu Zhelong, etc. Many famous medical experts have taught in the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science, such as Ke Lin, Liang Boqiang, Xie Zhiguang, Chen Xintao, Chen Yaozhen, Qin Guanyu, Lin Shumo, Zhou Shoukai, Zhong Shifan, Mao Wenshu and Chen Guozhen. Famous scholars and great masters have been gathering at the university to nurture generation after generation of students and to cultivate fine academic vogue, and many gifted graduates have become outstanding figures in all walks of life.

After the reform and opening up of our country and driven by the rapid economic growth in Guangdong province, the original Sun Yat-sen University and Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science have carried out a series of educational reforms and achieved substantial development. Starting from 1993, The Ministry of Education, Department of Health and People's Government of Guangdong province contributed jointly in building the then Sun Yat-sen University and Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Science. In the recent years, both universities have passed the acceptance inspection of the "211 projects"; the various projects of disciplinary development, public service systems and infrastructure construction have been completed smoothly. The merger of the two universities is an amalgamation of two strong institutes, making the syllabus designs more complete and the faculties more comprehensive.