On April 10, 2024, Renmin University of China brought together its academic strengths in population and health to establish the School of Population and Health. This new school aims to address health challenges from a non-clinical perspective, contributing to the broader health sector and training high-quality professionals to meet national needs.

The school has a long-standing and well-established reputation in population and health research. Since its founding in 1974, the Population Research Institute has been a leading center for teaching, research, training, and international exchange in demography. It later pioneered China's first undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in demography, and in 1988 was designated a National Key Discipline by the Ministry of Education.

Entering the 21st century, the school continued to expand its expertise. In 2001, it developed the field of Population, Resources and Environmental Economics, which also became a National Key Discipline. 

In 2003, it established the country's first doctoral program and research institute in Gerontology, followed by the introduction of Social Medicine and Health Management in 2005. 

Over time, these efforts have formed an interdisciplinary cluster covering demography, population resources and environmental economics, gerontology, and social medicine and health management — spanning sociology, public administration, and theoretical economics — with a full range of programs from undergraduate to doctoral levels.

As a national leader in these fields, the school hosts key research bases supported by the Ministry of Education and maintains strong partnerships with various government bodies — including the National Health Commission, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs — as well as international organizations such as the UN Population Fund and the World Health Organization. 

The school's researchers provide influential policy input on issues ranging from population and aging policies to women and children's welfare, population health, and healthcare reform.

As part of Renmin University of China, the School of Population and Health is dedicated to training talent for the Healthy China Initiative, while advancing academic research and providing policy advice, public outreach, and professional training. 

Building on the university's disciplinary strengths, the school aims to become a high-impact institution in education, research, and public service, both in China and globally.

The school currently consists of three departments: Demography, Gerontology, and Public Health. It offers graduate programs in demography, population resources and environmental economics, gerontology, and social medicine and health management, with 160 full-time students — 67 pursuing master's degrees and 93 doctoral candidates. 

The school has 40 faculty and staff members, including 32 full-time teachers, among them several recognized experts. 

It also oversees the Ministry of Education's Center for Population and Development Studies, the university-level Healthy China Research Institute, and the leading academic journal Population Research.

With the dedication of its faculty and students, the School of Population and Health is poised to train the next generation of leaders in population and health, contributing to national development with the distinctive strength of Renmin University of China. We look forward to working with partners in China and around the world to explore new frontiers in population and health research.

(Information updated as of June 2024.)

Website: http://sph.ruc.edu.cn/index.htm