Gao Song Appointed President of Peking University

The Chinese Communist Party Central Committee has approved the appointment of Gao Song (高松) as the new President of Peking University and Deputy Party Secretary of its CPC Committee, marking a significant leadership transition at one of China’s most prestigious institutions of higher education. The decision was announced on May 23, 2026, at a faculty and cadre meeting on the university’s campus, with senior officials from the Central Organization Department, Ministry of Education, and Beijing Municipal government in attendance.

Context and Background

Peking University, a member of the C9 League — China’s equivalent of the Ivy League — is consistently ranked among the top universities in Asia and the world. The position of its president carries vice-ministerial rank, reflecting the institution’s national importance. Gao Song succeeds Gong Qihuang (龚旗煌), an optical physicist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who had served as president since June 2022.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the announcement meeting was chaired by He Guangcai, Party Secretary of Peking University. Zhang Guangjun, Deputy Minister of the Central Organization Department, delivered the Central Committee’s decision and addressed the gathering. Wang Jiayi, Vice Minister of Education and Chief Inspector, and Li Chenglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Committee, also spoke at the event.

Gao Song’s Distinguished Career

Gao Song, born in February 1964, brings extensive leadership experience from multiple top Chinese universities. A professor and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he holds a Doctor of Science degree and is a member of the 14th National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

His appointment represents a return to Peking University, where he previously served as Vice President and later Executive Vice President at the bureau level. In the years since, Gao Song has held presidential roles at two other leading institutions: South China University of Technology and Sun Yat-sen University, where he served at the vice-ministerial level. He has also concurrently served as Vice Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, as ScienceNet reported.

The Leadership Transition

Gong Qihuang, the outgoing president, was born on August 15, 1964, and is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. An optical expert who earned his bachelor’s degree from Peking University’s Department of Physics in 1983, Gong served as the 29th president of the university. He is an alternate member of the 20th CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology.

The meeting was attended by a broad cross-section of the university community, including leadership team members, retired leaders, professor representatives, department and faculty heads, and staff representatives, alongside officials from the Central Organization Department, Ministry of Education, and Beijing Municipal government.

Analysis and Implications

Gao Song’s appointment continues a pattern of leadership rotation within China’s elite university system, where experienced administrators are moved between top institutions to share best practices and prevent entrenchment. His previous experience at Peking University — combined with his leadership roles at universities in southern China — positions him to bring both institutional knowledge and fresh perspectives to the role.

As an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gao Song maintains the tradition of Peking University being led by a distinguished scientist, continuing the precedent set by his predecessor. His membership on the 14th NPC Standing Committee also signals strong political credentials, which are significant for a university president navigating the intersection of academic leadership and party-state governance.

The appointment comes as China continues to implement its “Double First-Class” initiative, a national strategy aimed at developing world-class universities and disciplines. The new president will play a key role in advancing Peking University’s standing under this framework.

What to Watch For

While the immediate transition is now complete, several questions remain. Observers will be watching for any specific policy directions or reforms Gao Song may pursue at Peking University, and how his experience leading universities in Guangzhou — a major economic hub in southern China — might influence his approach at the Beijing-based institution. The next role for Gong Qihuang, who served a tenure of approximately four years, also remains to be seen.

What is clear is that this leadership change represents a significant moment for Chinese higher education, as one of the nation’s most influential academic institutions begins a new chapter under familiar but freshly experienced leadership.