He formerly served as Minister of Education and president of Beijing Normal University, his alma mater.

Yuan was born in Guzhen County, Anhui, in November 1950.

In October 2009, he succeeded Zhou Ji as Minister for Education, after the latter had been removed at a regular session of the National People's Congress.

[1] He had previously served under Zhou Ji as a deputy minister.

At the first plenary session of the 12th National People's Congress in March 2013, he was re-elected.