Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center



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. 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.

Components
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: