One of the earliest private universities in the United States. A comprehensive university that focuses on cultivating graduate students and engaging in scientific research. The headquarter is located in Cambridge, Boston, with its general address at Byerly Hall, 8 Garden Street, Cambridge, postal code 02138. The School of Medicine and Business are located in downtown Boston. In Cambridge, adjacent to Harvard University is the equally famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Interestingly, there is no clear dividing line between the two university campuses.

Harvard University was formerly known as Harvard College. On October 28, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony Assembly passed a resolution and decided to build an institution of higher learning like the University of Cambridge in England, allocating 4 million pounds. Since many of the founders were from Cambridge University in England, they named the new town where Harvard University is located Cambridge. School officially opened in 1638, with 9 students in the first class. On September 14, 1638, J., pastor and president of Emmanuel College. When Harvard died of illness, he donated half of his savings, 720 pounds, and more than 400 books to the school. On March 13, 1639, the Massachusetts Bay Colony Assembly passed a resolution and named the school Harvard College. During its first century and a half, the school system was largely modeled on European universities. The professorship of theology was formally established in 1721, the professorship of mathematics and natural sciences was established in 1727, and the professorship of medicine was established in 1780. In the same year, it was expanded into Harvard University; the Divinity School was established in 1816, and the Law School was established in 1817. After that, each school was established one after another in the 19th century. The School of Education was established in 1990; the School of Political Science was established in 1936 (named the J.F. Kennedy School of Political Science in 1966). Since 1966, Harvard University has established 10 graduate schools, namely liberal arts, business management, design, dental medicine, theology, education, law, medicine, public health and the Kennedy School of Politics; 2 recruit undergraduates Colleges, namely Harvard College and Radcliffe College; and the Office of Continuing Education, which is responsible for summer schools, affiliated courses and lifelong learning centers. Three graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, and public health are established in Boston, and the remaining schools are concentrated in Cambridge. Each college is relatively independent, and successive presidents of Harvard have adhered to the 3A principles, namely academic freedom, academic autonomy and academic neutrality (the first letters of the English words for these three principles are all A).

Today, Harvard The university has developed into a large institution with ten graduate schools, more than 40 departments, and more than 100 majors. There are 18,000 degree candidates officially registered, mainly graduate students, but also undergraduate students. A further 13,000 non-degree students study one or more courses at its extension colleges. There are more than 14,000 faculty and staff working at Harvard University, including more than 2,000 professors and lecturers. There are also more than 7,000 faculty members working in various teaching hospitals. Over the years, in addition to educating a large number of American students, Harvard University has also admitted a large number of international students and visiting scholars from all over the world.