In 1985, the Gifted Youth Program was first founded, and it enrolled young college students nationwide, with Professor Sun Jingli as the director (1985-1989).

In 1989, the program was changed into the Department of Intensive Instruction in answer to the call of the former State Education Committee to protect and strengthen basic sciences. Professors Sun Jingli (1989-1991), Lu Dexin (1991-2001) and Xu Wang (2001-2006) all served as its directors.

In 1998, to push further the model of the Department of Intensive Instruction and continue the university’s educational reform, the university set up the School of Intensive Instruction in Sciences and Arts, with Professor Lu Dexin as the dean (1998-2006).

In 2006, to commemorate the 100th birthday of the university’s former president Kuang Yaming, an outstanding and prominent Marxist theorist, educationist and social activist, the school changed its name to Kuang Yaming Honors School. Professors Xu Wang (2006-2011) and Wang Wei (2011- ) served as its deans.

In 2018, the university set up the Institute of Brain Science and had it affiliated with Kuang Yaming Honors School. Professor Wang Wei has served as dean of the institute since 2018.