This new higher education institute was located at the site of the former German Bismarck Barracks and was mostly financed by wealthy donors.

Success was only short-lived though, as the Republic of China was ravaged by internal strife that had a disrupting effect on the university too.

In 1930 it was reopened as Qingdao division of Shandong University (国立山东大学(青岛)), and included two colleges, one for literature and one for science.

With the Japanese threat of occupation lurking, the university staff and students moved to Sichuan in 1937, where they transferred to other schools.

The surrounding area is a popular tourist destination that includes several churches and Zhan Qiao pier.

In 1994, the university was placed under the dual leadership of the State Education Commission and the People's Government of Shandong Province.

The Qingdao Marine Science and Technology National Laboratory, headed by OUC, with an estimated total investment of one billion Chinese yuan, is currently under construction.

The university has also set up a national base for training talents to be engaged in basic research and teaching in the fields of oceanology and marine chemistry.

Wang Meng, a famous modern Chinese writer, is a professor at OUC, and also an Honorary Dean of the College of Literature, Journalism and Communication.

[6] Under the university's self-understanding, its objectives are to increase reform in education and teaching, continue to focus on its specialties and to meet the need of social and economic development.

The ship is both used in comprehensive and systematic research in multi-disciplines including hydrology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, biology, geology and geophysics as well as for fieldwork done by students at sea.

Practical solutions for the development of sea trade in the province is also assisted by the university, such as in the constructions of port sites in Rizhao and Dongying.

Apart from a large number of facilities that specialize in fields connected to marine science, some also conduct research into the humanities, such as the German Studies Center.