Qiushi Academy, the origin of Zhejiang University, was founded in 1897. It is one of the earliest new institutions of higher learning established in modern history of China to follow the Western academic system. Since 1901, it has been renamed several times and suspended for a while; in 1927, the Third National Sun Yat-sen University was established on its original campus (reorganized from Zhejiang Public Industrial Specialized School and Zhejiang Public Agricultural Specialized School into the Third Sun Yat-sen University School of Engineering and the School of Labor and Agriculture); On April 1, 1928, it was renamed Zhejiang University. From July 1, 1928, it was named "National" and was called National Zhejiang University, with three colleges of engineering, agriculture, and arts and sciences.

After the Japanese War of Aggression against China broke out, Zhejiang University was forced to move westward to Guizhou. Under the leadership of Zhu Kezhen, a famous meteorologist, geographer and president of China, Zhejiang University experienced hardships and hardships and rose to become one of the several famous universities with influence in China at that time. It was called "Oriental Cambridge" by the famous British scholar Joseph Needham. In the autumn of 1946, the school moved back to Hangzhou. By the end of March 1948, Zhejiang University had developed into a comprehensive university with 7 colleges, 25 departments, 9 research institutes, and 1 research laboratory: Arts, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Normal School, Law, and Medicine.

In 1952, the departments of colleges and universities across the country were adjusted, and the disciplines and departments of Zhejiang University underwent great changes. Some of its departments have been transferred to sister colleges and universities outside the province, and some departments have either been established independently or re-established in conjunction with Zhijiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Medical College and other colleges. Zhijiang University was formerly known as Yuying Academy founded in 1897; Zhejiang Provincial Medical College was formerly known as Zhejiang Medical College founded in 1912. Part of the School of Arts and Sciences of Zhejiang University, the College of Arts and Sciences of Zhijiang University and Zhejiang Normal College merged to establish Zhejiang Normal University. In 1958, it merged with the newly built Hangzhou University and was named Hangzhou University; the College of Agriculture of Zhejiang University was separated and established Zhejiang Agricultural College, which was renamed Zhejiang Agricultural University in 1960; the School of Medicine of Zhejiang University merged with Zhejiang Provincial Medical College to establish Zhejiang Medical College, which was renamed Zhejiang Medical University in 1960. The adjusted Zhejiang University has become a multidisciplinary industrial university.

After nearly half a century of development, especially since the reform and opening up, the construction and development of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University, which originated in the vein, have made great achievements. Zhejiang University has become a national key university with great international influence, focusing on engineering, integrating science and engineering, and coordinated development of humanities and management. In 1995, it became one of the first batch of key universities to be included in the national "211 Project" construction plan. Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University have also become key universities in Zhejiang Province with strong strength and distinctive characteristics, ranking among the top universities of their kind in China, and having certain influence at home and abroad. They have respectively passed the pre-examination and key construction project approval demonstration. The four schools have made important contributions to the economic construction and social development of Zhejiang Province and even the whole country.

With the approval of the State Council, on September 15, 1998, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University merged to form the new Zhejiang University. This is a major measure in the reform of my country's higher education management system and adjustment of the layout structure. It is of important exemplary significance for the establishment of a number of large-scale, high-level, and complete disciplines in my country in the 21st century. It will have an important and profound impact on the reform and development of my country's higher education. The new Zhejiang University is still named "Zhejiang University" and is a university directly under the Ministry of Education. It is jointly constructed and managed by the Ministry of Education and Zhejiang Province.