济南大学是山东省人民政府和国家教育部共建的综合性大学，是山东省重点建设大学和首批应用型人才培养特色名校，具有学士、硕士、博士学位授予权。
学校始建于1948年，建校67年来，学校铭记“弘毅、博学、求真、至善”的校训，传承“勤奋、严谨、团结、创新”的校风，发扬“艰苦奋斗、凝聚向上、与时俱进、追求卓越”的精神，为国家建设和经济社会发展培养了大批优秀人才，近20万名校友遍布海内外。
学校现设26个学院、2个教学中心。拥有3个博士学位授权一级学科、26个博士学位授权学科（专业），20个硕士学位授权一级学科、144个硕士学位授权学科（专业），6个硕士专业学位培养类别，92个本科专业。学科专业涵盖经济学、法学、教育学、文学、历史学、理学、工学、医学、管理学和艺术学等10个门类。全日制在校本科生、研究生、留学生36193人。
学校现有专任教师2134人，其中教授305人，副教授707人，具有博士学位的776人，中国工程院院士2人，国家万人计划2人，国家百千万人才工程2人，教育部教学指导委员会委员7人，教育部新世纪优秀人才支持计划2人，国家教学名师1人，国家级教学团队1个，泰山学者攀登计划人选2人，泰山学者特聘教授、海外特聘专家16人，国家和省部级有突出贡献专家26人，享受国务院政府特殊津贴专家70人，省级教学名师10人，省级优秀教学团队6个。
学校建有省部级以上重点学科及研究平台51个，其中省部共建国家重点实验室培育基地1个、博士后科研流动站2个、教育部工程研究中心1个、省级重点学科14个、省级重点实验室11个、“十二五”省高校重点实验室4个、省级人文社科研究基地7个、省级工程技术研究中心和省级工业设计中心11个。
学校建有国家级特色专业4个，国家级精品课程5门，国家级双语示范课2门，国家级精品视频公开课2门，国家级精品资源共享课立项5门，国家卓越工程师教育培养专业6个，省级品牌特色专业16个，省级校企共建专业9个，省级精品课程53门，山东省实验教学示范中心5个。五年来，主持国家级教研教改课题6项，省部级课题55项，主编国家级规划教材8部，获国家教学成果二等奖3项，省部级教学研究成果奖75项。在“挑战杯”全国大学生课外学术科技作品竞赛、全国大学生数学建模竞赛等各项活动中，共获得省部级以上奖励2828项，其中国家一等奖43项、二等奖114项。获得中国青少年科技创新奖3项，小平科技创新团队1个。
五年来，学校共承担国家科技支撑计划、国家“973计划”、“863计划”、国家自然科学基金、国家社会科学基金等国家级科研课题333项，省部级项目809项；获得省部级以上科研奖励238项，其中获国家技术发明二等奖1项，国家科学技术进步二等奖3项；获得国家发明专利458项；学术论文被SCI、EI、SSCI、CSSCI收录4799篇，工程、化学、临床医学三个学科进入全球ESI前1%，出版专著、译著和教材214部。主办《中国粉体技术》、《中华肿瘤防治杂志》、《济南大学学报》等8种学术期刊。
学校坚持开放式办学理念，积极扩大与国（境）外教育机构的合作与交流，通过学者互访、学术交流、合作办学等多种方式与美、英、德、法、加、澳、俄、日、韩、新等国家的50余所高校建立校际合作关系，与港澳台地区的8所高校建立友好学校关系，在刚果共和国首都布拉柴维尔、美国南达科他州阿伯丁和科罗拉多州首府丹佛市建有孔子学院3所。
学校校园占地243万平方米，校舍建筑面积102万余平方米，固定资产总值17.8亿元，教学科研仪器设备总值3.7亿元。图书馆建筑面积6.3万平方米，藏书及电子文献460万册，中、外文现刊4200余种，电子期刊15600余种。
济南大学的中长期发展目标是建成一所综合性、开放式、国际化、有特色的高水平大学。
University of Jinan is a key and comprehensive university in Shandong Province and is also entitled a distinctive institution of higher learning which is committed to producing applied-talented students. Enrolling students from all over China, it offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs and enjoys the right to recommend postgraduates exempting admission examinations.
Originally, the Shandong Institute of Building Materials was founded in August of 1948. It used to be one of four institutions of higher learning administered by the former National Ministry of Construction Material and Industry. Since July of 1998, it has been under the jurisdiction of the Shandong Provincial Government. The original Jinan Union University was combined with two colleges. One was Jinan Normal College founded in 1978 and the other one was Jinan Vocational College founded in 1983. Then in October of 2000 Jinan Union University was added. In April of 2001, the Jinan School of Civil Affairs and the Shandong School of Materials and Supplies were incorporated. Finally, in December of 2007, master’s degree programs in the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences were incorporated.
Since its foundation, the University of Jinan has adhered firmly to its motto of "Magnanimity and Perseverance, Erudition, and Pursuit of Truth and Excellence" and its educational philosophy of "Diligence, Rigorousness, Unity, and Creativity". In addition, the University of Jinan carries forward the spirit of "being industrious, keeping pace with the times, and pursuing excellence". Nowadays, University of Jinan has become an important base of talent training for local and regional economic development, and more than 170,000 students have graduated from the University of Jinan.
