北京大学北京大学创办于1898年，初名京师大学堂，是第一所国立综合性大学，当时既是中国的最高学府，也是中国最高的教育行政机关。
1912年5月，京师大学堂改名北京大学，著名的教育家、启蒙思想家严复出任北京大学第一任校长。
1916年12月，蔡元培先生出任校长，实行“兼容并包、思想自由”的治学理念，在学术和思想上将北大造就成中国首屈一指的大学。
Peking University was founded in 1898 as the Imperial University of Peking. Being the first national comprehensive university in China, it was not only the highest seat of learning, but also the highest executive organ of education in the whole country. In May 1912, it changed its name to Peking University and famous educationist and enlightenment thinker Yan Fu took up its first presidency. Mr. Cai Yuanpei, who was appointed president of the university in Dec, 1916, implemented the scholarly principle of “Diversity, accommodation/inclusiveness, and freedom of thought” and helped transform Peking University into the best university in China in terms of academic achievements and cultural influence.1952年全国院系进行调整，北京大学成为了一所以文理教学和研究为主的综合性大学。
改革开放以来，北京大学在继续加强和发展基础学科的同时，着力发展国家经济建设、科技进步和社会发展急需的应用学科、交叉学科和新兴学科。
2000年4月北京大学和北京医科大学合并成立新的北京大学。
目前北京大学已经成为一所拥有自然科学、技术科学、新型工程科学以及人文科学、社会科学、管理科学、教育科学、医药科学和语言科学等多种学科的新型综合性大学，充分发挥着人才培养、科学研究、社会服务的功能。
After the nationwide readjustment/restructuring of universities and colleges in 1952, Peking University became a research-led comprehensive university comprising departments of both liberal arts and sciences.（此句按原文译则为：After…, Peking University became a comprehensive university focusing on teaching and research in both liberal arts and sciences. 这样译完全译出了中文的意思，但英文显得滑稽：哪一所高校不以教学和研究为主呢？所以译文中强调了research-led）Since the introduction of the policy of reform and opening-up, while emphasizing teaching and research in basic sciences, Peking University has made great efforts to develop applied, interdisciplinary and emerging sciences which are urgently needed by the country in its economic, scientific and technological and social development. In April, 2000, Beijing Medical University was merged into Peking University. Peking University has become a new type of comprehensive university, with such diverse branches of learning as natural sciences, technologies, engineering, humanities, social sciences, sciences of management and education, medicine and linguistic studies, playing an active role in fostering talents, conducting scientific studies and serving the country’s modernization drive.北京大学始终保持“爱国、进步、民主、科学”的传统和“勤奋、严谨、求实、创新”的学风，百余年来，北大英才辈出，为民族复兴、国家强盛做出了不可替代的贡献。
据统计，北大校友中,已有四人获得国家最高科学技术奖（全国仅七人），12人成为“两弹一星”的元勋，近500人当选两院院士，北大的毕业生和教师为我国的自然科学、人文社会科学、医学、工程技术及国防事业、文化事业的发展做了奠基性和开拓性的贡献。
Peking University has all along maintained its traditions of “being patriotic, seeking progress, and embracing democracy and science” (“patriotism, progress, democracy and science”) and the spirit of “diligence, prudence/precision, factualism and innovat ion” in its scholarly pursuit. Over the past hundredyears, Peking University has nurtured generations of talented people, making indispensable contributionsto the national rejuvenation and the country’s prosperity. According to statistics, among the alumni of Peking University, 4 people have won the China’s National Top Prize in Science and Technology, 12 people have rendered outstanding service in the research of nuclear bombs, atomic bombs and man-made satellites. Nearly 500 people have been elected academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In summary, teachers and graduates of Peking University have made foundation-laying and pioneering contributions to the development in natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, medicine, engineering, national defense, and culture.北京大学现有普通本科学生14240人、硕士生8498人、博士生4234人，共有45个院系、271个研究所（中心）、16个国家重点实验室、18个附属和教学医院;102个本科专业、4个第二学士学位专业、221个硕士点、199个博士点;81个全国重点学科、35个博士后科研流动站。
北京大学的中科院院士、教授、博士生导师、长江学者以及国家重点学科、重点实验室的数目，均居全国高等院校之首。
北京大学图书馆为亚洲最大的大学图书馆，北大图书馆现有藏书703万余册。
Peking University has an enrolment of 14, 240 undergraduates, 8,498 master’s degree candidates and 4,234 doctoral candidates. It has 45 colleges and departments, 271 research institutes and research centers, 16 national key laboratories, and 18 affiliated and teaching hospitals to its name. The University runs 102 specialties for undergraduate students, 4 specialties for Second Bachelor’s Degree cand idates, 221 specialties for Master’s Degree candidates an d 199 for doctoral candidates. It also has 81 national key disciplines and 35 postdoctoral research stations. Peking University has more academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, professors, doctoral tutors, and Cheung Kong Scholars than any other universities in the country. It also boasts the largest number of national key disciplines and laboratories among Chinese universities. With 7.03 million holdings, the library of Peking University is the largest of its kind in Asia.北京大学大力推进教学改革，按照“加强基础，淡化专业，因材施教，分流培养”的方针，在低年级实行通识教育，高年级实行宽口径的专业教育，培养学生独立思考和继续学习的能力，培养学生的创新能力和创造精神。