Founded in 1949, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is China’s highest academic institution and national think tank in science and technology, and the national strategic force in basic research and integrated high-tech development.

CAS operates an integrated innovation system spanning nearly all fields of the natural sciences, bringing together research institutes, academic divisions, and universities. The Academy comprises more than 100 research institutes, three universities (including ShanghaiTech University, jointly established with the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government), and six academic divisions. CAS membership includes 888 CAS Members, and 169 Foreign Members from over 30 countries (as of July 2026).

CAS leads the development and operation of 47 national Large Research Infrastructures (LRIs) (as of July 2026). They account for more than half of the country’s total, providing world-class platforms for cutting-edge scientific research.

Driven by its mission to advance the frontiers of global science and technology, serve the nation’s economic development, address major national strategic needs, and safeguard people’s health and well-being, CAS has achieved a series of pioneering and landmark scientific and technological breakthroughs. Today, CAS ranks among the world’s leading institutions in physics, chemistry, materials science, life sciences, mathematics, environmental and ecological sciences, and earth sciences, with several research areas recognized as being at the forefront globally. It has also topped the Nature Index global ranking for 14 consecutive years, demonstrating its outstanding performance in high-quality research output in the natural sciences.

CAS operates two universities—the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS)—and jointly supports the development of ShanghaiTech University with the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. Collectively, the three universities enroll over 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

CAS actively engages with the global scientific community and views international cooperation as a vital pathway to pursuing scientific excellence and addressing global challenges. The Academy has established extensive cooperative ties with nearly 200 international research institutions, universities, enterprises, and sci-tech organizations worldwide, forging open scientific cooperation and knowledge sharing.