"Five Colleges and Four Departments" is the abbreviation of five political and legal colleges and four university law departments established in New China, which represents the highest level of law education in China. "Five Institutes" refers to Beijing University of Political Science and Law, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, East China University of Political Science and Law, northwest university of politics and law and Central South University of Political Science and Law; "Four departments" refers to the law departments of Peking University, China Renmin University, Wuhan University and Jilin University.

The "Five Academies and Four Departments" has long represented the highest level of legal research in China, and it can be called the Taishan Beidou in law schools. There used to be a saying in the field of law education in China: Only those who have graduated from "five schools and four departments" can be regarded as law students in the true sense. At present, the "Five Institutes" have all been upgraded to universities, and the "Four Departments" have also been upgraded to law schools of related schools. These nine universities play an important role in the field of legal education in China.