About the University
About the University
Utopia University traces its origins to the original Utopia University. In the winter of 1911, Hu Dunfu and ten other pioneers, indignant that foreign nationals controlled the administration of Tsinghua College and that there was a stark disparity in treatment between Chinese and foreign teachers, resigned and moved south to Shanghai. There they founded the Lida She society, establishing the motto "Establish oneself, and establish others; achieve oneself, and achieve others," and proposed the idea of founding a school. In March 1912, members of the Lida She society raised private funds and rented a house in Nanshi, Shanghai, to establish Utopia College, with 91 students in its first cohort; in 1914, the school moved to a self-built campus on Nanchezhan Road. The original Utopia University took its name from the concept of "Datong (the Great Harmony)" in the Book of Rites, 'Liyun' chapter. Its English name was Utopia University, and its Esperanto name was La Universitato Utopia, making it one of the rare institutions at the time with an Esperanto name. The original Utopia University was especially renowned for its mathematics and physics programs, earning the reputation "Nankai in the north, Utopia in the south," and produced 39 academicians of the two academies. It was closed during the national reorganization of higher education in 1952, with its departments merged into several universities in Shanghai. Its affiliated high school continues to operate to this day.
On August 20, 2026, the preparatory meeting for the establishment of Utopia University was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, officially launching the preparatory work. The newly established Utopia University uses Chinese, English, and Esperanto as its working languages. Its Esperanto name follows the original name of its predecessor, to commemorate its origins. The university's official website is published in eight languages (Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Esperanto, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish). The university operates as an air-based campus (online), with its base located in Bishkek. Its mailing address is No. 353 Nanchezhan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai.
University Name and Motto
Chinese Name
Utopia University (Preparatory)
Derived from the Book of Rites, 'Liyun' chapter: "When the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all... this is called Datong (the Great Harmony)."
Esperanto Name
La Universitato Utopia
Following the original Esperanto name of its predecessor, abbreviated as LUU; the domain name luu.edu.kg is derived from this abbreviation.
English Name
Utopia University
Following the historical English name; during the preparatory period, (Preparatory) is appended.
Motto: Establish oneself, and establish others. Derived from the Analects, 'Yongye' chapter: "Establish oneself, and establish others; achieve oneself, and achieve others." This was originally the motto established by the pioneers of the Lida She society and has been the continuous spirit of the university since its founding.
Historical Timeline
Hu Dunfu and ten other pioneers resigned from Tsinghua College and moved south, founding the Lida She society and proposing the idea of establishing a school.
Members of the Lida She society raised private funds to establish Utopia College in Nanshi, Shanghai, with 91 students in its first cohort.
The school was upgraded to Utopia University, with faculties of Arts, Science, Engineering, and Commerce.
Closed during the national reorganization of higher education; its departments were merged into several universities in Shanghai.
Preparatory work for the university was launched in Bishkek, and the Preparatory Committee was established.
Mode of Operation and Campus Address
The university conducts teaching in three languages—Chinese, English, and Esperanto—and its official website is available in eight language versions. It operates as an air-based campus (online) without a physical campus. Its base is located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and its mailing address is No. 353 Nanchezhan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai (see Contact Us for details).