Now there is an excellent faculty team at the university, consisting of academicians, professors, "Taishan Scholars", and outstanding experts with provincial and national credentials. The university boasts 1981 full-time teaching staff, of which 285 are professors, 604 are associate professors, 611 faculty who have earned doctoral degrees. There are 2 academicians who are members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, one person who is selected in National Talents Project, 7 experts who are members of the National Education Instruction Committee of the Ministry of Education, 4 professors who are elected in New Century Talents Project Supported by Ministry of Education. One teacher is awarded the honor of National Renowned Teacher and one team is selected as national excellent teaching team. Two scholars are selected in the Taishan Scholar Climbing Plan and 15 distinguished professors are prestigiously titled Taishan Scholars. 22 are awarded the honor of outstanding experts at the provincial level and national level and 69 staff members enjoy special allowance of Chinese State Council. There are 9 Shandong Provincial Renowned Teacher and 6 Shandong Provincial Excellent Teaching Teams.
The University of Jinan has always attached great importance to strengthening specialties and disciplines. There are 47 key disciplines and research bases at the national or provincial level. In addition, there is one key national laboratory managed by the Shandong Provincial Government and one engineering research center under the Chinese Ministry of Education. Further, there are 13 key provincial discipline bases, 11 key provincial level laboratories, 4 key laboratories funded by the Shandong "Twelfth-Five-Year Plan", 7 social science research bases approved by the Shandong Provincial Government, and 10 provincial-level engineering research centers.
The University of Jinan emphasizes teaching quality. The University has established 4 national-level distinctive specialties, 5 national-level quality courses, 2 national-level exemplary bi-lingual courses, one national-level quality public audio and video courses, 3 specialties training for Outstanding Engineers, 14 provincial-level distinct specialties, 9 specialties jointly supported by the school and enterprise, 38 provincial-level top-grade courses and 5 provincial-level experimental teaching centers. Over the past 5 years, the faculties have undertaken 6 national teaching and research projects and 45 provincial projects, published 3 textbooks guided by China’s "Eleventh-Five-year Plan", and won 2 national "Teaching Achievements" awards and 45 provincial "Teaching and Research Achievements" awards. In addition, the University has successively won a wide variety of honors for innovation and creativity, such as the "Challenge Cup" Extracurricular and Academic Contest, and China Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling. The students have won 1268 provincial or national awards, of which 20 are first prizes and 81 are second prizes at the national level. The faculties have been awarded the "Chinese Youth Science and Technology Innovation Prize" for two consecutive years.
The university focuses much of its efforts on scientific research. Over the past five years, the university has undertaken 233 national research projects including funds from the National Science and Technology Support Program, 973 project program, 863 project program, and support from the Natural Science Foundation of China, and Social Science Foundation of China, and 659 provincial projects. The University has won 197 national and provincial prizes for research achievements, one second prize of National Award for Technological Invention and 3 second prizes of National Award for Science and Technology Progress, and obtained 211 national patents. 3300 papers were indexed by SCI, EI or ISTP. 214 academic works, translations or textbooks were published. Eight journals are currently sponsored by the University of Jinan, including "China Powder Science and Technology", "Chinese Journal of Cancer Prevention and Treatment", and "Journal of University of Jinan".
The University of Jinan has promoted policies of opening-up and internationalization. The university has been actively developing relationships with foreign counterparts by means of visiting scholar programs, academic exchange, and international cooperation and exchange programs and agreements. Up to now, University of Jinan has established international cooperative relationships with 50 foreign counterparts. The universities and institutions are in countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and etc. About 170 well-known international scholars have been engaged as guest professors. In addition, a Confucius Institute has been built up in the Republic of Congo in Africa.
The campuses in the University of Jinan cover an area of over 2.43 million square meters and its total construction area is 1.02 million square meters. The value of fixed assets totals up to 1.51 billion yuan (RMB) and teaching facilities are worth 370 million yuan (RMB). The construction area of the university library is 63,000 square meters, with a collection of more tan 4.02 million printed and electronic books, 4,200 kinds of Chinese and foreign periodicals and possesses 15,600 kinds of electronic journals as well. Moreover, the University of Jinan also boasts a modern campus computer network and digitized environment.
In recent years, through concerted efforts and hard work of faculty members, University of Jinan has been developing rapidly. The all-round strengths, core competitiveness in the University are greatly improved and the social influence is tremendously increased in the society. Meanwhile, University of Jinan has set up medium and long-term educational objectives to strive for a top-level institution of higher learning, a distinctive university that is comprehensive, open and international.
In October of 2013, University of Jinan celebrated its 65th anniversary together with the prominent alumni and established University of Jinan Education Development Foundation.
At present, Prof. & Dr. Fan Yuejin serves as Chairman of Council of University of Jinan; Prof. & Dr. Cheng Xin, President of University of Jinan. Prof. & Dr. Xie Lixin, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, is Director of Academic Committee of University of Jinan.
