Founded in 1985, Tsinghua University's School of Continuing Education (SCE) was the first of its kind in China approved by the Ministry of Education. The SCE is now a Tsinghua University subsidiary college, the only entity of the University dedicated to provide on-the-job education and distance training.

Driven by a spirit of innovation, the School of Continuing Education creates innovative education programs designed to enhance the ability of people in our society to meet the challenges of life in a rapidly developing society. The SCE is committed to design and develop a continuing education model which suits China's specific conditions and requirements. SCE designs training courses directed mainly at developing the ability of senior administrative personnel in government to renew and enhance their knowledge and skills, adapt to the challenges and requirements of new positions, and build character and pride. SCE also integrates a wide array of education resources drawn from home and abroad to improve the quality of its programs. As another part of its mission, the SCE seeks and adapts new teaching technologies and advanced distance education methods to meet the learners' requirements, supports enterprises to establish their own self-training systems, and assists people in poverty-stricken areas to upgrade their knowledge and their ability for self-development.

The School of Continuing Education has actively developed the international cooperative training program Education-Aiding-the–Poor Program and conducts international conferences with such foreign countries as the US, the UK, Japan, France, Australia, Korea and Finland. SCE is a Member IACEE (International Association for Continuing Engineering Education) and ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education), and the UNESCO Chair for Continuing Education in China.

The scale of training which the SCE has made available has rapidly expanded over the past two decades, especially since SCE was restructured in 2002. From 2002 to 2010 a pproximately 270,000 person/times participants have attended face-to –face training programs, up to 1，000,000 person/times participants have taken courses under the Education-Aiding –the –Poor Program, and 2,000,000 person/times participants have taken training courses in distance education. With the purpose of helping overseas learners know more about China, the school also provides short term training projects on China's national conditions, culture and history.

As of December 2010 , SCE had over 680 full-time faculty, 28.70% of whom had doctoral and masters degrees and 39.50% bachelor degrees. The School also draws on a pool of more than 2000 part-time teachers.

The School of Continuing Education’s headquarter is on the Tsinghua campus, and has 10.500 square meters for teaching and administration, The SCE also utilizes several student dormitory buildings and the Zijing Apartment Hotel on the Tsinghua Campus. 

In-classroom Training Scale from 2006 to 2010
(Education-Aiding-the-Poor Program and Distance Training are exclusive)