Located in Xiamen, Fujian Province, it is a key public comprehensive university in Fujian Province. The Ministry of Transport has established universities with Fujian Province, the State Oceanic Administration with Fujian Province, and Fujian Province with Xiamen City. It is a first-class university in Fujian Province and a first-class discipline construction university. It was formed by the merger of 1994 Jimei Teachers College and Jimei Maritime College.

This school is a doctoral degree awarding unit, a master's degree promotion exemption unit, and a national "excellent engineer education and training plan" pilot university.