Under the direct administration of the State Ministry of Education (MOE), Ocean University of China (OUC) is a national key comprehensive university with particular strengths in oceanography and fisheries science. OUC offers courses in Science, Engineering, Agronomy (Fisheries), Pharmaceutics, Economics, Management, Liberal Arts, Law, Education, History, and Art. There are 17 colleges and one Teaching Center for Fundamental Courses, and one Department of Social Sciences.

OUC boasts 12 post-doctoral research programs, 81 academic disciplines (majors) authorized to offer Doctorate degrees, 193 disciplines (majors) for Master’s degrees, and 69 undergraduate programs. OUC is the cradle of China’s marine professionals, and it has graduated a large number of competent specialists in marine science for China. 70 percent of Ph.D. holders in oceanography and fisheries in China graduated from OUC. The first scientist to reach the South Pole, the first Chinese scientist to investigate the South Pole on foot and the first Chinese scientist to reach both the North and South Poles all graduated from OUC. 68 percent of the winners of National Foundation Awards for Distinguished Young Researchers in oceanography and 46 percent of the winners of National Foundation Awards for Distinguished Young Researchers in fisheries graduated from OUC.