Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center (HEMC), Guangzhou University Town or Guangzhou University City is an area featured by higher education institutions, located on Xiaoguwei Island in Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. It was opened in 2004. With an area of approximately 17.9 km2 and 3.53 millions square meters of indoor space, the complex is capable of accommodating 350 to 400 thousand people.[1] At the time of construction, it was known as the New University Campus of Guangzhou Region. It is a university park located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. It is located on Xiaoguwei Island, Panyu District, with an area of 17.9 square kilometers. Construction started in January 2003, and it was officially put into use at the end of August 2004 and welcomed the first ten universities. Since 2014, three universities have successively settled in the 25.3 square kilometer "South Bank of Guangzhou International Innovation City" (that is, the "University City Phase II" in the initial planning period) located in the south bank area of Xiaoguwai Island.
In phase I of the project, ten local higher education institutions set up new campuses on the Xiaoguwei island with a total capacity of 120,000 students. All except Guangzhou University maintain their old campuses within the city.
Besides ten universities, Guangdong Science Center, a major science center in China, is located in the Higher Education Mega Center on the west end of Xiaoguwei island.
In the phase II, two more universities set up campuses in Xinzao town which is located across the river on a separate site. The twelve institutions are:[2]
| Phase | University | Chinese | Est. | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | Sun Yat-sen University | 中山大学 | 1924 | National | Xiaoguwei Island |
| South China University of Technology | 华南理工大学 | 1952 | National | ||
| South China Normal University | 华南师范大学 | 1933 | Provincial | ||
| Guangdong University of Foreign Studies | 广东外语外贸大学 | 1995 | National | ||
| Guangdong University of Technology | 广东工业大学 | 1995 | Provincial | ||
| Guangzhou University | 广州大学 | 2000 | Provincial | ||
| Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine | 广州中医葯大学 | 1956 | National | ||
| Guangdong Pharmaceutical University | 广东药学院 | 1958 | Provincial | ||
| Xinghai Conservatory of Music | 星海音乐学院 | 1932 | Provincial | ||
| Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts | 广州美术学院 | 1953 | Provincial | ||
| Phase II | Jinan University | 暨南大学 | 1906 | National | Xinzao town |
| Guangzhou Medical University | 广州医科大学 | 1958 | Provincial | ||
| South China University of Technology International Campus | 华南理工大学广州国际校区 | 1952 | National | ||