Background

  On June 2, 1997, The Center for Advanced Study at Tsinghua University was founded.  C.N. Yang, the Nobel laureate and the famous alumnus of Tsinghua University, assumed the title of Honorary Chief.  Professor Yang has been engaged as a full professor at Tsinghua University since 2000.  Professor Huatong Nieh, a well-known Chinese-born American physicist, was appointed as the Chief of the Center.  Quite a few distinguished scientists from China and abroad have been invited to work at CASTU as chair professors, advisers or members of the academic committees. The guiding principle of CASTU is to strengthen fundamental research work at Tsinghua University.  Also among the goals of CASTU is to cultivate the talents of creative young minds and to expand international academic exchange and co-operation.  All of which is in accordance with Tsinghua University’s aims of enhancing fundamental research work and trying to become a world famous university.  Also in accordance with these goals, Tsinghua University in 1998 established the Fundamental Science Class to support CASTU in its efforts. Renamed the Fundamental Science Class of Mathematics and Physics in 2004, it aims to  cultivate the talents with creative undergraduate students for future research in the fundamental sciences, especially in the fields of mathematics and physics though at the same time it also encourages talented students in related scientific fields.

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Education planning for the Fundamental Science Class

    To strengthen fundamental education and also academic research, Tsinghua University decided to set up the Fundamental Science Class as an inter-disciplinary program.  By virtue of their enhanced studies in mathematics and physics, students in this class will have solid foundations in the principle theories of these two disciplines in addition to competitive experimental skills.  In addition to this, they will also receive special training for research work. Special lectures are also given to develop the students’ communication skills for international academic exchange. This class also attaches great importance to education in the humanities and the social sciences.  Beginning with their third academic year, students in this class will choose majors according to their own academic interests.  Usually they will choose mathematics, physics or other related science majors.

    The Fundamental Science Class is designed to cultivate talented students who have demonstrated academic potential for scientific teaching and research work, especially in the fields of mathematics and physics.  At the same time, it also nurtures new talents for academic research fields which demand a high level of knowledge in mathematics and/or physics.

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