BEIJING, Feb. 16 -- Peking University, one of the most prominent universities in China, has welcomed a new president, marking its third change of heads in less than seven years.

On Sunday, Lin Jianhua, 59, replaced Wang Enge as the 27th president of the university where he started to study chemistry in 1978 and obtained his doctorate in inorganic chemistry.

Addressing the faculty and staff on Sunday, Lin stressed that the individual ideals of teachers and students should match with the "core socialist values" -- a reference to the Party's call in late January to champion the concept.

Lin also said that the university should stick to its spiritual traditions and should not "abandon academic independence and dignity".

Spending more than 20 years at Peking university, the professor worked as dean of the College of Chemistry, provost and executive vice president.

He joined Chongqing University as its president in 2010 and started serving president of Zhejiang University in 2013.