Nankai University was one of the earliest universities to begin carrying out undergraduate innovation practice. In 2002, the university established a platform named the “Innovative Research Project for Undergraduate Students of Nankai University”, which is also known as the “100 Projects”. Moreover, it was selected into the “National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice Program for Undergraduates” in 2007. In 2014, the Tianjin Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice Program began. With over ten years of exploration and construction, an open education system for undergraduate innovation and entrepreneurship featuring one center, two systems, three levels, four platforms and multiple modules has taken shape, and the project-oriented Innovative Research Project for Undergraduate Students of Nankai University has began.

The purpose of the project is to establish a teaching model with problems and topics serving as the core focus, with the aim of mobilizing students' initiative capabilities and creativity for learning. It also advocates for undergraduate teaching reform with the theme of innovation education in order to stimulate students' innovative thinking and consciousness. Additionally, the project popularizes a teaching method of research-based learning and individualized cultivation, which enhances students’ abilities of discovering, researching and solving problems, hence creating an atmosphere of innovative education and an inventive culture on campus. As a result, it will promote the reform of education and teaching, and improve the quality of personnel training.

Over the past years, the annual number of undergraduate innovative research projects has grown from 77 to more than 600, and the number of students participating in the project has increased from 308 to more than 2600. The funding has exceeded 4.8 million yuan. Many research results of the project have won awards in various national college students' innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and many papers have been published in top-tier international journals. A large number of students have shown their innovation and entrepreneurship potential through the project. By fully mobilizing the initiatives of students and teachers, the project has been widely acclaimed.