Nankai University (NKU) was founded in 1919, by the renowned patriotic educators Zhang Boling and Yan Xiu, who upheld the belief in education as a means to save the nation. During WWII (1937-1945), NKU undertook a perilous journey, trekking thousands of miles southwest across the country to ensure its survival. In Kunming, Yunnan Province, it merged with Peking University and Tsinghua University to form the prestigious National Southwest Associated University. This collaboration brought together many eminent scholars, resulting in the education of numerous leading scientists and patriotic revolutionaries.

In 1946, NKU returned to Tianjin and was re-established as a national university. Zhang Boling held the post of president, and by the 1980s, NKU had evolved into a comprehensive university encompassing liberal arts and sciences.

Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Nankai University, with support from both the Ministry of Education and Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, developed into a research-oriented university, included in the key national projects in higher education aimed at building leading universities in China, which are the “985” initiative and the “211” initiative.

In September 2015, NKU opened a new campus, forming a “three-campus” layout for the first time, which includes the Balitai Campus, the Jinnan Campus and the TEDA Campus, collectively covering an area of 4,431,200 m². Specifically, the Balitai Campus occupies 1,216,000 m², the Jinnan Campus covers 2,458,900 m², and the TEDA Campus spans 67,200 m². The total building area of the dormitories is 1,944,900 m². 

In September 2017, Nankai University was selected for the “Double First-Class” initiative alongside 41 other Chinese universities and is expected to achieve the nationally leading level and the internationally advanced level in academic research, faculty strength, international exchange and cooperation, and talent cultivation. 

Over the past century, NKU has always been closely linked with the fate of the nation, advancing together with the progress of society. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the development of Nankai University has always received the support from the central leaders. The founding Chairman Mao Zedong inscribed the name of the university and visited the campus in 1958; the first Premier Zhou Enlai returned to NKU, his alma mater, for three times; Deng Xiaoping met with the renowned mathematician Shiing-Shen Chern and authorized the establishment of the Chern Institute of Mathematics at Nankai University; former President Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao also visited Nankai University during their tenure. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly affirmed Nankai's development and has visited Nankai University personally during its centennial celebration.