China Pharmaceutical University, located in the ancient capital of Nanjing, was founded in 1936 as China's first state-established institution of higher Institute of pharmacy. Directly administered by the Ministry of Education, the university is a key institution under the national “211 Project” and “985 Engineering Advantage Discipline Innovation Platform.” In 2017, it was designated as a “Double First-Class” university. As a multidisciplinary research-oriented institution with distinctive strengths in pharmacy, its pharmaceutical discipline cluster—led by pharmacy and traditional Chinese medicine—consistently maintains a leading position domestically. It is widely recognized as the “Cradle of China's Biomedical Talents.” Since 2000, the university has achieved full coverage of National Teaching Achievement Awards for both undergraduate and graduate education, winning the top prize—the National Teaching Achievement Award (awarded every four years)—four times, China's highest government honor in education. Its graduate employment rate consistently ranks among the highest among universities directly under the Ministry of Education and in Jiangsu Province.

The university currently operates two campuses—Xuanwumen and Jiangning—covering over 2100 acres. with a total of 20,029 full-time students, including 11,179 undergraduates, 8,323 postgraduates, and 462 international students. The faculty comprises 1,919 staff members, including 1,171 full-time teachers. The university has gathered numerous renowned experts in the pharmaceutical field, cultivated 10 academicians and a large number of distinguished scholars in pharmacy. Current faculty include one member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, one member of the German Academy of Sciences, two Huang Danian-style Teacher Teams recognized nationally, 21 recipients of national high-level talent honors, and 81 recipients of national high-level youth talent honors.

The university is committed to building a “Modern Pharmaceutical Discipline System 2.0” characterized by “Pharmacy + X” as its driving force, featuring “New Pharmaceutical Sciences” and “Broad Pharmacy,” integrating pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and veterinary drugs, and aspiring to world-class standards. The university comprises 16 schools and departments, offering 31 undergraduate programs (categories), 4 first-level doctoral programs (Pharmacy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Biology, Biomedical Engineering), 2 professional doctoral programs (Biology and Medicine, Pharmacy), 8 first-level master's programs, 6 professional master's programs, and 2 postdoctoral research stations (Pharmacy, Traditional Chinese Medicine). The Traditional Chinese Medicine discipline was selected for the national “Double First-Class” initiative. In the fourth round of national discipline evaluations, the Pharmacy discipline received an A+ rating. During the fifth round of discipline assessments and the national professional degree evaluations, the flagship disciplines of Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine maintained their competitive edge, achieving outstanding results. By January 2025, 11 disciplines—Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemistry, Clinical Medicine, Biology and Biochemistry, Materials Science, Agricultural Sciences, Neuroscience & Behavior, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Environment/Ecology, Immunology, and Plant & Animal Sciences entered the top 1% globally in the ESI rankings. Among these, Pharmacology & Toxicology ranked in the top 0.001% globally, placing 13th worldwide (0.955 per 10,000) and 1st among Asian universities. In the 2024-2025 US News World University Rankings, Pharmacology and Toxicology ranked 4th globally. In the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) subject rankings, the university's Medicinal Chemistry discipline placed 3rd worldwide. In the 2024 Shanghai Ranking's China Best Disciplines Ranking, four disciplines from the university made the list, with Pharmacy ranking 1st nationally, earning it the title of “Champion Discipline.”

The university proactively serves national strategic priorities by continuously enhancing its independent innovation capabilities in new drug development. It hosts the National Key Laboratory of Multi-Target Natural Medicines, provincial/ministerial-level key laboratories, engineering technology centers, and innovation platforms, achieving comprehensive coverage across chemical drugs, traditional Chinese medicine, and biopharmaceuticals. These platforms provide holistic support for diverse new drug R&D. Substantive academic collaborations have been established with institutions and research organizations in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. In recent years, the university has received four Second Prizes in the National Science and Technology Progress Awards, one Second Prize in the National Technology Invention Awards, and two National Innovation Pioneer Awards. It consistently ranks first among Chinese universities in the number of projects approved under the National Major Science and Technology Special Project for the Innovation of Major New Drugs.

Guided by President Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the university remains steadfast in its socialist orientation, fulfills its fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education, actively engages in global health governance, and strives toward its goal of becoming a world-class research university with distinctive strengths in pharmaceutical sciences. It is committed to relentless efforts in advancing the cause of universal health.