He succeeded Zhou Qifeng to the office of the President of Peking University on 22 March 2013.
Wang was born into a wealthy and highly educated family in Shenyang, Liaoning.
[4][non-primary source needed] Wang received his Ph.D. from Peking University in July 1990.
[4][6] In January 1992, Wang attended the University of Lille Nord de France.
[4][7] In 2007, Wang was elected an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, at the age of 50.